Freeport is found to have safety shortfalls after tornado tragedy

THE Freeport Container Port (FCP) in the Bahamas has been found to have a number of shortfalls after an inquiry by Occupational Safety and Health expert Jacques Obadia.

Recommendations were made to the Government of The Bahamas in the report, tabled in the Senate by Labour Minister Dion Foulkes, reports The Freeport News.

Mr Obadia conducted a probe into the facility weeks after a tornado struck Grand Bahama killing three FCP employees and injuring six others.

It was found that while the FCP has protocols for shutting down operations in the event of high winds, wind speed had been fluctuating all day and therefore no such protocols were initiated until after the tornado was sighted.

The report noted that while workers at the port facility did have radios and warnings were issued, there was no mechanism that issued warnings on all channels.

There was an apparent practice of leaving cranes unsecured and a lack of awareness of the severity of the storm.

The report also indicated that the alarm system was not triggered and from interviews with employees, the terminal alarm system was not operational.

"The system seems to be intended for specific situations such as hazardous materials leaks requiring rapid evacuation rather than weather related emergencies," the report said.

It further noted that during rescue efforts, the company's ambulance had a flat tyre and when it arrived on the quay it could not be used. However a sufficient number of external ambulances reached the terminal rapidly.
(Source:www.schednet.com)