Fatality: Injury from an air hose
- Safety Flash
- Published on 1 July 2003
- Generated on 23 November 2025
- IMCA SF 06/03
- 2 minute read
A Member has reported that it is aware of the following incident, whereby a worker was struck on the head by a compressed air hose which had blown off of its fitting on a piece of equipment. He received serious head injuries, which proved fatal.
What happened?
The air hose had been held by a hose clamp on the fitting, with no keeper, restraining chain or sling to prevent the hose from thrashing around and this failure to properly secure the hose and hose clamp was identified as the primary cause of the incident.
This had been a ‘routine’ task and didn’t require a formal written job safety analysis to be carried out.
However, the company has highlighted the destructive potential of unrestrained compressed air hoses to all personnel through toolbox talks and safety training.
It has expressed the need for keepers, chains, slings, special proprietary couplings and whip-checks to be installed on all diameter or high-pressure compressed air hoses, in order to prevent them thrashing about in the event of a hose or coupling failure (see figure). The company has undertaken to perform regular inspections of all compressed-air-powered equipment, including hoses, in order to assess the integrity of couplings, clamps, keepers and hoses and to allow corrective action to be taken.
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.