Preventing Injury on Stairs – MSF 26-04

Hidden Hazards in Plain Sight: Preventing Injuries on Vessel Exterior Stairs – MSF 26-04 Hazards of Vessels External Stairs.

What Happened The specific vessel name and type were withheld in the safety report, but the incident occurred aboard a Marine Safety Forum (MSF) member vessel during standard daily activities. A crew member was using the exterior stairs when they tripped, lost their balance, and suffered a severe back injury. An official investigation revealed two hidden hazards that caused the fall.

• First, the bottom step had a notably shorter rise (height) than the rest of the staircase because new gratings had been installed at deck level.

• Second, the original anti-slip coating on the steps had become completely ineffective. Years of routine repainting had smoothed over the grip, leaving a slick and dangerous surface for the crew.

This in an example of how one safety mitigation can introduce another unforeseen hazard.

Immediate Operational Checks Officers, take immediate action on your ships today. Send a team to inspect all exterior and machinery space stairways. You must physically check the anti-slip surfaces. Look to see if heavy, repeated layers of paint crumbling away have made them dangerously smooth. Additionally, inspect the rise of your stairways. Pay close attention to the top and bottom steps where deck modifications, like the addition of grating or plating, might have altered the step height. Correcting these hidden hazards now can prevent a life-altering fall on your watch.

The use of contrasting colours is advised. I.e. paint the deck below the final steps a different colour. If the deck and the steps are both painted the same, even tiger stripes yellow/black can appear camouflaged. Contrasting colours below help people judge the height, and place their foot correctly.

Lessons Learned

• Assess Anti-Slip Surfaces: Routinely check all stairs to ensure anti-slip treatments remain effective. If they are worn smooth, immediately re-apply grit-mixed paint or install commercial anti-slip pads.
• Check Step Consistency: Look out for structural modifications, such as newly added deck gratings, that unevenly alter the height of the first or last step on a staircase.
• Update Familiarisation Briefs: If any stairs have uneven step heights that cannot be immediately fixed, this must be clearly highlighted as a vessel-specific hazard during all new joiner familiarisation and safety briefings.
• Monitor Maintenance Creep: Ensure that routine maintenance, such as heavy deck painting, does not slowly eliminate built-in safety features over time. Ensure to keep stocks of appropriate paint and gripping agents approved under your vessel paint manual, or planned maintenance system (PMS).

Practical: Restoring Anti-Slip Surfaces

When restoring anti-slip surfaces, mixing marine-grade deck paint with coarse silica sand is a reliable method. First, prepare the steel step by removing old, smooth paint layers and applying a rust-preventative primer. Mix the sand directly into the topcoat, stirring continuously to stop the grit from settling. Apply it evenly with a roller to guarantee a rough, textured finish.

Alternatively, bolt-on grip treads offer a highly durable solution. When submitting requisitions, specify heavy-duty, marine-grade fibreglass treads with a high-visibility yellow nosing for low-light safety. Measure the exact width and depth of your steps first. To install, thoroughly clean the steel, apply a weather-resistant marine sealant, and secure the treads using stainless-steel mechanical fasteners to withstand harsh sea conditions.

Video Guidance:

• How to Use Sand to Create Non-Slip Decks – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7KFzjr3oj4
• How to add non skid gel coat to your boat deck!!! – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0BmRC8bqkg
• How To Make Your Own DIY No Slip Paint / Anti Slip Paint / Non-Slip Paint – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InmuOig6Ddo
• How to Anti Slip – Non Skid your boat for Cheap – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g4_x6o8xUg

Tags: Marine Safety, Slips Trips and Falls, Deck Maintenance, Safety Alert, Vessel Inspection

Official Report: MSF 26-04 Hazards of Vessels External Stairs