Safety Flash
Be alarmed by all alarms
Be alarmed by all alarms
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 32/16
- Human FactorsInspection and MaintenanceMachinery and Equipment
- Human factors
- Inspection and maintenance
- Alarm management
- Marine industry
- Vessel
Summary
This flash relays USCG observations of repeated hydraulic-lock alarms during steering tests on two relatively new vessels. Crews acknowledged the alarms without investigating their causes; neither event caused a marine casualty. Recommendations address nuisance alarms through safety management systems and prohibit securing alarm acknowledgement buttons or switches.
Classifications: Human factors; human performance; ergonomics.
Classifications: Inspection and maintenance; asset inspection; equipment maintenance.
Classifications: Alarm management.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Vessel; aboard ship; onboard vessel.
Summary
Repeated steering-system alarms were silenced without investigation, allowing a potentially serious equipment fault to remain undetected.
IMCA SF 32/16. Themes: human factors, inspection and maintenance, machinery and equipment.