Falling object – Failure of lifting appliance

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 27 February 2006
  • Generated on 13 December 2024
  • IMCA SF 02/06
  • 1 minute read

An IMCA member has reported a lifting appliance failure that occurred in connection with the transport of oil barrels.

What happened?

Barrels filled with oil were being lifted by a vessel crane from the shore onto the vessel. During one of these lifts, one of the barrel clamps came loose from the barrel. The other barrel clamp also came loose, allowing the barrel to fall onto the deck of the vessel where it burst. There were no injuries.

Because of the oil spill on deck, the SOPEP team was mustered. The oil spill was contained, no oil entered the water, and the spill was cleaned up.

Our member’s investigation revealed the following:

The company conducted an investigation into the accident, which concluded that the most likely cause was incorrect mounting of the barrel clamps in the past leading to deformation of the clamps, which led to the load being dropped.

The company took the following actions:

  • other vessels have been alerted to the incident, via distribution of an internal safety flash.
  • toolbox meetings have been held onboard the company’s other vessels to demonstrate the correct use of barrel clamps.

Latest Safety Flashes:

LTI: Finger injury during emergency recovery of ROV

A worker suffered a serious finger injury when their finger was caught between a crane wire and the recovery hook on an ROV.

Read more
BSEE: recurring hand injuries from alternative cutting devices

The United States Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has published Safety Alert 487.

Read more
NTSB: Crane wire failure

The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States (NTSB) published "Safer Seas Digest 2023".

Read more
Hot work performed outside of Permit to Work (PTW) boundary limit

A near miss occurred when a third-party contractor working removed a trip hazard from the vessel main deck, using a cutting torch and grinding disc.

Read more
Vital safety information (height of vehicle) found incorrect

“Height of vehicle” information displayed on a truck, was found to be incorrect.

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.