The safety protocol of STP Shipyard Palma includes annual courses and emergency drills that are already marked in the calendar so that all the personnel is prepared to act quickly and effectively in case of fire. 

Last week, one of these annual scheduled performances was held. Throughout the morning, seamen, ORP (Occupational Risk Prevention), environment and travelift staff received theoretical courses, very necessary to refresh knowledge, as well as practical exercises with hoses and fire extinguishers, culminating with an intense fire drill with simulation of spills, man overboard and a victim on board.

The attractiveness of a fire drill is that it is not known exactly when it will start, and while the activity in the shipyard was normal, the voice of alarm by a fire on a boat was given by a person passing by. From that moment, they started a protocol of action in which each person had its role defined and must be respected to the maximum so as not to hinder the activity of the others, since it would aggravate the situation.

A very important aspect in case of fire is the immediate action, and since STP performs a large safety commitment, it has its own fire truck in its facilities to act quickly, so that when the firefighters arrive the situation is already controlled.

The fire drill came up with some surprises too, because in addition to the fire that the personnel of STP had to control, one of them fell overboard as he crossed the boat in flames verifying the presence of victims. When the shipyard's auxiliary vessel approached to provide assistance, they were able to verify the presence of spills from the boat originated by the fire, having to extend quickly the spill containment barriers. As a culmination of the drill, and when the fire began to die out, the firefighters rescued a fainted victim from the boat.

The drill counted on the collaboration of external entities such as the Firemen of Palma, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, the Balearic Port Police and the Guardia Civil, who have been invited in a timely manner, as it’s usually done in each drill that takes place at STP Shipyard Palma.

Actions like this one reinforce the safety policy of STP Shipyard Palma as it is daily looking after it and thanks to this, it is one of the safest boatyards in Europe.