RWC – Caught between: Finger smashed by tooling
- Safety Flash
- Published on 22 October 2015
- Generated on 18 September 2025
- 1 minute read
IADC has recently published a safety alert in which a crewman suffered multiple fractures on his right ring finger.
What happened?
His hand was caught in the jaws of a tong latch device used to handle drill pipe.
The immediate causes of the incident were found to be:
- Inappropriate or incorrect tools used for the job
- Procedures not followed – handles (green in illustration) were provided but were not used
- Complacency – no Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) was performed as the task was seen as ‘routine’
- The tooling was so placed such that the supervising driller could not see what was going on.
The report can be downloaded from iadc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SA-15-05.pdf.
Members should be aware that IMCA has a pocket safety card on this topic – Watch your hands.
Safety flash
-
IMCA SF 05/15
2 April 2015
-
IMCA SF 05/15
2 April 2015
-
IMCA SF 05/15
2 April 2015
-
IMCA SF 04/12
30 April 2012
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.