Operations Safety: Ejections from boats

Shipmates,
Earlier today I sent this post as an email to our members involved in surface operations. Upon reflection I think it has value for all of our members and our fellow recreational boaters.  Please also take a moment to visit MCPOCG Bowen's All Hands Blog where he describes his own experience with ejections.


Surface operations shipmates,
Our OTO, CWO Jones, posted this message from Boat Forces on the Maritime Information Initiative (MII) fourms. As many of you are not yet on MII I thought it important to pass this along. The message is very strongly worded and, while focused on ejections from boats, can be extended to all of our responsibilities as operators. It is intended for coxswains but I have included all crew as well - we all have a part to play in safe operations. It is easy to get caught up in the mission but our first duty is always bringing our crews and facilities home safe at the end of the patrol.

As a reminder here are a few strategies to manage the risk of ejection:

- Communicate, communicate, communicate - Call and get a response to wakes, maneuvering, changes in speed, going out of the cockpit or going forward, etc.
- Slow down: Operate at prudent speed for the conditions, situation and the capabilities of the vessel
- Remind your crew to hold on and if possible sit down - seated is almost always better when at higher speeds
- Keep crew off the bow except when operating at low speeds and only then when operationally required
- Assure PPE is properly donned at all times including all buckles and zippers
- When you find yourself loosing your balance or see a shipmate doing so bring it to everyones attention - this is an indicator that action needs to be taken

During Rose Festival I found myself taking those few extra steps to regain balance on more than one occasion - it was nothing dramatic but it was an indicator that I needed to be more cautious. Don't ignore the subtle indicators - paying attention can prevent injury and save lives.

Thank you for your service and attention to safety,
Daren

Coxswains: Cause for Action!

Professional boat operators. But are we? Is it unrealistic to presume that we should be capable of performing our duties without routinely placing our boat crews in danger?In the past few months, we have experienced a rash of ejections from our small boats that borders on epidemic. The actual number is really quite irrelevant because one is too many. Now we’ve all heard the argument that operating high-speed boats has a certain amount of associated risk and that there is a “cost to doing the business”. Rubbish! If the cost of doing business is unnecessarily injuring a fellow Guardian, then the business model needs some serious adjustments.Here’s the harsh reality. Boat driving is very much an acquired skill. Sure, some are blessed with a little better hand-eye coordination and some may inherently be more gifted as operators. But for the most part, given enough time and practice, the majority can learn to operate a boat in a reasonably safe and effective manner. The primary reason you, the coxswain, have a qualification as the “Captain” of your boat is not because of your flawless boat handling skills. You were bestowed with the significant responsibility because your CO or OinC determined that you had the integrity, the trustworthiness and the common sense, to take care of job one; “The Safety and Conduct of passengers and crew”.We at the Office of Boat Forces understand the need (and your desire) for high-speed, high-performance boats to get the job done. Whether it’s the pursuit mission off the southern coast of Florida or responding to a capsized pleasure craft on Lake Michigan, we get it – you need a boat that allows you to make a difference. When the call comes in, you need to launch a platform that can safely out-run the bad guys or safely arrive on scene in time to prevent the loss of life. Again, we get it. But we need something from you. We need to know that you are able to be the consummate boat professional – all the time. You can call it what you want; ORM, GAR, TCT, the list is long and distinguished and honestly, it all has significant value in how we conduct our business. But the safest boats in the world coupled with all the risk assessment, management tools and policies are worthless if not coupled with responsible operators. A well thought out, strategically discussed GAR model will not keep a hapless crewman on the deck of a boat unless you, the coxswain take responsibility to ensure no one is ever ejected from YOUR boat! We are not going to dissect every ejection in recent memory to determine the causal factor(s). Trust us on this, it is operator error. You can blame the crew-member with the weak grip all you want but when you signed the qualification letter, you accepted the responsibility for that person and they are your number one responsibility, even above yourself.We sincerely hope that this article makes you angry. We hope you are offended that we are calling you out regarding your abilities as a coxswain. We hope it makes you so mad that one of two things happens; you either assume a leadership role and bring your influence to bear on those that don’t share your sense of responsibility; or you have the courage to admit that you are part of the problem and resolve to do better.

Captain Ted Harrop and Staff

Office of Boat Forces (CG-731)