MSF: Near-miss dropped object: Protector plate drops from crane

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 10 August 2015
  • Generated on 15 September 2025
  • IMCA SF 11/15
  • 1 minute read

The Marine Safety Forum has published a safety flash regarding a recent near miss dropped object incident, in which parts fell from a crane. 

The incident occurred during lifting operations; the crane operator noticed an object falling from the crane. The object turned out to be a piece of nylon protector plate from the crane boom. Weight 0.95 kg, drop 40 m.

There was no one working in the area so no one was harmed and no damage was done. Had such an object hit someone it would have caused a fatality.

This incident and the previous incidents in recent years serves to highlight the need to pay further careful attention to crane maintenance and to the clear risk of parts falling from the crane itself, in addition to managing the risk of objects falling from the load.

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