Test your smoke alarms this clock change weekend.

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Category: Boater Safety

Published: Thursday, 20 March 2014 12:04

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The Fire Kills campaign is again encouraging people to test their smoke alarms when they change their clocks this coming clock change weekend. The snappy tagline ‘TICK TOCK TEST’, will help remind us all of the need to test our smoke alarms at this time of year.

Smoke alarms save lives, but only if they work.  With over 130 boat fires on Boat Safety Scheme records last year, including one fatal fire and many others losing their possessions and sometimes homes, it is essential that people test their smoke alarms regularly.

Boater training

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Category: Boater Safety

Published: Friday, 01 November 2013 00:00

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Boater training and awareness are a big part of safety.

There are many resources available to help new and experienced boaters:

Here are a few:

Boaters Handbook on the CRT web site.  Click here.

There is a video too. Click here

Canal Junction web site have a list of providers here

Near miss reporting

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Category: Boater Safety

Published: Sunday, 03 November 2013 00:00

Hits: 1143

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage – but had the potential to do so. Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or damage; in other words, a miss that was nonetheless very near. Although the label of 'human error' is commonly applied to an initiating event, a faulty process or system invariably permits or compounds the harm, and should be the focus of improvement. Other familiar terms for these events is a "close call", or in the case of moving objects, "near collision" or a "near hit".

Recording non-reportable near misses is not a statutory requirement but doing so and using the information provided is good safety management practice as reviewing the report (at the time and/or periodically) may help to prevent a re-occurrence.  Recording these near misses can also help identify any weaknesses in custom and practice. These may only happen infrequently but could have serious consequences.  A review of near misses over time may reveal patterns from which lessons can be learned.

Boaters are encoraged to report near misses below, and share experience for the benefit of all. NABO will summarise and publish any learning, and send it to Navigation authorities if appropriate. You may also wish to report the event to the applicable Navigation Authority.

Briefly describe the event, and give the date and place, perhaps weather conditions if relevant. Can you say what the route cause was? Lack of training or awareness, unsafe surface, lack of protective clothing, missuse of tools?

Incident reporting

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Category: Boater Safety

Published: Friday, 01 November 2013 00:00

Hits: 966

Navigation authorities gather information and issue safety bulletins and reports of incidents.

CRT have a section on their web site for reporting; Click here. Alternatively you can call and give details of the incident to 0303 040 4040

The Broads Authority also have a section on their web site. click here

One other is PLA, and their reports can be read here: click here

BSS also issue summaries of incidents. The summary for 2012 can be seen here: click here

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) provide reports on all fatalities and other significant events. There reports can be seen here