Part of the Breakout Session

Fires aboard tugs still keep happening!

Why? And what can we do to prevent fires on board?

7 of our fellow tugmen tragically lost their lives in recent fatal fire incident aboard the 29m Tug Zeus in Sweden.

“Preventing Fires Aboard Tugs”

What causes fires on board tugs?

• Basics Fire Triangle

• Poor design

• Machinery failures

• Lack of familiarisation

• Lack of awareness

• Poor or incorrect maintenance

• Lack of attention

• Poor housekeeping

A few common extracts from incident investigation reports

• Progressive chafing of one of the port main engine’s fuel injector leak-off pipes had caused the pipe to fail. Diesel fuel then discharged onto the hot engine, where it ignited.

• Due to a leaking lubricating oil filter in the engine room oil was sprayed on hot parts of the main engine, possible due to a problematic design of lubricating oil filter

• Not familiar with this specific design

• Fire started as a result of hydraulic oil leaking onto the hot engine exhausts in the hydraulic pump space

• It was normal practice to leave doors and hatches open throughout the ship to improve ventilation.

• Valve collapsed allowing hydraulic vapour to escape into the engine-room, igniting on a hot surface

Outcomes of fire! • Lives are at risk

• Assets are at risk

• Environment at risk, pollution if vessel sinks

People often play a part in the reason why

fires occur on board (underlying causes)

Safety Differently?

• Resource scarcity and competition mean systems incrementally push their operations towards the edge of their safety envelopes

• We have to do this to remain successful in our dynamic environment!

• The following few slides are intentionally thought provoking, it

is hoped they will inspire.

Drift into failure!

• Expanding Machineries of safety can make an organisation listen less and risk “drift into failure” crews may no longer feel able or empowered to think for themselves.

• This can stifle innovation, choke off initiative, and erode problem ownership. We must listen to our crews and operators at the sharp end, if we don’t, we will continue to see tragic incidents

Human factors • The new era for human factors

calls for a different kind of safety thinking. A thinking that sees crew as a source of diversity, insight, creativity and wisdom about safety, not sources of risk that undermines an otherwise safe system

• We must trade our safety vocabulary from that of control, constraint, and human deficit to that of empowerment, diversity and human opportunity

Safety controls?

• Safety Management Systems- Procedures/ SSOW/ JSA/ RA/PTW

• Safety culture

• Behavioural safety Human factors – safety language

• Safety leadership

• Safety by design - please consider design when in your

breakout groups, it is often overlooked, especially when considering retrospective application not just new build designs – EG> tow hooks to winch’s

Hierarchy of control • Elimination is the first control measure, often under utilised!

• Safety by design, if we put all our minds together who knows what innovative ideas we can come up with?

• Consider existing and future designs/control measures

• 2 very different thought streams - proactive Vs reactive;

• Preventing fire EG. Anti spray tape -proactive

• Handle fire safely EG. High Fog - reactive

Groups please consider both

How to move an oil rig safely at speed?

Designed for the job

Inspiration of 3D printing technology

Inspiration

Thermographic Survey

Be creative !

Thank you for your time any Questions?