Dropped object: Injury resulting from failure caused by corrosion

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 25 January 2012
  • Generated on 1 November 2025
  • IMCA SF 01/12
  • 1 minute read

The United States (US) Department of the Interior Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (US BSEE) has published a safety flash regarding a dropped object injury resulting from the corrosion-based failure of the eline (electric line) used in well abandonment operations.

What happened?

A crewman who was guiding equipment into a well-bore, was struck on the foot and injured by a falling object. It was found after the incident that the eline was corroded and brittle with some strands broken.

Members can find further information here.

Latest Safety Flashes:

Injury after fall from vertical ladder

Two crew members were performing routine engine room fire watch and thruster space rounds checking oil pressure and temperature checks, when one of them was injured falling off a vertical ladder.

Read more
LTI: serious injury to thumb when pipe fell during maintenance

A 2nd engineer on a vessel suffered a serious injury to the left thumb whilst dismantling a grey water pipe.

Read more
MSF: Burn to arm from contact with tumble dryer

The Marine Safety Forum (MSF) has published Safety Alert 25-13 relating to a crew member burning themselves on a tumble dryer.

Read more
Japan Transport Safety Board: two confined space fatalities

The Japan Transport Safety Board has published report MA2025-4 into a fatal incident which occurred in May 2024 on a bulk carrier.

Read more
On a more positive note…

A member reports a number of positive and encouraging trends following vessel visits across the fleet.

Read more

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.

The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.

All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.

Share your safety incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive Safety Flashes straight to your email.