News release

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is urging stronger safety measures after a crew member was seriously injured aboard the bulk carrier Golden Zhejiang’s lifeboat in 2023. The TSB highlights the need for proper procedures for risk assessments, equipment-specific training, and a safety management system supported by a mature safety culture with a trusted process for communication between crew and shore personnel.

On September 2, 2023, the second and fourth engineers were carrying out a weekly safety check of the Golden Zhejiang’s free-fall lifeboat, while the vessel was anchored in Trincomali Channel, British Columbia. During the check, the second engineer encountered an issue while testing the steering from inside the lifeboat and attempted to troubleshoot the problem. In the process, the main release mechanism was inadvertently activated. The sudden drop caused the securing cables to fail, sending the lifeboat into the water with the second engineer inside. As he was not secured in a seat, the second engineer sustained serious injuries.

The investigation determined that the vessel’s safety management system did not explicitly require a risk assessment before entering the lifeboat to conduct a safety check. Consequently, the engineers began the safety check without assessing the risks of the boat inadvertently being released. Additionally, the cables securing the lifeboat to the launch structure were not engineered and certified as load-bearing cables and therefore were not safe for their intended use.

Following the occurrence, the vessel operator, Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd., implemented safety enhancements, including updated lifeboat labelling, revised familiarization checklists and work instructions, and installation of securing turnbuckles. This occurrence was also used as a case study in crew training seminars, and the scope of ship visits by shore management personnel was extended to include crew awareness of free-fall lifeboat safety.

See the investigation page for more information.