RA 08 - December 2009 – One of a series of Steamship Mutual Loss Prevention Bulletins produced by the Ship Safety Trust Page 1 of 3 For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd., Tel: +44 20 7247 5490; Email: loss.prevention@simsl.com Web: www.simsl.com/loss-prevention-and-safety-training.html Safe Mooring Practice Safe Mooring PracticeSafe Mooring Practice Safe Mooring Practice Introduction IntroductionIntroduction Introduction The Club continues to encounter claims arising from incidents that take place during routine mooring and associated towage operations. In most cases these claims could have been avoided by adherence to best mooring practice, correct use of PPE and compliance with the requirements of the vessel’s Safety Management System. Equipment Maintenance Equipment MaintenanceEquipment Maintenance Equipment Maintenance Mooring winches, capstans, windlasses, mooring lines and mooring fixtures and fittings must be properly maintained and periodic maintenance undertaken as prescribed in the planned maintenance system. Routine maintenance should include regular visual inspections of all equipment, greasing of grease nipples on moving machinery and of rollers on fairleads and pedestal fairleads. Open gearing and clutches should also be suitably greased with an appropriate dressing. Brakes should be closely examined to ensure all linkages are working correctly, brake band material thickness is adequate and the condition of the brake lining is satisfactory. Clutches should operate smoothly and pins for securing the clutches should be attached to the clutch control levers ready for use. Winch control levers must be marked with the direction of operation for both paying out and heaving in. Drum ends should be kept free from damage, rust and paint, and machinery bed plates should be periodically inspected for deterioration or damage. It must be ensured that mooring fairleads are all turning freely and that their surfaces are free of rust or damage that could abrade the mooring lines. The integrity of all mooring equipment such as bitts, pad eyes and leads should be closely examined. Information on mooring line care and maintenance can be found in Risk Alert 07. Prior to mooring operations commencing, all equipment should be visually examined for any visible defects and machinery tested. Any defective equipment must be taken out of service. Person PersonPerson Persona aa al Protective Equipment l Protective Equipmentl Protective Equipment l Protective Equipment All personnel engaged in mooring and towing operations should wear the correct personal protective equipment. This should be detailed in the vessel’s Safety Management System and will include high visibility coveralls, a hardhat with chin strap, safety shoes or safety boots, gloves and in colder weather suitable high visibility warm clothing. Personnel on the forecastle should have safety goggles to hand in case the anchor has to be let go in an emergency. The use of gloves for mooring operations is an often debated topic, the best advice being that gloves should ideally not be too loose fitting so that they do not get trapped within ropes on drum ends. Gloves should always be used when handling wire ropes due to the possibility of hand injury arising from broken wires. Tug Operations Tug OperationsTug Operations Tug Operations Personnel standing by forward and aft will be advised by the bridge when tugs are t