Battery failure on lifejacket light

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 1 March 2001
  • Generated on 18 March 2025
  • IMCA SF 03/01
  • 1 minute read

One of our members has reported that on one of their vessels they found that the battery to the lifejacket had swelled out, resulting in a ruptured battery.

The maker of the battery is McMurdo and the expiry date was January 2002. Below is a picture of the ruptured battery.

Ruptured battery on lifejacket

When the member alerted its other vessels to this failure, another vessel reported that on checking its lifejackets, two lifejacket lights were found in a similar condition to that above. The expiry dates for their batteries were August 2001 and May 2003.

The member is now in discussions with the manufacturer on this issue.

Latest Safety Flashes:

Divers helmet struck and damaged subsea by crane hook

During subsea spool tie-in operations, a crane hook unexpectedly struck a diver’s helmet. 

Read more
Diver lifted off seabed

A diver was lifted off the seabed when their umbilical was caught by a diving bell clump weight adjustment prior to bell recovery.

Read more
MAIB: Very serious leg injury during crane operations

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) published Accident Investigation Report 11/2024 into an incident where a crew person was seriously injured while operating a crane.

Read more
Person fell in engine room and injured head

An oiler sustained head injuries while working alone in the engine room.

Read more
MSF: Cook got chemicals in eye

The Marine Safety Forum (MSF) published Safety Alert 24-10 relating to an incident in which a cook got chemicals splashed in the eye.

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.