safety violations

How to successfully dispute violations with DataQs

Almost every motor carrier that has been around for any length of time has likely been hit with violations during a roadside inspection. In fact, of the 2.8 million federal and state roadside inspections conducted last year, nearly 59% resulted in a violation, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data. 

There are bound to be circumstances in which violations are unjustified and warrant further investigation. When carriers, drivers or their representatives think a violation...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-to-successfully-dispute-violations-with-dataqs

How carriers can identify log falsification

Hours-of-service violations are fairly easy to detect on a driver’s log. After all, ELDs are designed to keep track of drivers’ hours and will flag instances when they exceeded their allotted driving time.

However, just because the ELD system did not detect an HOS violation doesn’t mean it’s not there, concealed by log falsification.

The issue of log falsification isn’t new. It was prevalent both in the days of paper logs and still today in the ELD era. What has changed is the way drivers falsify...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-carriers-can-identify-log-falsification

Kansas trucking company with history of safety violations files Chapter 11

A Kansas-based trucking company, cited numerous times for safety violations for both its drivers and equipment, recently filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Elite Transportation, headquartered in Wichita, filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas on Friday.

In the filing, Elite lists its assets as up to $500,000 and liabilities as up to $10 million. The trucking company states that it has up to 199 creditors and maintains that funds will be available for distribution to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/kansas-trucking-company-with-history-of-safety-violations-files-chapter-11

Failure to follow procedures leads to collision with bridge

The Japan Transport Safety Board issued a report concerning the collision of the 25,431-ton cargo vessel ERNA OLDENDORFF, with the Oshima Bridge, in Obatake Seto, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, during the early hours of Monday, October 22, 2018.
  • The incident

It was 00:27 on Monday, October 22, 2018, when ERNA OLDENDORFF collided with Oshima Bridge, as was proceeding east in Obatake Seto towards a privately-operated berth in Etajima City, Hiroshima Prefecture.

A master, a second officer and 19...

https://safety4sea.com/failure-to-follow-procedures-leads-to-collision-with-bridge/

Investigation of Snorre B fire finds breaches of regulations

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has identified breaches of regulations in relation to a fire incident on the Snorre B facility on 1 May 2019. The investigation revealed that iron sulphide, which caused the fire, was not known to be present in the separator, so no appropriate measures were taken.

Since the fire broke out the day before the start of a planned turnaround, the process plant was depressurized, drained and purged with inert gas.

One of the turnaround activities involved...

https://safety4sea.com/investigation-of-snorre-b-fire-finds-breaches-of-regulations/

UK MAIB: Bosun falls to death after crossing rope barrier

The UK MAIB issued an investigation report on a fatal fall from height onboard the freight ferry ‘Seatruck Pace’, moored in Liverpool, in December 2018. The investigation identified that the assistant bosun must have crossed a temporary rope barrier on to a narrow section of deck between the ship’s side and the open ramp hatch. It was not known why he moved into this area; his allocated work did not require him to do so and he was not wearing fall protection equipment.

The incident

In the morning...

https://safety4sea.com/uk-maib-bosun-falls-to-death-after-crossing-rope-barrier/

RMI warns of immersion suits deficiencies

The Republic of the Marshall Islands warned of potential damage on immersion suits which could render them unusable and advised all interested parties to ensure that all immersion suits are properly fitting, well-maintained, and ready for use in an emergency.

This warning came after a recent case aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, where the damage to the zipper closures on multiple immersion suits was apparently the direct result of the crew’s efforts to maintain them.

Their application of...

https://safety4sea.com/rmi-warns-of-immersion-suits-deficiencies/

Non-compliant AIS devices can cause major disruptions

While Automatic Identification System (AIS) is designed to mitigate collisions and enhance situational awareness by exchanging real-time vessel information, this navigational tool can degrade or even disrupt other users’ systems if it is non-compliant with adopted international standards, USCG warned.

In the last year, the Coast Guard has received various reports from perplexed AIS users who have seen various unknown and erratic targets appearing on their AIS, many of which were unable to be...

https://safety4sea.com/non-compliant-ais-devices-can-cause-major-disruptions/

Master overboard fatality linked to his emotional state

The Marine Accident Investigation Committee (MAIC) of Cyprus issued an investigation report on the fatality of the Master of the bulk carrier ‘Evnia’, after falling into the sea from a rope ladder, while the ship was berthed in Chittagong Port, Bangladesh, in June 2018.

The incident

On 4 June 2018, the bulk carrier ‘Evnia’ was berthed in Chittagong Port – Karnaphuli River at Jetty No. 7 by starboard side alongside.

At about 19:50 LT, the Master with the Chief Officer and the Second Officer, went...

https://safety4sea.com/master-overboard-fatality-linked-to-his-emotional-state/

USCG: Unlicensed charters fines can reach $94,219 for each day

In a new official statement, the US Coast Guard reiterated that hiring an unlicensed charter is illegal and dangerous, because the charter may not have the proper emergency safety gear, navigation and communication gear, and may not have undergone the proper license exams and inspections which are put in place to ensure passenger and crew safety.

Legal passenger vessel operations fall into one of these three categories:

  • Uninspected Passenger Vessel: Can carry up to six passengers and must be...

https://safety4sea.com/uscg-unlicensed-charters-fines-can-reach-94219-for-each-day/

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