DG studies notes info.

Important Things Deck Officers Must Check During Cargo Watch Container vessels usually follow a tight schedule of ports of call. They presumably follow one fixed route with certain numbers of ports, which are likely to be changed as per the interest of the company. During the port stay of the vessel, the deck officers are in-charge of monitoring the loading and discharging of cargo and numerous other indispensable happenings onboard. Incidentally, this explains why many officers onboard find the port stays more hectic than a normal day at sea. However, with the right knowledge and plan of action, cargo watches can be a lot easier than they seem. The notes and guidelines below on ten important things that need to be checked during your cargo watch will help you to plan and make the best out of your watches when the ship is at port. 1. Plan and Monitor Loading and Discharging of Cargo The most important factor or the ultimate reason of the port stay is l...

Types of Personal Injuries Seafarers Must Be Aware Of Getting injured or hurt while working on ships is very common. It’s hard to find a seafarer who hasn’t been through an accident and hurt himself. A recent report conducted by a maritime organization states that more than 70% of personal injuries take place because of sheer negligence and failure in following safety procedures. Injuries on ships ranges from minor to the most gruesome types; some even leading to fatalities. Though seafarers are aware of these injuries, most of them tend to ignore safety procedure. However, in order to ensure one’s personal safety, along with safety of the ship and its crew, it is imperative to remember some very common personal injuries while working on board ships. 1. Eye Injury Protection of eyes is of paramount importance while working on ships. Shipboard jobs such as welding, chipping, painting, and working with hazardous material such as oil, chemicals etc. pose grea...

Tips for Safe Gas Welding and Cutting Operations On Ships On a cargo vessel, fire occurred in the mast house where oxygen and acetylene cylinders were stored. The crew had arranged two gas torches in tandem for carrying out hot work on the windlass drum. Both the torches were connected in parallel from the same pair of gas cylinders by temporarily fitting “standard” t-joints at the regulator valves. At sometime during the hot work, it was decided to use one gas torch to carryout brazing repair work on the other torch while it was connected to the pressurized gas hoses. Flashback from the torch being heated travelled through the hoses up to the mast house, rupturing the hoses at the regulator valve connections and causing a fire inside. Fortunately, the backfire arrestors on the regulators prevented a major explosion of the cylinders. Such hazardous accidents can take place on any kind of ship if proper precautions are not taken while handling gas welding/cutting on board ships...

Important Points For Safe Helicopter Operations Onboard Ships The days are far behind when Helicopter operations were presumed to be an out of ordinary activity onboard ships. In the old days, helicopter operations weren’t as recurrent and common as it is today. This increase in frequency demands the need for the ship’s crew to be completely familiarised with the precautions and preparations necessary during helicopter operations. Helicopter operations are commonly used on ships for crew changes, pilot embarkations and disembarkations, medical and other emergency lift offs. Given below are 10 important points to be considered for a smooth, swift and a safe helicopter operations on board ships. 1. Check Weather Conditions Properly Fair weather condition is an inevitable factor in helicopter operations. The helicopter team will foresee the expected weather conditions prior the operations. However, the ship’s officers should also consider the same at that time. This ...

Important Points To Consider While Cleaning Tanks On Ships Tank cleaning is a common procedure performed on board ships. Those associated with the process are very well aware of the hazards involved and fatal accidents that have occurred in the past. In spite of all the necessary safety precautions and enclosed space entry procedures, accidents still occur while cleaning tanks on board ships. Few months ago, a chief officer died on board a chemical tanker after he entered a cargo tank which contained hydrocarbon vapours and was deficient in oxygen. When the ship sailed at night after the cargo had been discharged, the two tanks that had carried hexene-1 were still inerted with nitrogen gas. As the tanks were to be loaded at the next port within two days, the crew began day/night tank cleaning operations soon after sailing. The chief mate was a non-watch keeper, so was able to direct the tank cleaning crew continuously. Early the next morning, during post-cleaning ventilation...

How Deck Officers Should Do Risk Assessment On Ships? The Oxford dictionary defines the word risk as  “ a situation involving exposure to danger” . The word probably isn’t as clear as it is to a seafarer for it is quite established now that working on board a merchant ship is a job open to a variety of dangers. With the rising levels of paperwork pertaining to a plethora of rules and regulations and the implementation of the ISM Code, has come around a term that is heard quite often on board- “Risk Assessment”. Most officers generally take the term for granted, as there are probably already ten other jobs lined up on deck for him to oversee! However, such an assessment is only the first path to achieve a safe work culture wherein safety measures aren’t just put on paper but also implemented practically and with gusto. No job can ever be valued more than human life and therefore it is important to put strict emphasis on risk assessment and its procedures. The ...