Guidelines for Health and Safety on Board Small Fishing Boats

Many small vessels are fitted with refrigeration systems to either chill their holds, or freeze catch. Refrigerant gas or liquid:

• is poisonous to humans,
• affects running machinery and
• is bad for the environment if leaked.

There are a range of refrigerant gases used and all are hazardous. For this reason these systems have to be well maintained and crew have to be aware of the dangers and action required in the event of a leak.

Refrigerants used

In the past chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants R-11, R-12 and R-502 were common. The Ozone Layer Protection Act (1996) meant that CFCs could no longer be used in refrigeration systems. New refrigeration systems use more environmentally friendly hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.

These days, the most common refrigerants used on small vessels are Freon R-22 and Freon 134a. Freon is actually a trade name, so the number is the important identifier.

Don’t inhale refrigerant gas!

Refrigerant hazards

• Freon cannot be seen or smelt!
• Freon is heavier than air so it will “fall” into the vessel and stay sitting in the bottom of the compartments.
• Freon is extremely harmful if it comes into contact with the eyes.
• Freon is suffocating because it displaces air.
• If you inhale high concentrations of Freon, it attacks the nerve system.
• When Freon comes into contact with hot surfaces and starts to burn, it can give off poisonous gases.
• Freons, if released into the air, may cause depletion of the Ozone Layer which contributes to the greenhouse effect. Refrigerants are not to be released into the atmosphere. They must be drawn into the condenser/receiver or into a separate cylinder.
• Most refrigerants mix with oil so oil drained from a refrigeration system must be clearly labelled and disposed of separately.
• Refrigerants must not be mixed.

If you start feeling faint or dizzy as you enter a compartment - don't think twice - evacuate!

If a refrigerant leak occurs

• Evacuate compartment immediately.
• Sound alarm and get crew in an up-wind position.
• If leak is in engine room shut down machinery.
• Turn vessel into wind if still possible.
• Do not enter compartment without ventilating the compartment.
• Ventilate compartment. Remember Freon sinks to the bottom of the compartment and is very hard to remove. Try to force airflow down into the bottom of the compartment to force the Freon upwards.

Maintenance points.

• Refrigerant pipes are lagged and constantly damp. This means that pipe coatings and surface can deteriorate relatively quickly. Check pipes regularly and make sure the coating is maintained.
• Where flexible hoses are used, only use refrigerant tolerant hoses. Try to avoid using flexible hoses wherever possible.
• Maintain fittings such as valves and gauges in good order.
• Mark pipes to show what type of refrigerant they have in them.
• Refrigerants are supplied in metal cylinders which will corrode in the salt environment. Make sure these are left in dry storage (preferably ashore).

Some smaller vessels have the luxury of a compressed air system onboard. These are often “ off the shelf” units from the local hardware shop.

All compressed air systems have a pressurised bottle which contains the high pressure air. These must be kept in excellent condition. Some housekeeping notes are given below.

Safety points

• Always wear safety glasses when you are using compressed air.
• If you use compressed air to dry something, never point the hose directly at the object you are drying.
• Make sure whatever the compressed air is being used on, is secure.
• Never use compressed air as an air supply for breathing.
• Never use air in the vicinity of hot work (welding, gas cutting).
• Do not use compressed air to clean or dry clothing while you are still wearing it.

Maintenance Points

• Air storage bottles must be kept in a clean and dry compartment.
• The paint coating on the bottle must be kept in good condition.
• Fittings, gauges, valves and relief valves must be kept in good condition with regular maintenance.
• Hoses used on portable air equipment must be regularly checked for damage and replaced if found.
• Air Bottles must be rigidly secured to the vessel.
• Air Bottles have test dates so must be regularly tested.

LPG is often used on board vessels for cooking.

Vessel cooking systems are usually small. They can be very dangerous if not installed, maintained and operated safely.

!   Action Points

• Always turn gas off immediately after use.
• Bottles and regulating and relief valves must be installed outside.
• Bottles, valves, pipelines and hoses must be protected from physical damage.
• Bottles, valves, pipelines and hoses must be out of direct sunlight.
• The space in which the gas is being used should be well ventilated. It is a good idea to run the fans before ignition.
• LPG is heavier than air so will settle in the lower regions of the compartment.
• A gas detector should be fitted.
• Have all repairs and maintenance done by a qualified gas-fitter.

All vessels whether large or small have numerous electrical systems fitted including crucial alarm systems and navigational equipment as well as battery systems and “high power” systems.

Electrical systems that are badly operated or poorly maintained can:

• Black-out the ship rendering it without steerage or power at sea.
• Cause serious disruption to navigational aids on board.
• Electrocute a crew member.
• Seriously burn a crew member
• Start a fire on board

All of the above can lead to death of one or more crew members.

To view a list of things every crew member should know about electrical systems click here

It is easier to find a potential fault in Hydraulic systems. You can normally see a fault which is about to become a hazard. The fault will usually be a leak of some description.

Don’t just wipe up the leak and leave it. Leaks in hydraulic systems can give rise to:

• Larger leaks, catastrophic failure. Small leaks may warn you of a bigger weakness or a fault.
• Endangering the vessel. Leaks cause a drop in pressure which can lead to system failure. This can affect things like fishing gear recovery and steering and endanger the vessel.
• Fire If a significant leak suddenly appears it may spray over electrical equipment or a hot surface. In both cases a fire is likely to occur.
• Injury A leak on the deck, day or night can cause a crew member to loose their footing and either fall overboard or suffer an injury.

Hydraulic systems are very powerful and can cause fatalities if not treated with due respect.

Hydraulic fluid is a pollutant and therefore cannot be spilt into the sea.

Key points when working with hydraulic systems.

• Attend to leaks as soon as possible.
• If the leak can’t be fixed until the vessel is alongside, contain the leak so it doesn’t spread everywhere.
• Don’t leave temporary containment arrangements in place for longer than necessary.
• Wipe up leaks as soon as possible and make sure you address them as early as possible.
• Never by-pass limit switches on hydraulic gear, and test these regularly.
• Make sure guards are used to protect people from the hydraulic system wherever possible. If guards are not practical consider using a warning sign.
• Isolate electrical and oil supplies to hydraulic system before you start work on it.
• Store hydraulic fluids in the vessels’ tanks. Don’t leave drums and containers of hydraulic fluid on board if not absolutely necessary.
• Make sure you have an oil spill kit adjacent to where hydraulic maintenance work is being conducted.
• If working on hydraulics on deck equipment place rags in front of scuppers to prevent oil spilling into the sea if it is spilt on deck.

Hot Work is the label given to any work that may generate a spark or significant heat. Sparks and heat can ignite nearby gases or materials so it is important to manage this hazard.

The most common Hot Work on vessels involves welding, grinding and cutting operations. Electricians, upholsterers and other trades also use appliances that could ignite surrounding materials and gases through heat or sparks.

Hot work has led to numerous fires onboard vessels and has also caused explosions on some vessels. It is important to know about it and treat it seriously.

Legal requirements

All vessels are to ensure that the local Harbourmaster is informed of any hot work that is to be conducted on board a vessel in the port.

If the contractor is a regular marine repairer they will be familiar with this requirement. The contractor will usually inform the harbourmaster. Once the Harbourmaster issues a Hot Work Permit, work can start.

It is still the vessel’s responsibility to make sure there is a Hot Work Permit. The skipper must check that the contractor has the permit before allowing work to commence.

Dangers with Hot Work

Danger to adjacent compartments. Heat rapidly transfers through the bulkhead or deckhead structures and can ignite paints, wiring, linings, insulation or other materials on the other side.

• Make sure the crew or the contractor supply a fire-watcher armed with a bucket of water or an extinguisher.
• Make sure linings are removed wherever possible before the Hot Work commences.

Danger to nearby flammable goods. Some Hot work operations, such as grinding and cutting, generate sparks which spray over a wide area. These sparks can ignite nearby rubbish bags, rags, cartons etc.

• Make sure you check both sides of the bulkhead or deck and clear such items out of the way or cover them with a flameproof blanket. (Remember to keep the vessel’s fire blanket aside, in case you need it to fight a fire).

Danger with fumes and gases Sparks can also ignite fumes coming from fuel tanks, gas bottles, paint and other solvents.

• Never allow hot work to be conducted:
• during fuelling operations
• if there is a tank lid off
• if there are solvents, oils, paints or other flammable liquids in open containers or plastic containers (open or closed) nearby.

Always have a fire extinguisher nearby!