Oftentimes great innovations do not come in the luxury boxes of exotic technologies, but instead are practical ideas that can save lives. This is the case of Seawareness equipment, that helps seafarers cope with fires and ensure that their extinguishers are up-to-date.
Kamil Lagiewka is an experienced deck officer as well as the inventor of the Rotary Adapter for Portable Fire Extinguisher. Safety at sea has always been paramount for seafarers, and adherence to safety standards is crucial in ensuring the well-being of all on board. However, meeting these standards is not always straightforward.
Ergonomic challenges on board pose a significant issue, often requiring industry-level solutions. Nevertheless, some of the best innovations come from those directly using the equipment. Kamil’s invention is a simple yet impactful solution that enhances operational safety, protects seafarers from injuries, and reduces insurance costs for companies.
The unpredictability of when and where portable firefighting equipment might be needed underscores the importance of regular maintenance and checks. Caked powder in a dry powder extinguisher renders it unusable. One crucial aspect of inspecting these extinguishers involves inverting them to prevent powder bulk, ensuring they are always ready for use. Moreover, many portable extinguishers suffer damage at the bottom, necessitating lifting and turning for a thorough examination.
Unfortunately, these extinguishers can be heavy, ranging from 9 to 17 kg, making the lifting and inverting process challenging, especially when dealing with numerous extinguishers on board. Performing these tasks manually, demands considerable strength, posing a risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The potential long and expensive recovery from such injuries is a significant yet often overlooked risk.
To address this, a better solution is to use Seawareness’ rotary adapter, allowing the extinguisher to be inspected and inverted without removal, lifting, or twisting of the spine. This minimizes physical effort, enabling anyone with basic training to conduct periodic inspections and rotations. It is not only a quicker process than the traditional method but also reduces the risk of droping incidents.
An ergonomic test conducted at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Risks in Lodz revealed a remarkable reduction in the risk of lower back injuries from 58% to 3% using the rotary adapter. This research underscores the safety advantages of our rotary fire extinguisher adapter compared to the traditional method, even when performed correctly.
It’s important to note that fire extinguisher inspections are crucial on water vessels during sea journeys. While the research was conducted under stationary conditions, the physical load during inspections may increase on a moving vessel. The overall ergonomic assessment of the rotary fire extinguisher adapter is positive, providing a simple yet effective solution that ensures the safe, effortless, and time-saving inspection of dry powder fire extinguishers.
