Personnel lifting system fatality

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 1 October 2000
  • Generated on 13 December 2024
  • IMCA SF 06/00
  • 1 minute read

We have learned of a fatality when a worker fell from a full body harness boatswain’s chair when ascending on a hoisting system.

What happened?

The initial information from the investigation team indicates that the individual fell when he became detached from the self-locked grip latch hook, similar to that depicted below. The latch on the hook depicted on the right opens outward.

self-locked grip latch hook

Our member took the following actions:

The company involved has implemented a survey of all personnel hoisting and fall arrest systems seeking:

  • verification that all hook components are designed and manufactured and certified for lifting personnel.
  • where such hooks are used, these should be self-locking and self-closing with an inward moving latch.

Examples of such hooks are shown below.

Snaphook, self-locking

Snaphook, self-locking

Carabiner, self-locking

Carabiner, self-locking

Snaphook, self-locking

Snaphook, self-locking

Swipe to see next image

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