Disaster and accident prevention
At sea, a small accident can become a big one because help is far away. Prevention means finding danger early and removing it.
Common dangers on board
- Slips and falls: oil or water on deck, loose ropes. Clean at once and wear non-slip boots.
- Falls from height or overboard: keep rails and hatch covers in place; wear a lifejacket and a safety line on open deck in rough weather.
- Machinery injuries: winches, nets and engine parts can crush or pull. Keep hands away; stop the machine before you fix it.
- Fire: oil, gas and electrical faults.
- Heavy weather and flooding: close watertight doors; check pumps.
The fire triangle
A fire needs three things together: fuel (something that burns), heat (enough warmth) and oxygen (air). Take away one and the fire stops. Water takes away heat. Foam or a blanket takes away air. Closing the fuel valve takes away fuel. Never use water on an oil or electrical fire; use a dry powder or CO2 extinguisher.
Drills and rules
Crew practise fire drills and abandon-ship drills, know the alarm signal, know their muster station (the meeting place) and wear personal protective equipment (hard hat, gloves, goggles).
First aid on board
First aid is the first help given to an injured or sick person before a doctor can see them. The main aim: save life, stop things getting worse, and help recovery.
Steps in any emergency (DRAB)
- Danger: make the place safe for you and the person.
- Response: tap and shout. Does the person answer?
- Airway: open it by tilting the head back and lifting the chin.
- Breathing: look, listen and feel for 10 seconds. Call for help. On a ship, also ask for radio medical advice.
CPR (heart and breathing stopped)
Place the heel of your hand in the middle of the chest. Press hard and fast, about 5 to 6 cm deep, at about 100 to 120 presses a minute. Give 30 presses, then 2 breaths, and repeat until help or breathing returns.
Other common problems
- Bleeding: press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth, raise the limb, do not remove the cloth if blood soaks through (add more).
- Burns: cool with running clean water for at least 10 minutes. Do not use butter or ice. Cover loosely.
- Broken bone: keep the part still with a splint; do not straighten it.
- Drowning/cold water: take the person out, check breathing, remove wet clothes, warm gently.
- Seasickness and heat illness: rest, fresh air, small sips of water.
The ship's medicine chest and a first-aid guide are kept in a known place. Write down what you gave and when.
Shipboard disinfection and hygiene
A ship is a small crowded home. Germs, rats, cockroaches and mosquitoes can spread disease quickly, so hygiene is a safety job too.
Clean first, then disinfect
Cleaning removes dirt with soap and water. Disinfection kills germs on surfaces with a chemical (disinfectant) or heat. Dirt protects germs, so always clean first. Follow the label: dilution and contact time matter. Wear gloves, keep the space aired, and never mix chemicals.
Key areas
- Drinking water tanks and pipes: keep covered, test and treat the water (for example with chlorine) on a schedule.
- Galley and food store: keep raw and cooked food apart, cook well, wash hands, keep food in covered containers or cold stores.
- Toilets, showers and bins: clean daily and disinfect.
- Fish hold and deck for fishing vessels: wash after every catch to stop bad smell and germs.
- Bedding and clothes: wash and dry in sun or heat.
Pest control
Rats spread disease and chew wires. Use rat guards on mooring ropes, keep waste closed, and use traps. Fumigation (killing pests with gas) is done only by trained people with the crew out of the ship. Periodic inspection and a deratting certificate show that the ship is controlled.
Try it
In the 3D: in step 2, remove each of the three parts one by one; which removal puts out the fire fastest in your mind? In step 3, press the chest button 30 times. In step 4, slide the disinfectant and note when the count reaches zero. At home: wash hands for 20 seconds with soap while singing a short song twice. Check the dirt under the nails before and after.
Key formulas and definitions
- Fire triangle: fuel + heat + oxygen. Remove any one to stop the fire.
- CPR: 30 chest presses, then 2 breaths; rate about 100 to 120 presses per minute.
- DRAB: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing.
- Burn first aid: cool under running water for at least 10 minutes.
Worked examples
1. CPR is given at 110 presses per minute. How many seconds does one set of 30 presses take?
110 presses take 60 s, so 1 press takes 60/110 = 0.545 s. 30 presses take 30 x 0.545 = 16.4 s, about 16 seconds.
2. A crew of 12 each need 3 cleaning wipes per day. How many wipes are needed for 10 days?
12 x 3 = 36 per day. For 10 days: 36 x 10 = 360 wipes.
3. A disinfectant must be diluted 1 part to 19 parts water. How much disinfectant is needed to make 10 litres of solution?
Total parts = 1 + 19 = 20. Disinfectant = 10 / 20 = 0.5 litre (500 mL).
Common mistakes
- Using water on an oil or electrical fire. Water spreads burning oil and conducts electricity; use foam, dry powder or CO2.
- Putting butter, toothpaste or ice on a burn. Cool it with clean running water for at least 10 minutes.
- Disinfecting without cleaning first. Dirt protects germs.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, which can make harmful gas.
- Stopping CPR early. Keep going until help arrives or the person starts to breathe.