Deck cadet wasn't wearing safety harness

Findings of an investigation into the death of a deck cadet who died after falling 10m onto the wharf then into the sea at the Port of Tauranga in February have now been released. File Photo.

An investigation into the death of a deck cadet at the Port of Tauranga earlier this year has found the man had not been wearing a required safety harness at the time of his death.

The deck cadet, a Chinese national working aboard the bulk carrier Mount Hikurangi, was killed after falling 10m from a stack of logs onto the wharf below then into the sea, on February 27.

A New Zealand Navy vessel was in port at the time of the deck cadet's death, and navy divers who'd joined the search recovered the man's body hours later.

A report into the death by The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission says the Mount Hikurangi had just completed loading a cargo of logs at the port of Tauranga and its crew were applying chain lashings to the logs loaded above deck when a deck cadet fell.

'The deck cadet was not wearing a safety harness attached to a fall arrestor while working close to the edge of the log stack, despite a company requirement to do so,” the report states.

'The Transport Accident Investigation Commission found that the crew on Mount Hikurangi routinely did not follow company procedures by working on top of log cargoes without the required safety harnesses.”

The commission also found little evidence of a strong safety culture on board Mount Hikurangi at the time.

Due to the safety actions taken by the ship operator and Maritime New Zealand, the commission says there was no need for the commission to make any recommendations.

But two key lessons have come out of the inquiry, says the commission.

'All crew members must wear safety harnesses, preferably connected to fall arrestors, when working at height.

'A strong safety culture must be established and promoted from the highest levels of management on board a ship. It must be encouraged, monitored and enforced throughout all levels of the organisation so that best safety practices are followed.”

To read the full report visit the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission website.


Bulk carrier Mount Hikurangi. Photo: NZTAIC

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