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American Waterways Operators (AWO): Navigating to Zero – September 2024

Posted on September 18, 2024

Coast Guard-AWO Annual Safety Report Available in AWO Resources Library

The 2024 Coast Guard-AWO Safety Partnership Annual Safety Report is available for download on the AWO Website. Key takeaways from the report, which summarizes industry safety performance through 2023, include:

Towing Vessel Crewmember Fatalities:

The 2023 towing vessel crewmember fatality rate per 100,000 full-time employees (FTEs) is the second-lowest recorded since 1994.

  • Four towing vessel crewmembers died in operational incidents in 2023:
    • Three deaths were due to falls into water.
    • One death was due to a cardiac event.

Fatalities Involving Recreational and Commercial Vessel Collisions:

Five individuals (not towing vessel crewmembers) were killed in four collisions involving towing vessels and recreational vessels in 2023, highlighting the importance of the AWO Recreational Boater Safety Working Group’s mission to reduce the risk of incidents on multi-use waterways.

Tank Barge Oil Spill Rate:

In 2023, 5,799 gallons of oil were spilled from tank barges.

  • The tank barge spill rate was 0.1 gallon of oil, or about 1 ½ cup, per million gallons transported.
  • This is the fourth-lowest rate recorded since 1994.

AWO Hosts Safety Committees’ Summer Meeting in Chicago

AWO was pleased to welcome more than 175 members and guests to Chicago for the Safety Committees’ Summer Meeting.

The meeting began on August 14 with the Safety Leadership Advisory Panel (SLAP) and Tankering and Barge Operations Subcommittee (TBOS) meetings. SLAP reviewed subcommittee work, including an update on the Falls Overboard Subcommittee and the Recreational Boater Safety Working Group. The group also discussed potential updates to the SLAP charter to clarify membership and participation. TBOS discussed the Terminal Near Miss Collection Program and the proposed OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention rule prior to an interactive workshop to develop a regulatory and best practice-based framework for tankering operation procedures.

The educational sessions began on August 15, featuring:

Recordings of these presentations are available in the AWO Resources Library. Thank you to all who attended! The Safety Committees look forward to welcoming members to our next meeting on February 17-19, 2025, in Nashville, TN. If you would like to present or have an idea for a topic, please contact us using this form or email safety@americanwaterways.com.

Tankering and Barge Operations Subcommittee Improves the Near Miss Form with Terminal Options

The Tankering and Barge Operations Subcommittee (TBOS) is urging tank barge operators to actively report near misses in support of the subcommittee’s initiative to enhance safety during tankering operations.

“By sharing these incidents, we aim to raise awareness of issues at liquid terminals, develop lessons learned, and drive meaningful improvements in operational practices,” explained TBOS Chairman James Loughlin, CEO of Midwest Tankermen.

Members are encouraged to submit near misses using the AWO High-Value Near Miss Form. Submissions will be reviewed and categorized by the TBOS Steering Committee and SLAP, depending on the type of event. Categories include:

This near-miss program aims to reduce incidents and foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability across AWO’s membership. We are committed to leveraging these insights to enhance safety and operational excellence on the waterways.

Safety Professional Spotlight

Captain Jeff Slesinger is a former chairman now works as a consultant, helping top maritime companies to achieve world-class operational excellence. His company, Delphi Maritime, wields the expertise of a mariner’s eye to create innovative solutions for tug and towboat company business, safety, and training operations.

Your work as owner and consultant for Delphi Maritime exposes you to many different organizations. In your experience, what impact does a strong safety culture have on an organization’s success? Can you share any examples — good, bad, or otherwise?

I have had the privilege of participating in and observing the evolution of our industry over the past 45 years. Our understanding of safety culture and its influence on an organization’s success has deepened over that time. 45 years ago, “safety culture” wasn’t even a catch phrase. Our industry was primarily a “just get ‘er done” operation, and yes, let’s not hurt anybody, crash into any docks or pollute in the process. The burden of safety was individualistic, whether an individual vessel, captain or crewmember. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, the combination of high-profile incidents, the cost in dollar and political capital, and the public’s growing intolerance of substandard performance shined a spotlight on the deficiencies of that system. In response, the industry standardized company-specific policies and procedures and housed them in the framework of a safety management system (SMS).

An SMS is good at systematizing “how” we do things, but it doesn’t fully address the “why.” In the early days, the “why” of an SMS was regulatory compliance and picking off low-hanging fruit — easily mitigated risks to personnel, property, and the environment.

However, regulatory compliance and baseline safety do not guarantee organizational success. Companies aren’t solely in business to be safe and regulatorily compliant; they’re in business to be economically viable and to provide essential services to their customers. A safe workplace is just the ante to get into the game; long term success requires a workforce that knows the “how” but is motivated by the “why.” As the industry evolved it understood that safety, economic viability, and business success are symbiotic. One cannot exist without the other. What is the glue between the “how,” “why,” safety, viability, and business success? A company’s core values, ethos and culture. When a safety culture reflects those elements, it solidifies the bridge between safety and organizational success.

What are some of the most pressing safety challenges that your customers and partners face today, and what actions can safety managers take now to address these challenges?

Everyone is chasing solutions to the low-frequency, high-consequence event. How can we ensure our mariners will respond effectively to those once-in-a-career moments when mother nature, Murphy’s law, and human nature line up for a catastrophic outcome? The solution rests on a foundation of well-engineered and -maintained equipment, competent and experienced mariners, and effective policies, procedures, and best practices. But industry-leading companies realize that’s not enough. These companies circled back to the human element and doubled down on programs that maximize their mariners’ human potential. These include robust mariner, leadership, and train-the-trainer educational programs held under the umbrella of culture-building exercises and events. It is the internalization of a company’s culture, core values, and ethos that enables an individual mariner to use his or her experience and skill to make good decisions and take effective action. Cultural infusion is an additional and critical insulation layer between low-frequency challenges and potential high consequences to vessels, property, the environment, and the business.

You have been highly successful in your maritime career! Can you share how you came to work in maritime and any advice you have for someone considering the maritime transportation industry as a career?

My path to becoming a professional mariner started at 7 when I took my first sailing lessons in Pamet Harbor, a small inlet in Truro, Massachusetts. Frankly, it terrified me to go down there every day, dinghy heeled over, water rushing by the gunwale (I couldn’t swim at that time). But I was hooked: hooked on the challenge of maneuvering through whatever the sea presented as well as my own doubts and fears. I had found my passion, and every turn of my life from that point on revolved around either driving a boat, finding an adventure at sea, or keeping a connection to the maritime industry and mariners. That voyage led to ocean racing and delivering sailboats, running sailing schools, running fish tenders in Alaska, and becoming a tugboat captain at the age of 27. I had always wanted to be a tugboat captain for the same reason I was drawn to sailing — the challenge of boat handling at the highest level within the parameters of whatever Mother Nature could throw at you.

For those considering a career in maritime, follow your passion. It will take you where you need to go.

AWO’s Moveable Bridge Quality Action Team Needs Your Input

AWO’s Moveable Bridge Quality Action Team is working with the Coast Guard to prevent bridge incidents by investigating and documenting issues encountered by mariners when calling or transiting moveable bridges.

We are collecting information about bridge-related problems, including issues such as:

  • Bridge not opening on time;
  • Communication issues with bridge tender;
  • Bridge not opening all the way;
  • Bridge closing too early;
  • Bridge waiting too long to open when a vessel approaches;
  • Bridge lights not operational; and,
  • Other issues that affect safe navigation.

Please send your reports of events that match the above criteria to AWO using the AWO Bridge Event Reporting Form or by sending an email to bridges@americanwaterways.com. Please be sure any emails include:

  • The bridge name and location
  • Time and date of the incident
  • Tow and vessel configuration and dimensions
  • Any other relevant data you can share, including: environmental factors, such as wind, fog, rain, or ice; river level or tide and current information; equipment issues, such as a faulty radio or missing light; and any other factors that may have impacted the vessel’s ability to make safe passage through the bridge.

To learn more about this effort, please contact Liam Morcroft.

American Waterways HERO Award – Nominate Your Crew for Recognition of Heroic Acts

Our industry’s mariners work tirelessly to ensure the smooth flow of commerce while safeguarding our nation’s waterways. While our industry is the safest mode of freight transportation, emergencies can and do still happen. In those crucial moments, our vessel crew members exemplify our industry-wide commitment to safety, leading first response and rescue efforts for their colleagues and their communities – actions that can aptly be described as heroic.

What is the HERO Award?

The American Waterways Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award recognizes these efforts, highlighting the heroism of our mariners and telling the story of AWO member company employees whose actions demonstrate selflessness, skill, and bravery.

Qualifying events for the award include but are not limited to: rescuing commercial or recreational mariners, responding to a medical emergency onboard, recovering a person who has fallen overboard, responding to a person in distress while traveling to/from the boat, and other selfless service actions that reflect the safety culture of the American tugboat, towboat, and barge industry.

How may I submit a nomination?

We need your help in identifying these heroic acts! Please acknowledge your employees’ rescue efforts by submitting a nomination at https://www.americanwaterways.com/hero-award.

How are recipients recognized?

Awardees will be recognized at the Winter and Summer Safety Committees’ Meetings in an American Waterways HERO Award Ceremony. Mariners and their families are invited to join us in person to receive their awards, which include:

  • A certificate of recognition for each vessel involved in the rescue;
  • An American Waterways HERO Award coin for each mariner; and,
  • Through sponsorship by 360 Coverage Pros & Berkley Offshore, mariners will also receive a complimentary one-year marine license and professional liability insurance policy.

Congratulations to this month’s recipients of the American Waterways HERO Award!

To submit a nomination for the HERO Award or to learn more about the program, visit the HERO Award page on the AWO website.

U.S. Coast Guard Issues Two Safety Alerts

Safety Alert 04-24: Prevent Forklift Casualties: Operator Training is Essential for Safe Industrial Equipment Operation:

The USCG issued Safety Alert 04-24 to remind mariners about the dangers of operating industrial trucks, such as forklifts, without proper training. Investigators found operators lacked training in several recent events, including an incident that led to two crew members on a Ro-Ro vessel sustaining severe head injuries. As a result, the Coast Guard strongly recommends that vessel owners, operators, charters, and other stakeholders:

  • Review shipboard instructions and standards to ensure forklift and other industrial truck operation policies are included in the safety management system and other relevant safety documents.
  • Examine risk management plans to ensure hazard identification and awareness measures are in place to enhance crew safety when operating powered industrial equipment.

The full safety alert includes regulatory references and supplemental guidance from the Department of Labor and ANSI.

Safety Alert 05-24: Urgent Cummins Marine Engine Throttle Recall:

The USCG issued Safety Alert 05-24 to alert mariners about a recall of throttles that were sold individually or installed in specific Cummins B, C, L, and M marine engines. A list of Engine Serial Numbers (ESNs) are included in the safety alert to help identify engines that are potentially affected.

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Issues Three Safety Alerts

No. 487: BSEE Alerts Offshore Workers to Trend of Recurring Hand Injuries While Using Alternative Cutting Devices:

BSEE has observed a trend of injuries occurring when workers use alternative cutting devices improperly. BSEE shares two case studies and recommendations to avoid future injury, including:

  • Ensure all personnel identify the appropriate alternative cutting device in the Job Safety Analysis for the assigned task.
  • Ensure personnel do not alter or modify alternative cutting devices before use.
  • Ensure that if the alternative cutting device is defective in any way, the device is discarded appropriately.
  • Inspect the alternative cutting device before use to confirm that the protective shielding is free from wear or chips and that it is properly installed.
  • Ensure personnel use cut-resistant gloves for added protection when utilizing alternative cutting devices.

No. 488: Flash Fires During Welding Operations:

BSEE recounted a case study of a welder who was involved in a blast incident that occurred while performing hot work on a pressure vessel. Best practices for preventing hot work incidents are included in BSEE’s full safety alert, available here. The contributing factors to the incident included:

  • Testing space multiple times for LEL: Though the space tested 0% LEL on the first test, subsequent tests found concentrations of up to 70% LEL. It is believed that the welder’s initial tack weld disturbed trapped vapors in the pressure vessel, leading to an ignition of the vapors during the second weld.
  • PPE mitigated injury risk: The vapors’ ignition blasted the welder backward; however, as the welder was tied in with PPE, he was uninjured by the blast, which highlights the importance of using proper PPE at all times.

No. 489: BSEE Reminds Offshore Workers: Conduct Pre-Job Assessment; Stay Vigilant of Surroundings

BSEE examined the contributing factors that led to a worker falling through an open hatch cover and sustaining leg and knee injuries, noting lack of situational awareness, lack of adequate fall protection, and failure to secure the hatch cover in a closed position. Recommendations to avoid future incidents included:

  • Check surroundings;
  • Use personal fall arrest protective equipment;
  • Install barricades when applicable; and,
  • Follow approved procedures.

AWO Seeks Member Feedback on OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposal

As reported in the September 5 issue of the AWO Letter, AWO is seeking feedback on OSHA’s proposed heat injury and illness prevention standard. Members have raised concerns about provisions within the proposed standard that include work site plan requirements, mandatory break timing, acclimatization restrictions, and recordkeeping requirements. The proposal, which was released by OSHA in July, was finally published in the Federal Register on August 30, and comments are due by December 30, 2024. AWO is continuing to gather member input and will finalize comments to OSHA by October. If you have any questions about the proposed standard, or want to provide feedback, please contact Lillie Wightman.

Confined Space Safety Course Published by Oregon OSHA

Oregon OSHA has launched a free two-hour training course to enhance worker safety in confined spaces. The course covers hazard identification, equipment use, rescue procedures, and training requirements. The free course and resources are available here.

Sustainability Tech Working Group Update

The AWO Sustainability Tech Working Group recently held its bi-monthly meeting, featuring special guest Patrick Couch of TRC Companies, who shared his expertise on Low Carbon Fuel Standards with the group.

The working group also discussed federal agency activity on maritime decarbonization, including the Department of Energy’s forthcoming Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan and the Department of Transportation’s report to Congress on decarbonizing transportation. AWO was able to provide input on the development of these documents, which support maximizing the use of maritime transportation as an existing solution to lowering the carbon footprint of freight transportation.

These and other sustainability-related resources are available on AWO’s Sustainability Resources webpage. Members who wish to learn more about these initiatives or the work of the Sustainability Tech Working Group can email Bradley Trammell.

NTSAC Meeting Scheduled for September 24-25

The National Towing Safety Advisory Committee (NTSAC) will be convening in Portland, Maine on September 24-25. AWO has organized a prep call to provide an opportunity for members to share feedback or questions related to NTSAC and its active Task Statements on September 16, from 3-4 pm Eastern.

The committee’s current task statements are:

To join the call or learn more about NTSAC, please contact Liam Morcroft.

MEMBER-SUBMITTED NEAR MISS 24-08: Fire Hose Nozzle Inoperable – Seized in Closed Position

Recently Published NTSB Towing Vessel Investigation Reports

Since July 1, the NTSB has published 12 investigation reports, five involving towing vessel operations. Investigations of the towing vessel incidents are summarized below. A full list and complete reports may be accessed on the NTSB website.

Date of Report: 07/10/24  Date of Event: 02/07/23

An engine room fire broke out on the towing vessel Desperado while it was transiting Lake Salvador near mile 20 of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Bayou Perot, Louisiana. Unable to extinguish the fire using portable extinguishers, the three crew members secured the fuel supply and ventilation to the engine room before abandoning the vessel. By the time a responding fire boat arrived, the fire was out. No pollution or injuries were reported, and damage to the vessel totaled $30,000.

The captain of the vessel and investigators suspect the fire was caused by an overstretched hydraulic hose that burst, spraying hydraulic fluid onto hot engine surfaces. The NTSB determined the root cause to be a failure to follow the manufacturers’ instructions for routing and installing the hose.

Date of Report: 08/12/24  Date of Event: 03/26/23

The towing vessel Uncle Blue was pushing one empty barge on the Lower Mississippi River at mile marker 178 when the towing vessel began taking on water. Six crewmembers were unsuccessful in pumping water flooding the engine room, leading to a call to abandon the vessel. With the help of a Good Samaritan vessel, the captain beached the boat on the right descending bank, where the vessel partially sank. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $500,000.

The NTSB attributed the cause of the flooding to a lack of watertight integrity, with the investigators noting wastage in several areas on the hull, including near the lazarette, which was the suspected source of the river water ingress. Other factors included two through-hull pipes that penetrated the bulkhead between the lazarette and engine room, allowing water to flood multiple compartments. The crew also noted that they were unable to use their portable water pump as the hose and strainer were stored on the stern deck, which was underwater before the response began.

Date of Report: 08/20/24  Date of Event: 07/08/23

The towing vessel Danny Terral was pushing six loaded barges on the Calcasieu River when the starboard lead barge contacted a pier while docking at the Port of Lake Charles. There were no injuries, no pollution, no damage to the barges or tow, and no damage to the vessel. Damage to the pier was estimated to be about $1 million.

NTSB investigators attributed the cause of the contact to a mate’s misjudging of the distance between the tow and an unfamiliar pier.

Date of Report: 07/25/24  Date of Event: 08/08/23

The towing vessel Jacqueline A sank about 3 miles east of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, after taking on water while transiting in the Atlantic Ocean. Three crewmembers abandoned the vessel and were recovered by local emergency responders. There were no injuries. 5,000 gallons of fuel leaked into the sea. The vessel was a total loss, costing an estimated $660,000.

NTSB investigators attributed the vessel flooding to a lack of watertight integrity due to wastage of the bulwarks, hull, and deck above the lazarette. Unsealed pipes that ran through the bulkhead between the lazarette and the engine room allowed water to travel between the two spaces and flood the engine room. The NTSB noted a lack of high-level alarms in the lazarette space, which could have alerted the crew to the flooding far enough in advance to prevent sinking.

Date of Report: 08/01/2024  Date of Event: 09/12/23

The towing vessel John 3:16 was transiting the Lower Mississippi River near Saint Rose, Louisiana, when the vessel contacted an industrial cargo pier. No pollution or injuries were reported. The final cost to repair the damages to the towing vessel and pier was $285,441.

NTSB investigators attributed the probable cause of the incident to the captain’s fatigue due to an accumulated sleep debt. The captain reported falling asleep just prior to the contact incident.

Please Reset Your SSRP Password; 3rd Quarter Statistics Due Next Month

AWO has been working to improve members’ experience using the AWO Safety Statistics Reporting Program (SSRP), which is a benefit for all AWO carrier members and allows comparison of key performance indicators (KPIs) between vessels performing similar operations.

Those who have logged into the SSRP website recently may have noticed long load times for certain reports or website functions. This lag was due to an out-of-date system that became slower as more information was added each quarter. This lagging performance is no longer a problem following a system overhaul that was completed on September 4, allowing reports to be pulled in fractions of a second, rather than minutes.

To facilitate this improvement and other upgrades, users accessing the SSRP website after September 4 will be required to reset their password.

To reset your password for the SSRP website (https://awo.salixhub.com):

  • Step 1: On the login page, click the “Forgot Password” link.
  • Step 2: Enter the email address associated with an existing account. You should receive an email with a password reset link.
  • Step 3: Click the link in the email and follow the prompts to reset the password.

After taking these steps, you should be able to log in with your new password. If you run into any issues, please reach out to safety@americanwaterways.com for assistance.

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