6 replies to this topic

[Barry McCrindle]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ast/7733817.stm

[homeward bound]

SURELY IT WOULDNT BE OUT THE QUESTION TO PUT THEM UP ASHORE IN A FLAT, IT CANNOT BE MUCH FUN STUCK IN A FOCSLE OR CABIN FOR SIX MONTHS , MOST WITH NO TOILET OR RUNNING WATER , SHOWERS ETC .FOR ALL THEY GET PAID IT WOULDNT BE TOO MUCH TO ASK

[quiet waters]

i know these rules are aimed at foreign crewmembers who live aboard but theres nothing to stop them being made to apply to any crewmembers sleeping aboard in any port, i notice that mention is made of portable cookers in cabins, was this the reason for the recent tragedy? something started a fire aboard the boat, has the cause been established yet? most of the rules make common sense but they do apply to everyone even tho certain size and age boats wouldn't have all the measures required. inshore fleet that work the west coast and lie in some harbour somewhere at night have the crew sleeping aboard, i know in my time if i or my skipper before that had to adhere to all these restrictions then the whole thing would be unworkable. i know its meant to ensure the safety of the crew who are living aboard but the rules would be across the board and if enforced would catch out more prawners lying in gigha or port ellen or colonsay for the night during the week, to use just three of many examples, than it would any of the boats with foreign crewmembers who effectively live aboard. i had an uncle who never went home during the week, even if we were landing into our home port every night, such a thing would be banned today due to health and safety. complete nonsense, if such inspectors were sent round the homes of britain then you'd find the vast majority of the households of the UK would not be allowed to sleep in their own homes. i don't have any fire extinguishers or fire blankets, alarm system to tell me when theres a loss of mains power (unless a puddle in the kitchen in front of the freezer counts?) i'm sure theres several other things i don't have, which would be equally relevent in the home, i'd think a boat has more safety features than your average home, i recall going back nearly thirty years a gas detection system just for a cooker aboard a boat costing more than a new cooker and a years usage of gas. you had to have it so you had  it, the "dead boat" syndrome would have applied to 99% of the inshore fleet who traditionally work away from their home port for some part of the year. not that such measures are not needed i know men who lost their life because they closed up a foc'sal while sleeping, stoke a coal fire up and suffocated in their sleep, others who lost their life when an undetected leak in a gas bottle caused an explosion, all avoidable all tragic, all accidents, you can't put a price on a life, but the all encompassing health and safety will put a huge financial strain on certain sectors. the opinion about providing shore based accommodation for foreign crew is another matter entirely, one i am loath to comment on as it brings the portable cooker in the cabin scenario back intothe picture, what is wrong with the ship galley when in port? the only reason i can think of for it not being used would be if the skipper or owner forbade the crew from using it? surely something that would never happen? then again theres the other reason, i once viewed a house that at the time was in use by the staff of a local chinese restaraunt, perfectly usable kitchen, but each occupant had a stove in their room? who am i to judge? put me off buying the place tho, but that was their way of living, each to their own.

[quiet waters]

no two boats will be the same, but i assume any boats built in the last twenty years would have all those safety requirements as standard when being fitted out? for example any boat with the MOB system would have the same level of alarm and detection systems throughout, as you say it all depends on the owner, theres bound to be a few rotten apples. we've seen that elsewhere with the loss of boats

[Hooked]

Safety "In the workplace" probably best sums this up?  Joking aside, perhaps there will soon be a requirement to display a Health & Safety poster ~ if not already?