MSF: Air cylinder failure in lifeboat

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 17 March 2021
  • Generated on 5 July 2025
  • IMCA SF 08/21
  • 2 minute read

Three crew members working near a lifeboat were injured by blast debris when an air cylinder fitted in the lifeboat blew up without warning.

What happened?

There was a structural failure of an air cylinder fitted in a lifeboat.  It occurred without warning. No work had or was being conducted on or around the air cylinder. Three crew members working nearby were injured by the blast debris.

First aid treatment was provided onboard by the medic and they were then sent onshore that night for assessment by a local hospital, and later released.

Structural failure of an air cylinder fitted in a lifeboat

What was the cause?

The MSF notes that investigation into this incident is currently ongoing. This event – which occurred in July 2020 –  was first brought to IMCA’s attention last year. At that time there was insufficient information available to warrant its use in a Safety Flash. See here for the MSF Safety Alert 21-01.

Two preliminary suspected causes of the cylinder failure have been identified:

  1. Galvanic corrosion between the cylinder material and the metal support frame leading to a weakness in the cylinder wall.

  2. Cylinders submerged in bilge water for extended period leading to wall corrosion which could have then affected the integrity.

Actions

The MSF’s correspondent recommends that such cylinders are:

  • Inspected annually for corrosion or wall damage by service providers.

  • Hydrostatic [pressure] tested at a required interval of five years.

Latest Safety Flashes:

LTI: Hand injury during capstan maintenance

A crew member was injured when their hand was trapped between a wire clamp on the underside of the capstan and the deck.

Read more
High potential incident: Worker injured when opening a flanged assembly

A member of a team of workers dismantling subsea emergency shutdown valves (ESDV) on deck, was badly injured when hit by parts of a valve which were ejected with force.

Read more
Near miss: worker suffers electric shock

A member of a vessel crew suffered a mains electric shock when working on a crane pedestal.

Read more
Unsafe use of electrical equipment in cabins

Crew members were observed inserting 2-pin electrical chargers directly into 3-pin vessel sockets to power their personal equipment.

Read more
UK HSE: load falls from lorry and kills cyclist

A metal heat exchanger, weighing over 2.5 tons, fell from a lorry and killed a passing cyclist.

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.