Month: August 2010

VIDEOTEL LAUNCHES TRAINING VIDEO AIMED AT PREVENTING ACCIDENTS IN POWERED WATERTIGHT DOORS

Sean Moloney

For immediate release. 31 August 2010
Ref: 1054

Videotel Marine International, the world’s leading producer of maritime training videos, DVDs and computer based training programmes, has responded to industry requests to produce a training video on the safe use of powered watertight doors to prevent deaths and maimings.

Each year seafarers die or are seriously injured by being crushed within powered watertight doors, often because they have not followed safe working practices. Powered watertight doors are an important design feature fitted to many types of vessels to prevent progressive flooding. Usually made of steel and designed to withstand extreme pressures from flooding water, powered watertight doors close with a maximum force of up to two tons which is easily enough to crush a person to death if they became trapped between the door and the bulkhead.

Loulla Mouzouris, Videotel’s Head of Rentals and Sales, says: “Our customers told us of some horrific cases involving powered watertight doors and also of instances where power cables or waterpipes for firefighting had become trapped in the doorways. We responded to their concerns by producing this two-part video training package with a training workbook which is aimed at raising awareness of safe and correct operating practices and will benefit everyone onboard as well as visitors and contractors working on ships.”

“Powered Watertight Doors” is particularly designed for group training sessions with a trainer though it can also be used for individual study. The package covers correct operating procedures, safety measures and SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) regulations.

Powered watertight doors is aimed at crew onboard vessels fitted with powered watertight doors such as ferries, cruise ships, RO-ROs, cargo ships and special purpose vessels such as cable vessels and seismic vessels. There could be up to 40 powered watertight doors on a ship. On cruise ships they may be located throughout all areas on the lower decks whereas in other vessels they may only be found in machinery spaces. Door systems vary and therefore the training on how to operate them is ship and company specific. However, the overall design and safety features are common to all systems. Made of heavy gauge steel, powered watertight doors are moved by hydraulic rams or powered by electric motors. They are regulated to take a minimum of 20 seconds and a maximum of 40 seconds to close but, if the door has not been opened fully, it could take as little as five to six seconds to close.

Serious accidents can happen when a person:
• attempts to get through the door while it is moving
• doesn’t wait until the door is fully opened
• carries a load in both hands and doesn’t keep one hand on the controls
• trips and falls over so they can’t get out of the door area before it closes
• goes through the door while it is being opened remotely from the bridge
• snags clothing or a large tool they are carrying, thereby becoming trapped in the doorway

Loulla Mouzouris explains: “Almost all accidents are avoidable. They are frequently the result of personnel not following correct procedures. Accidents can happen when a crew member uses the doors frequently and starts to take risks, or they can occur because of poor supervision. Crew can sometimes consider the procedures for passing through powered watertight doors safely to be excessive and time-consuming, particularly when the doors are in frequent use.

“Because they are made of steel and designed to withstand extreme pressures from flooding water, powered watertight doors close with a maximum force of up to two tons which is easily enough to crush a person to death if they became trapped between the door and the bulkhead.”

As well as keeping ships watertight, some powered watertight doors are also designated as fire doors and will close in the event of a fire. Everyone onboard, whether they are authorised powered watertight door operators or whether they may only need to use one in an emergency, must clearly understand the risks associated with powered watertight doors and how to operate them safely.

Videotel’s “Powered Watertight Doors” training video package is being introduced to help minimise the number of accidents that result from not following the correct procedures when using powered watertight doors. A computer-based training package will be available in the Autumn.
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For Further Information Please Contact:
Elaborate Communications
Sean Moloney / Debra Munford Tel: +44 (0) 1296 682356

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Hutton’s Agrees Partnership With Inov8 Science Ltd

Elaborate Communications

Hutton’s, the UK’s leading ship supplier, has agreed a partnership with air disinfection company Inov8 Science Ltd to become sole UK shipping and offshore industry distributor of its innovative air disinfection system which helps to prevent the airborne spread of a wide range of fungus, viruses and bacteria, including norovirus.

John MacDonald, General Manager of Hutton’s Medical says: “Hutton’s is at the forefront of improving seafarer health and when a product comes along which has such a drastic positive impact we have no hesitation in putting our resources behind it. This device is being used in UK hospitals to help prevent outbreaks of infection and it has the potential to become invaluable aboard ships too. In fact Hutton’s is so impressed by the product that we are installing one in our head office to prevent the spread of colds.”

The maritime benefit’s of Inov8’s Air Disinfection (AD) unit include:
• Reduced outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships
• Improving seafarer health and offshore workers health in enclosed working environments
• Reduced loss of working time due to illness

The system is already in global use, including in clinics and hospitals throughout the UK and Mecca in Saudi Arabia, in commercial offices worldwide and in Government buildings in Bahrain. The AD air disinfection system was a winner in the 2009 Smart Solutions Programme for the UK NHS. Inov8 Science Ltd is currently conducting further tests specifically relevant to the shipping industry.

Keith Esdon, Inov8’s Central Support Manager, explains how the system works: “Operating within enclosed spaces, the unit takes in the surrounding air before combining it with olefin (a natural compound responsible for the scent of plants and flowers) to create hydroxyl radicals (OH).This is a natural process but doesn’t usually take place within a contained environment because the component parts (a required mixture of ozone and plant olefins) are not present. We effectively duplicate the process that goes on outside within our machines.”

He continues: “Hydroxyl radicals take hydrogen from the proteins that make the cell walls of viruses and bacteria. They puncture the cell walls and render the virus mechanisms useless. In effect they change the way viruses work by altering their ability to do what they do. So our machine can effectively destroy the airborne viruses and bacteria in an enclosed environment like a ship.”

Inov8 says that within approximately one hour the unit can make a room 99.9% free of biological airborne material. The UK’s National Health Service estimates that around 30% of infections are caught via airborne methods of transfer.
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Notes to Editors:
• Hutton’s provides the UK’s ‘one-stop shop’ facility providing the full range of products and services to the International Shipping and the Offshore Industry.
• With a history dating back almost 200 years, Hutton’s ensures the highest standard are provided to customers from its large branch network covering all UK ports.
• Inov8, the air disinfection company, will shortly release a study paper which it says confirms the link between airborne pathogens and infection rates in hospitals. This will also be presented during the Health Protection Agency conference at Warwick University in September 2010.

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IMAREST AND Liberia approve Videotel training modules

Sean Moloney

For immediate release 12th August 2010.
Ref: 1051

Videotel Marine International, the world’s major producer of training videos, DVDs and computer based training programmes for the global maritime industry, has received approval for a number of its products from two of the industry’s leading players.

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) has approved a series of Videotel programmes for the value it believes they contribute to an individual IMarEST member’s professional development requirements.

While the Liberian flag has given its support to a series of training courses that are geared specifically to the safe operation of vessels flying its flag.

The programmes approved by IMarEST include:

• Environmental Officer Training Course
• Ballast Water Management
• Ship to Ship Transfer – Petroleum & Liquid Cargoes
• Handling Vegetable Oils
• Engine Room Waste Management: Oily Water & Separators
• Engine Room Waste Management: The Oil Record Book
• Engine Room Waste Management: Sludge & the Incinerator
• Engine Room Waste Management: Sewage & Waste Water Treatment
• MARPOL Annex VI – Prevention of Air Pollution
• It’s Not Worth It! Maritime Pollution Offences
• Vessel General Permit
• Accident Files: Entry into Enclosed Spaces
• Onboard Energy Saving and the Environment
• Over and Under Pressurisation of Tanks
• Tank Cleaning Practice
• TMSA 2

While Liberia has approved the following courses:
• Maritime Labour Convention 2006 Training Course
• ISM Designated Person Basic Training Course
• Safety Officer Training Course
• Tanker Familiarisation Training Course
• Oil Tanker Safety Training Course
• Chemical Tanker Safety Training Course
• Liquefied Gas Tanker Safety Course

Stephen Bond, Videotel Deputy Chairman, said: “We are delighted to receive this official recognition for our training programmes. We at Videotel put a great deal of effort into our research and development to ensure we produce relevant, accurate and up-to-date training solutions which are accredited within the industry.”

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Notes to Editors:

• Videotel has been providing Maritime Training Solutions since 1973 and currently has a training catalogue of more than 600 titles.
• Videotel supplies the widest range of Computer Based Training (CBT) and DVD/Video training programmes, as well as accredited and certified training courses, in a variety of formats and different languages. Videotel also provides tailored training management services.

For Further Information Please Contact:
Elaborate Communications
Sean Moloney / Debra Munford Tel: +44 (0) 1296 682356