MARS 200160 Lifeboat falls incorrectly clamped ‘While travelling as « passenger oa a eruiseship, I noticed that all the lifeboat fails bad been clamped with only two bulldog sips (see picture, right), My experienee in this area led me to the eonelusion that the method used was incorrect First of all there were only two grips on each termination, A nnininun of three, ard preferably more, are required on lifting or safety equipment. Secondly, the lower of the two grips in the photograph has been applied in the wrong direction. All rips should be applied in the same direction with the briege (or saddle) on the working/heuling part of the wire. All the other terminations had been made up with the same faults or variations on these fouls Itis a wellpublished fact, shown by empirical and carefully ‘monitored tests, that iwo gripe only, both applied in the ‘carreet direction will generally produce a slip load of about (60% of the wiro's nominal broaking Iond (NBL). Two grips applied in opposing divections will produce a slip load of about 50%, {It coukd be possible that these slip lads had been taken into xecount when the falls were rigged and that the eyes with two grips in ‘any configuration have been found to meet, the required safety factor at the termination. I doubted that this was the case because the application on the eyes of these falls was randomly different and wrong in cach instance. In other words, if two grips hed been found to be sufficient, and approved as same, it would seem reasonable to suppose that the correct application of two grips would be identical on all the wires. On further enquiry, the management of the shipping company confirmed that a dynamic 115M overload test had been successfully carried out under the supervision of a class surveyor. However. I slill doubt that the test ‘was carried out on all 16 differently made up falls. It may be that the test earried cut with the eyes made up with two grips in the correct direction did in fact prove to be acceptable. One way or another, these falls ‘were rot properly made up and this should be corrected. Seaways December 2001 The Nautical Institute International Marine Accident Reporting Scheme MARS Report No 110 December 2001 The correct method of fiting wire elips is shown in the diagram, let. The bridge of the grip should be fted on the working part of the rope and tho ‘U" belt en the rope tail or “dead end’ of the rope. The grips should not alternate in position. The ‘able below shows the recommended minimum number of wire rope grips for each sie of rope, Diameter of rope in mm ‘Min, number of grips up to and incl. 18 s ‘Over 19 upto and ine. 2 4 ‘Over $2 upto and ine). 38 3 ‘Qver 38 up to and inel. 44 6 ‘Over 44 up to and inel 55 7 ‘The gripe should be spaced al a distance of approximately 6 rope diameters. Care must be taken to onsure that the grips are properly lightened. If properly made up, with the recommended number of grips, correctly spaced and tightened, and all the grips placed correctly, such a termination would be expected to hold at least 80% of the ‘minimum breaking load of the rope. ‘This figure falls to 75% if nothimble is used. 17