Warsash students win British Shipping Safety Awareness Awards
Wednesday December 1 2010
Two students from Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy (WMA) have been awarded top honours at the British Shipping Safety Awareness Awards.
The national awards are given to cadets who have suggested the best idea – original, innovative and capable of implementation - to improve health and safety at sea.
The Shipping Minister, Mike Penning MP presented the awards at a ceremony held at the Chamber of Shipping in London last week.
First prize was awarded to WMA student, Adam Creber, for his suggestion of a rail-lock system to improve safety when entering the holds of tankers and crude carriers.
Adam – who is sponsored by BP Maritime Services - observed during his training on the Foundation Degree Deck Marine Operations Programe that with steep ladders and potential 6-8m drops, there was little in place to prevent a fall.
His suggestion for a rail lock system involved a metal clip parallel to the stair hand rail which would follow the user as they descend the stair way. A safety harness could be attached to the user which would lock if they fell.
Third prize was awarded to WMA’s Simon Curtis for his suggestion of a special fire-fighting nozzle that delivers both high expansion and foam and water mist. Simon – who is managed by Chiltern Maritime and sponsored by Trinity House - is enrolled on the WMA Graduate Engineer Programme.
The national awards, which have been running for more than 15 years, attract entries from all over the country. Open to all trainee officers and trainee ratings studying Merchant Navy Training Board approved courses, the awards are sponsored by Trinity House and organised by the Chamber of Shipping.
As well as individual cash prizes, each winner's institution was presented with a plaque and awarded £400. The money will be used for cadet welfare facilities on the WMA campus.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE MEDIA OFFICE ON 023 8031 9040