With almost three decades of experience at sea, both as a skipper with KNRM and as a teacher, Henk Spanjer knows better than anyone else how important safety is. His message is clear: safety should be second nature to everyone who goes to sea. Through training, proper preparation and the correct use of protective equipment, lives can be saved.
“Training repetition creates automatic reflexes in emergency situations”
Why regular practice is crucial
The safety training we give at the Maritime Institute is there for a reason. They ensure that certain actions automatically become part of your system. When you find yourself in a panic situation, you act based on your training, without thinking. This can save your life. This is why it is so important to repeat those trainings regularly, say every five years. This keeps you abreast of the latest techniques and keeps you on your toes. Repetition creates automatic reflexes in emergency situations.
A simple check can save lives
Besides training, it is just as important to know the safety equipment on board and check it regularly. Know where everything is and take the time to take equipment out of its packaging, put it on and check that it still fits properly. Survival suits come in different sizes and ‘one size fits all’ is often a misconception. It is tragic to see that accidents still happen because someone wore a survival suit that did not fit properly. Safety starts with good preparation. Make sure your equipment is up to date and that your team knows how everything works. It can make the difference between life and death.
Training that makes the difference
between life and death
Training and proper application of safety equipment can literally make the difference between life and death. This is something I always try to instil in my students. A former student of mine, who had stopped his training and gone to Greece, experienced this first-hand. One day, he heard cries for help from the beach. Without thinking, he ran into the water, ready to rescue, but without a life jacket. At the last moment, he changed his mind, quickly donned a vest and entered the water.
In his haste, he approached the drowning man from the front, which is dangerous because a desperate drowning man can grab you. This did happen. But thanks to the life jacket, they both stayed afloat and he was able to land the person safely. Later, he sent me a message: ‘Mr Spanjer, I always thought those trainings were bullshit, but thanks to that training I not only saved someone's life, but also my own.’
The dangerous mentality of underestimation
In my youth, when I started as a seafarer, a ‘never mind’ mentality prevailed. Safety regulations and protective equipment were seen as unnecessary or overly cautious. A first mate once tried to introduce helmets on the ship, which was unusual in those days. One day, while hastily crawling under a row of containers, he banged his head against a container. His helmet, which he was wearing without a chin strap, fell off. That incident was seized upon by some to say that helmets were nonsensical. But in reality, the lack of proper use was the problem. Proper protection, used properly, could have saved him from more serious injury.
Too often people think that accidents will not happen to them, that it is always others who are unlucky. But if, like me, you have seen the consequences accidents at sea can have, you realise how important it is to be well prepared. You can save not only your own life, but also that of your colleagues.
Lost life at sea
There are events that are forever burned into your retina. One rescue I will never forget took place in the North Sea. A ship had capsized and there were three people on board. When we arrived, one person had already been pulled out of the water by a nearby dredger, but his survival suit was not properly closed. The suit had filled up with water, nearly killing him.
Another drowning person was still floating in the water when we were called, but his life jacket did not appear to fit properly. He had been seen five minutes before we arrived, but when we arrived, we found only his empty vest. A day later, he washed up on the beach at Terschelling. It was a heartbreaking reality: this loss might have been prevented if safety equipment had been used correctly.
My name is Henk Spanjer and I work as a lecturer at the Willem Barentsz Maritime Institute. But in addition to my role as a lecturer, I am available day and night as skipper of the lifeboat at Paal eight station of the Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM). I have held this voluntary position for 24 years. For me, safety at sea is not an abstract concept, but something I have devoted my heart and soul to for almost 30 years. Human lives are at stake.
“When you see what consequences accidents at sea can have, you realise how important good preparation is. You are not only saving yourself, but also your colleagues”
We are always looking for personal stories from the maritime sector. Stories of (near) accidents, where a situation only just ended well, are incredibly valuable. By sharing your experiences, you help others become more aware of dangers and how to prevent them. Sharing these stories can save lives and contribute to a culture of safety at sea. Want to share your story? Sign up using the form on our website. Together, we will make the sea a safer place to work for everyone.
With almost three decades of experience at sea, both as a skipper with KNRM and as a teacher, Henk Spanjer knows better than anyone else how important safety is. His message is clear: safety should be second nature to everyone who goes to sea. Through training, proper preparation and the correct use of protective equipment, lives can be saved.
Why regular practice is crucial
The safety training we give at the Maritime Institute is there for a reason. They ensure that certain actions automatically become part of your system. When you find yourself in a panic situation, you act based on your training, without thinking. This can save your life. This is why it is so important to repeat those trainings regularly, say every five years. This keeps you abreast of the latest techniques and keeps you on your toes. Repetition creates automatic reflexes in emergency situations.
A simple check can save lives
Besides training, it is just as important to know the safety equipment on board and check it regularly. Know where everything is and take the time to take equipment out of its packaging, put it on and check that it still fits properly. Survival suits come in different sizes and ‘one size fits all’ is often a misconception. It is tragic to see that accidents still happen because someone wore a survival suit that did not fit properly. Safety starts with good preparation. Make sure your equipment is up to date and that your team knows how everything works. It can make the difference between life and death.
“Training repetition creates automatic reflexes in emergency situations”
Training that makes the difference
between life and death
Training and proper application of safety equipment can literally make the difference between life and death. This is something I always try to instil in my students. A former student of mine, who had stopped his training and gone to Greece, experienced this first-hand. One day, he heard cries for help from the beach. Without thinking, he ran into the water, ready to rescue, but without a life jacket. At the last moment, he changed his mind, quickly donned a vest and entered the water.
In his haste, he approached the drowning man from the front, which is dangerous because a desperate drowning man can grab you. This did happen. But thanks to the life jacket, they both stayed afloat and he was able to land the person safely. Later, he sent me a message: ‘Mr Spanjer, I always thought those trainings were bullshit, but thanks to that training I not only saved someone's life, but also my own.’
The dangerous mentality of underestimation
In my youth, when I started as a seafarer, a ‘never mind’ mentality prevailed. Safety regulations and protective equipment were seen as unnecessary or overly cautious. A first mate once tried to introduce helmets on the ship, which was unusual in those days. One day, while hastily crawling under a row of containers, he banged his head against a container. His helmet, which he was wearing without a chin strap, fell off. That incident was seized upon by some to say that helmets were nonsensical. But in reality, the lack of proper use was the problem. Proper protection, used properly, could have saved him from more serious injury.
Too often people think that accidents will not happen to them, that it is always others who are unlucky. But if, like me, you have seen the consequences accidents at sea can have, you realise how important it is to be well prepared. You can save not only your own life, but also that of your colleagues.
Lost life at sea
There are events that are forever burned into your retina. One rescue I will never forget took place in the North Sea. A ship had capsized and there were three people on board. When we arrived, one person had already been pulled out of the water by a nearby dredger, but his survival suit was not properly closed. The suit had filled up with water, nearly killing him.
Another drowning person was still floating in the water when we were called, but his life jacket did not appear to fit properly. He had been seen five minutes before we arrived, but when we arrived, we found only his empty vest. A day later, he washed up on the beach at Terschelling. It was a heartbreaking reality: this loss might have been prevented if safety equipment had been used correctly.
“When you see what consequences accidents at sea can have, you realise how important good preparation is. You are not only saving yourself, but also your colleagues”
My name is Henk Spanjer and I work as a lecturer at the Willem Barentsz Maritime Institute. But in addition to my role as a lecturer, I am available day and night as skipper of the lifeboat at Paal eight station of the Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM). I have held this voluntary position for 24 years. For me, safety at sea is not an abstract concept, but something I have devoted my heart and soul to for almost 30 years. Human lives are at stake.
We are always looking for personal stories from the maritime sector. Stories of (near) accidents, where a situation only just ended well, are incredibly valuable. By sharing your experiences, you help others become more aware of dangers and how to prevent them. Sharing these stories can save lives and contribute to a culture of safety at sea. Want to share your story? Sign up using the form on our website. Together, we will make the sea a safer place to work for everyone.