All too often seafarers are injured in connection with mooring. A deckhand on a small passenger ship lost his thumb when he was about to cast off the mooring rope ready for departure. The deckhand was on the quay when the master pulled out on the forward spring to back away from the quay. The view from the bridge to the quay was limited, as was communication. When the deckhand took hold of the rope to release it from the bollard he did not notice that a gust of wind had caught the ship, stretching the rope which cut off his thumb. After this accident the shipping company underlined the importance of clear introductory training for new personnel in the company and when changing ships, in particular for high-risk tasks such as mooring and casting off. It is also important that crewmembers take a couple of minutes to talk through what needs to be done before work starts, so that everyone has the same understanding of what is expected of them. This is especially important if there is any change from normal operations. When working with mooring ropes, it is best if the person putting on or lifting off the rope does not need to handle the eye, but can use an extra rope that is fixed to the eye.