A Culture Of Safety
by Mike Crowe

John McMillan, McMillan Offshore Survival Training, moderated the safety at sea session during the Fish Expo and Work Boat Atlantic in Providence. Safety is being both promoted and enforced by the Coast Guard. Talks, films and statistics were followed by demonstrations of safety gear. Photo: Fishermen’s Voice

Safety at sea was the topic at the Fish Expo in Providence, just as it had been in Rockland, Maine at the Fishermen’s Forum. John McMillan, president of McMillan Offshore Survival Training moderated the safety seminar.

The sinking of the Northern Edge in December 2005 sent up red flares across the industry and according to Rear Admiral Avid Pekoske, 1st District, USCG, that incident has been the takeoff point for a new effort to raise the level of safety awareness. It has, in fact, led to the enforcement of safety training requirements. Admiral Pekoske said he wants to develop a “culture of safety.”

Two points emphasized by most speakers, were the importance of reporting a problem at sea immediately and getting into immersion suits quickly. Key components to both of these actions are planning and practice. Often, critical minutes pass before a problem is discovered. There is, said Mike Rosecrans, Capt. USCG Ret., usually a series of events, a domino effect, of one problem or system failure leading to another in rapid succession. Interceding in this cascading effect may not be possible, but making a distress call and putting on survival suits may.

Speakers referred to a few statistics that brought into focus some of the scenarios where emergency actions could unfold. Captain Audio Video noted that falling over the side accounts for 25 percent of fatalities. Sudden capsize accounts for 35 percent of vessel losses. The highest losses for vessels are in the 30' to 50' lengths. Also, it takes only 45 seconds for many vessels to go down.

In the face of these facts Rosecrans said, “Reaction needs to be automatic, instinctive and drill, drill, drill is the way to get there.”

He pointed out two important points in his closing remarks:
1) Prevention
2) Don’t hesitate to get on safety gear.

As part of a session on safety at sea, a competiton for the fastest time getting on an emersion suit was held at the Fish Expo. The best time was 43 seconds. Getting all the closures right is important. Also important is that a suit bought by a 20 year-old will have the same shape 15 years later, but the owner may not. Photo: Fishermen’s Voice

The Coast Guard’s new multi-use platform from which to facilitate safety and rescue.

Ted Harrington, USCG, said that there is no law enforcement aspect at all in the on board vessel safety inspections that the Coast Guard does.

“They [inspections] are voluntary, and the Coast Guard wants there to be an absolutely ‘open book’ policy regarding this. They want to be transparent about what the Coast Guard does,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of immersion suits in survival at sea, Captain John Sanfilippo of the FV Giovanna recalled his vessel suddenly being engulfed in flames from an engine room fire. Alone onboard, he was able to get into a survival suit and over the side before the Giovanna went down.

Further references were made to the sole survivor of the sinking of the Northern Edge. He was the only one trained in the use of the emersion suit. Five of his crewmates were lost when the vessel went down.

Following the panel’s presentation, McMillan and fellow safety trainer Fred Mattera of Northeast Safety Training demonstrated to audience members the use of rafts, flares and emersion suits.

While speed is important in putting on an immersion suit, there are other important considerations in the process of putting on the equipment. Having all closures properly sealed, zipped and ready before going in the water. Owning a suit on board that was purchased 17 years earlier can present problems when its too late to address them. Punctures, tears, jambed zippers and folds can make a critical difference in the function of the suit. In addition, the size of that suit is the same, but the owner may not be when its time to get into it.

The safety demonstration featured a contest putting on the immersion suit. The fastest time was 43 seconds, which included attending to all the zippers and closures that maximize function in the water.