895 Deck Barge Safety

Safe Practices to Prevent Falls Overboard

Policies/Practices (Continued)

• Use handrails where available. Handrails provide secure support on moving decks. Gripping a handrail helps maintain stability and prevents falls into the water.
• Balance the load in a yawl and always abide by the capacity/weight restrictions. An unbalanced load can shift unexpectedly or make the yawl unstable, increasing the chance of someone falling from it into the water. Following capacity limits ensures stable conditions.

• Walk the centerline of covers after checking that all covers are in place. Walking the centerline ensures maximum stability and walking surface. If covers are missing, stepping off-center raises the chance of a slip or fall into the water.
• Notify CEO/high level management of every fall overboard incident. Reporting every incident ensures the organization can review, learn, and improve. It helps prevent future accidents and shows the seriousness of the risk.
• Investigate fall overboard incidents and root causes. Investigations identify what went wrong, so the same conditions or mistakes don’t happen again. Learning from incidents reduces repeat occurrences.
• Investigate near miss fall overboard incidents and root causes. Near misses are early warning signs. Investigating them uncovers hidden hazards before someone actually falls overboard, making the workplace safer proactively.
• Maintain frequent radio contact with the wheelhouse. Continuous communication keeps the wheelhouse aware of deck activity, motion, and hazards. It allows timely warnings and responses if someone is in danger of going overboard.
• Do not walk or step between the forward corner deck fittings and the end of barges. That area is a high-hazard zone with limited space and higher risk of falling off the edge. Avoiding it keeps crew in safer areas with better footing.
• Walk with one hand free. Keeping one hand free means a hand is available to grasp a rail or steady yourself in shifting conditions. It enhances balance and reduces fall risk.
• Do not step over open water. Stepping over open water (rather than using solid deck) removes reliable footing and significantly raises the risk of slipping or falling into the water.
• Illuminate shadows before walking through them. Shadows conceal hazards like uneven surfaces or obstructions. Illuminating them improves visibility and reduces trip or fall risks overboard.

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