B SAFE Loss Prevention BSAFE INCIDENT CASE STUDY 06: SCAFFOLDING FALL CAUSES SERIOUS INJURIES Published: 30 April 2021 Two crew members on board a geared bulk carrier were carrying out routine painting in the cargo holds using a mobile scaffold tower to gain access to the upper hold structure. While the scaffold tower was being repositioned ( Figure 1 ), it became unbalanced and toppled forward onto the deck. The crew members, who had remained on the upper tiers of the scaffolding while it was being moved, sustained serious injuries from the fall and had to be evacuated to a hospital ashore for treatment. Figure 1 Hold No.4 showing the position of scaffold tower, crew members and direction of movement. Source: Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) WHAT HAPPENED? A geared bulk carrier was at anchor awaiting a berth while the ship’s crew were carrying out routine duties, including painting work in cargo holds No.1 and 4. Shortly after 0800, the chief officer (C/O) briefed the bosun about the day’s work and at about 0830 the C/O, the bosun, two able seamen (AB2 and AB3), the ordinary seaman (OS) and the deck cadet (cadet) began work in No.1 hold. This required them to use the ship’s portable modular scaffold tower ( Figure 2 ) in order to access the upper aft bulkhead and topside tank about 6 to 9m above the tank top. The crew members assembled five sections of scaffolding, which were held by two guy ropes that had been run up out of the hold and secured on deck. The C/O, as the supervisor, oversaw the work from the tank top and the bosun and AB3 painted from the scaffold tower. Both were wearing safety harnesses with safety lines secured on the ship’s main deck. The remaining crew members (AB2, OS and cadet) were assisting, which included handling the security and safety lines. As each section was completed, the tower needed to be repositioned to access the next area. To do this, the bosun and AB3’s safety lines were released and they climbed down from the scaffol