Crew member sustained hand injury during lifting operations
- Safety Flash
- Published on 20 August 2026
- Generated on 20 August 2026
- IMCA SF 15/26
- 2 minute read
A crew member sustained a hand injury during a lifting operation involving a main engine cylinder head.
What happened?
A crew member sustained a hand injury during a lifting operation involving a main engine cylinder head. During the lift, the chain block and trolley travelled to the end of an overhead beam that was not fitted with end stops, resulting in the equipment coming off the beam and striking the individual’s hand.
While the injury was treated onboard and did not require stitches, the circumstances of the incident highlight a serious potential for more severe injury and underline the importance of effective lifting safeguards.
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What went wrong?
- The chain block and trolley had been moved from another overhead “I” beam, which did have end stops fitted.
- There were no end stops fitted on this change of overhead “I”-beam – the crew had assumed end stops were in place and did not verify and / or notice.
Lessons learned
- Inspect all lifting beams, rails, and runways onboard to confirm that suitable end stops are fitted at both ends.
- Could there be anywhere else where something like this could happen unexpectedly? Have a “clear-eyed” look at lifting equipment to check.
Related Safety Flashes
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IMCA SF 15/13
23 September 2013
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IMCA SF 23/21
19 August 2021
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