Person accidentally drank hazardous substance: Unmarked bottle
- Safety Flash
- Published on 2 June 2017
- Generated on 13 November 2025
- IMCA SF 13/17
- 1 minute read
A third-party agent on board a vessel during port clearance formalities drank from a mineral water bottle which instead of mineral water contained a small quantity of diluted bleaching liquid.
What happened?
A third-party agent was on board a vessel during port clearance formalities. On the bridge, there was a mineral water bottle from which he took a swallow.
The agent immediately spat it out as the taste was different. He subsequently drank a great deal of water and felt unwell for a time but there were no long-term ill effects and he subsequently left the vessel feeling OK.
What went wrong?
The bottle, which was not marked as such, contained a small quantity of diluted bleaching liquid that the bridge staff was using for cleaning the table top.
Members may wish to reiterate some fundamentals of safety awareness to vessel crews in the context of this incident.
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IMCA SF 04/16
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