Report on fatal accident on board Asbjørn Selsbane LDGP on Skjoldryggen west of Træna, Norway 7 February 2020
Marine report 2021/06
On 7 February 2020 the vessel was fishing on Skjoldryggen about 150 n miles west of Træna when the accident occurred in connection with stowage of the starboard trawl door. One person died as a result of being trapped when the trawl door was lowered down to the aft railing. The NSIA considers that a more clear understanding of risks could have made the management and crew better equipped to organise themselves and their work in unfamiliar situations. More detailed risk assessments as a basis for routines when trawling, could contribute to such an understanding. Safe-job analysis could also have been used as a tool in the event of deviations from routine work.
The accident occurred after challenges with recovering the trawl, and ongoing work operations were therefore no longer of a completely routine nature. The vessel had established an unwritten rule that crew should not stay in the area where the accident occurred, until the starboard trawl door was secured and lowered.
The investigation has shown that the vessel’s communication routines during work on deck, did not contribute to avoid the accident. The NSIA considers that extraordinary situations can lead to new work tasks and deviations from normal work routines. Hence, it becomes particularly important to evaluate new risks and communicate about safety in such situations.
The investigation of the accident on 7 February 2020 on board Asbjørn Selsbane has not revealed any areas where the NSIA finds it necessary to issue new safety recommendations. The Norwegian Maritime Authority's focus area for 2021 can be an important contribution to strengthening the common understanding of safety work in the fishing industry. Following the accident, the shipping company has drawn up a written procedure for trawling and revised its communication routine to promote safer work operations.
Published 06.05.2021
Facts
| Location | Skjoldryggen, South-Helgeland, approx. 150 nm from the coastline |
| Occurrence date | 07.02.2020 |
| Accident category | Personal injury |
| Area | Norwegian Economic Zone |
| IMO number | 9657193 |
| Name of vessel | Asbjørn Selsbane |
| Accident type | Occupational accident |
| Vessel type | Fishing Vessel |