Dredges

& Barges
Dredges
 Dredges
▪ Used in different mining
applications
▪ Sand & gravel are most
commonly dredged materials
▪ Other minerals also mined with
dredges
 Dredge Types
▪ Suction pumps
▪ With or without cutter heads
▪ Clamshells & draglines
▪ Bucket ladders
 Mining Methods
▪ Suction material as slurry into
pipe beneath water
▪ Slurry passes through pipe,
separated from water &
transported to shore by various
methods
 Mining Methods
▪ Clamshells & draglines scoop
material & load on belt or barge
 Dredge Hazards
▪ Drowning
▪ Slips & falls
▪ Electrocution
▪ High pressure pumps & pipes
▪ Welding & cutting
▪ Materials handling
▪ Pinch points
Remove Trip Hazards
Electrical Hazards
Around Water
Material Loading
 Material Loading
▪ Especially careful when loading
materials.
▪ Never go under suspended
loads
 Other Hazards
▪ Cables
▪ High winds
▪ Lightning
▪ Fog
▪ Excessive noise
Hearing Protection

Diesel Engines
 PPE
▪ Life jackets
▪ Steel-toed boots with slip-
resistant soles
▪ Safety glasses or goggles
▪ Hard hat
Stored & Maintained
Hardhats
 Hardhats
▪ Required for everyone on
board
▪ If you don’t have it on, it’s
unlikely you will go get it when
needed
 Drowning
▪ Account for majority of dredge
fatalities
Life Jackets
 Life Jackets
▪ Wear at all times while working
on or around small boats,
barges, dredges & tugboats
▪ Jackets that keep head above
water preferred
 Slip & Trip Hazards
▪ many slip & trip hazards
▪ Most serious is being caught
between barge, dock or
processing plant
 Trip Hazards
▪ Oil, grease, water, ice, loose
sand & gravel
▪ Cables & unsecured lines
▪ Good housekeeping reduces
danger
 Electricity & Water
▪ Careful around electrical
installations on dredges
▪ Provide & maintain insulation &
grounding
▪ Lockout
 Power Cables
▪ Floating cables & power cables
carried on pipelines properly
insulated & protected
▪ Mechanical bonding &
grounding maintained
 Electrical Safety
▪ Dredges with on board power
plants differ from those with
shore power because vessels’
hull used as neutral or ground
return
▪ Employee unfamiliar with
marine electrical circuitry not
allowed to work equipment
Light Bulbs Guarded
 Electrical Safety
▪ Weatherproof lamp sockets
▪ Temporary lights guarded, with
heavy duty cords & grounded
 Pipes & Pumps
▪ High pressure pipes & pumps
isolated & bled before any work
performed
▪ System secured, blinded,
locked & tagged until work
completed
 Welding & Cutting
▪ Pay particular attention to
surroundings
▪ Welded objects tested to
determine if water, flammable
liquids or vapors present
Moving Heavy Objects
Moving Heavy Objects
▪ Use hoists or get help to
handle heavy objects
▪ Rigging contains pinch points
& done by experienced people
Wire Rope
 Wire Rope
▪ Broken cables can whip or
backlash violently
Inspect Wire Rope
Inspect Wire Rope
Guard Drum & Sheave
Dredge Fires
 Dredge Fires
▪ Extremely dangerous
▪ Good housekeeping
▪ Keep oil, grease, waste rags,
flammables & combustibles in
covered containers away from
ignition sources
 Fire Prevention
▪ Store paints, thinners &
solvents in fire cabinets
▪ Check for fire after welding &
cutting
 Fire Extinguishers
▪ Inspected & readily available.
▪ Trained in fire suppression
techniques
 Weather
▪ High winds & lightning
▪ Stop work & go ashore
▪ Create unstable work platforms
▪ Fog & visibility
Wear Life Jacket
 Rescue Equipment
Maintained & Accessible
Working Alone
 Working Alone
▪ Not work alone in hazardous
areas unless they can
communicate, be seen or heard
by others
Barges
 Hazards
▪ Drowning
▪ Falling overboard
▪ Slips & falls
▪ Crushed between barge &
dredge, dock or floating plant
 PPE
▪ Life jackets
▪ Steel-toed boots with slip
resistant soles
▪ Safety glasses or goggles
▪ Hardhat
Slips & Falls
Trips & Falls
 Cables
▪ Pay attention around lines &
cables under tension – they
can break
 Loading Hazards
▪ Slips & falls
▪ Rope burns from being caught
in lines
▪ Crushed between barge &
dredge
▪ Drowning
▪ Caught in conveyor
 Unloading hazards
▪ Unloading equipment has
pinch points & blind spots
▪ Stay out of machine swing
radius
▪ Falling material
Tow Boats
 Tow Boat Hazards
▪ Slips & falls
▪ Rope burns from being caught
in lines
▪ Crushed between boat & barge
▪ Drowning
▪ Excessive noise