José Ángel Fraguela Formoso

Work-Related Accidents in the Maritime Transport Sector

This article is partially based on the Doctoral thesis (Reference 1) entitled (in English) Working aboard and job-related accidents: Health and safety conditions on merchant vessel. Divided into four sections, the paper includes: issues relating to legislation, an analysis of accidents, the research that has been done about accidents and risk factors for falling on board. The main causes of accidents are examined. Moreover, conclusions are drawn by analysing work-related accidents in the Spanish maritime transport sector through a study covering the period between 1999 and 2003. The text was updated in 2004, with the latest official data, figures which may be equally applicable to the maritime sector throughout the European Union.

Operation and Handling in Escort Tugboat Manoeuvres with the aid of Automatic Towing Winch Systems

An escort tugboat comes to the aid of a vessel when that vessel is navigating in confined waters and at a speed that is usually higher than six knots. In the escort manoeuvre, two systems come into play. One is the propulsion and steering of the vessel. The other involves the tug winch in terms of the tension it exerts and the length of towline released. In this way, the tug winch becomes a key piece of equipment. Along with the difficulties of carrying out the manoeuvre itself are the risks resulting from the operation of the winch. For this reason, automatic manoeuvring systems have been developed to facilitate this operation. They consist of information technology applications that help the skipper with manoeuvring the tug. At the same time, they make it possible to display and monitor the most important parameters of the towing winch. This study will describe a control system for the towline so that it can help carry out the towing manoeuvre with an escort tug. It indicates the control parameters for the manoeuvre, as well as the operational variables of the winch on which the system runs.

DISEÑO ARMONIZADO DE MOTONES, PASTECAS y CUADERNALES PARA EL MANEJO DE LINEAS DE ACERO O SINTETICAS DE ELEVADO MÓDULO (HMPE) EN BUQUES

Blocks, snatch blocks and sheavesy are the auxiliary elements involved in handling lines of rope mooring maneuvers, either loading or unloading, fishing activities or towing vessels. Nevertheless the fact of being an important auxiliary item, its regulation is still not only undefined but also discussed. The more and more frequent substitution of wire line for the high module HMPE synthetic ones makes the regulation out of force. The aim of this article is to establish a proposal for the design of those accessories by making a comparison between in force regulations, to obtain the desired benefits of low scale production by achieving the, so called, ideal standardization

Net winch design in trawlers, influence of vessel size and fishing ground:

With mid-depth trawling techniques, the number of fishing grounds available increases. In turn, the vessel can have a greater workload, as it has to control and direct its activity towards different species depending on the use of mid- or deep-sea equipment. However, specific equipment for each depth has to be used and this equipment influences the fishing manoeuvre. A new piece of auxiliary equipment comes into play to haul and store the net: the net winch. The aim of this study is to determine the most suitable net winch for each of the various vessels, fishing grounds and fishing modalities of the Spanish trawling fishing fleet. For each fishing ground, vessel size and target species, a relationship will be established with the net winch design parameters: fishing reel capacity, traction and operation speed.

The Abandonment of Ships: Consequences for the Crew and for the Ship

The purpose of this treatise is to analyze what happens with those ships that remain for more than six months berthed, moored, or anchored in the same place without noticeable activity and how they are regulated by national and international laws. All this has important consequences for both the crews and the ship. Undoubtedly the abandonment puts the crew in a difficult situation, cutting off their income and increasing their expenses. On the other hand, with regard to the consequences for the ship, once the abandonment procedure has been resolved, it will be sold in public auction and the proceeds of the sale will be deposited in the public treasury. In short, the consequences of abandonment can be personal and material not counting situations of an environmental nature. The methodology used in the analysis involves the use of scientific, legal, and social methods.

Green Artificial Reef PROARR: Repopulation of Coastal Ecosystems and Waste Recycler of the Maritime Industries

The extractive work of shellfish harvesting and fishing in the autonomous community of Galicia is a strategic economic activity. In this sense, the action of artificial reefs is of great interest as they act as instruments of arrangement and protection of the marine resources and ecosystems. The PROARR research project has led to the design of independent modules of production and protection reefs, aimed at the construction of polygons of artificial reefs. One of the aims of the research work has looked for the reutilization of inert waste materials from industrial processes linked to the maritime area: naval construction, fishing, and shellfish harvesting, incorporating them into the production process of the reef. In this way, existence of dumps is reduced and the value chain of those processes is increased. The actual sustainability within the activity of maritime industries must promote the absorption of this inert waste by the sea, thus closing the activity cycle. In the case of the utilization of shells in the manufacture of artificial reefs (as an additive to the mortar used in its construction) it represents the double advantage of the elimination of a residue, with the subsequent increase in the value chain of these aquaculture processes and, on the other hand, returning to its origin a product which is part of a structure that can achieve the development of resources and favour the conservation of the ecosystems.

Management of the Prevention of Labor Risks in Construction and Repair Shipyards

Shipbuilding and/or repair activities are considered to be activities of special danger, with high levels of accidents, occupational diseases, dissatisfaction, and psychosocial risk. The risk assessment obliges the employer to manage the necessary preventive activity in order to reduce or control dangerous situations, in accordance with the legislative provisions related to specific risks, taking into account the probability of causing damages and the consequences derived from the exposure of workers to such risks. As in any management system, its implementation requires planning, organization, direction, and control, as well as the development of its corresponding activities, assigning sufficient human, material, and economic resources. The most sensible and effective approach would be the constitution of a proper prevention service, given the danger and variety of the construction and repair work of ships and the need to obtain an immediate response on the control of a certain risk. The implementation of comprehensive management systems for risk prevention, quality control, and environment protection, certification of the shipyard and its auxiliary companies, people and equipment, services, and installed systems, increases competitiveness and adds qualitative values, which will be highly valued by shipowners and shipping companies. This work will be of great help to the management of the shipyards, establishing a model of occupational risk management and defining and developing the activities to be carried out in each of the technical and medical areas.