![\"A](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Mattera-SH.jpg\")
A qualified Coast Guard-approved marine drill instructor, Fred Mattera of Point Judith, RI is the owner\/president of North East Safety Training Co. (NESTCo), which conducts fishing vessel drills and inspections and basic safety training workshops.
A commercial fisherman for 40 years, Mattera is a member of the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee to the Coast Guard, and, since 1998, has been president of the Point Club, a fishing vessel mutual insurance group. He also has served on the board of directors for Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., the principal underwriter for the Point Club and more than 2,000 US fishing vessels, since 1998.<\/p><\/div>\n
Maybe you know this scenario.\u00a0 The plan is to meet at midnight at the boat to go fishing.\u00a0 Then at 11 pm or so you receive the inevitable call from a crewman, \u201cI can\u2019t make this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
So the list of transit crewmen is reviewed and the phone calls begin.<\/p>\n
You start out seeking a transit crewman with experience.\u00a0 But in more and more situations these day an inexperienced crewman (any warm body) will have to suffice.<\/p>\n
There was a time where we would not leave the dock without a seasoned, experienced crew.\u00a0 Today, however, if you come up a man short, it may be days or weeks until an experienced crewman is available.\u00a0 Consequently, you are forced to take any available crewman willing to work.<\/p>\n
The upshot of this is that when conducting a drill onboard, it can quickly become apparent that inexperienced crews may not know the location of their safety equipment, how it functions, and their specific assignments.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, captains may assume
\nthe crew\u2019s knowledge and\/or simply assign a new crewman to shadow an existing crew member and learn the ropes.<\/p>\n
This complacency can pose a problem in times of peril.<\/p>\n
A vessel captain or mate must provide the crew with an orientation of all the safety equipment onboard, and go over each individual\u2019s assignment \u2013 highlighting safety on the job.<\/p>\n
Start by presenting the crew a few simple steps and practices:<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Follow the chain of command<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
If you are a new or inexperienced crewman, the captain will inform you what your duties are.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to do a job you are not authorized for, athough circumstances may require that you act on your own.\u00a0 If you feel that you must act outside of your assigned duties, use your best judgment, and inform the captain at the earliest opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Keep awake<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Be alert to what is happening on the vessel and to sea conditions.\u00a0 Familiar jobs can cause you to be lax or inattentive \u2013 and lack of attention produces accidents.\u00a0 Take special care in heavy weather conditions, keep an eye out for your crewmembers as well as yourself, and warn them of threatening waves or other dangers.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Keep house<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Keep all living and working areas neat and orderly.\u00a0 Tools and equipment must be properly stowed or secured.\u00a0 Eliminate tripping hazards.\u00a0 Discard waste and other debris and don\u2019t let them foul scuppers, drains, and freeing ports.\u00a0 Leaks and spills should be reported and cleaned immediately.\u00a0 Bilges and engineroom surfaces should be kept clean.\u00a0 Passageways must be kept clear.\u00a0 Lines and ropes must be coiled and stowed.\u00a0 Clothing, foul weather gear, boots, gloves, etc. must all be kept in their proper places.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Hand tools<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Use the right hand tools for the job, keep them clean and stow them when you are done.\u00a0 Keep all cutting tools sharp and make use of all guards to protect hands from the blade.\u00a0 Open-bladed knives, gaffs, boat hooks, and other sharp or pointed objects should be safely stowed when not in use.\u00a0 If you are working aloft, or near a deck opening, don\u2019t leave tools lying loose.\u00a0 Place them in a tool bag or five gallon bucket to prevent injuries to a crewman below.\u00a0 Use a line to lower tools from aloft.\u00a0 Don\u2019t use a tool that is obviously defective \u2013 report it.\u00a0 Don\u2019t use a tool on moving machinery.\u00a0 Remember to remove all tools before restarting an engine that has been serviced.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Protective clothing<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Always be aware of the hazards posed by wearing loose clothing (such as, exposed strings from hooded sweatshirts) during the operation of winches and any other moving machinery.\u00a0 You are expected to use all protective clothing called for in the vessel\u2019s operations.\u00a0 Such clothing may include work suits (overalls) personal floatation devices (PFDs), gloves, steel-toed shoes, hard hats, boots, foul weather gear, ear and eye protection, etc.\u00a0 If you are working around revolving and moving equipment and you have long hair, tie it up or wear a hat and don\u2019t wear rings or jewelry.<\/p>\n
Footwear should be in good condition, with non-slip soles, boots large enough to slip your foot out quickly if it becomes entangled.\u00a0 Gloves should be appropriate for the hazards the wearer may encounter.\u00a0 Gloves should fit snugly at the wrist but permit free movement of the fingers.\u00a0 Ear protection should always be worn by crewmen working in enginerooms, and eye protection for crewmen who are chipping paint or rust, working on batteries, sanding, grinding or spray painting, etc.<\/p>\n
In darkness or in poor visibility highly visible protective clothing should always be worn.<\/p>\n
These are some simple instructions, warnings, and examples to adhere to for new (and frankly all) crewmembers.<\/p>\n
This is Part I of \u201cSafety on the Job.\u201d\u00a0 Part II will follow in my next safety column.<\/p>\n
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