Injury after fall from vertical ladder
- Safety Flash
- Published on 27 October 2025
- Generated on 11 December 2025
- IMCA SF 19/25
- 2 minute read
Two crew members were performing routine engine room fire watch and thruster space rounds checking oil pressure and temperature checks, when one of them was injured falling off a vertical ladder.
What happened?
The incident happened when they were climbing up the 3m high ladder; one of them was holding a fire patrol device in one hand. That crew member lost grip on the handrail at the top of the ladder, fell and hit their head on the edge of a steel bund on the deck, sustaining a minor cut to the right eyebrow. #
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What went wrong?
- The crew member was climbing the ladder whilst trying to carry something in their hand.
- The ladder did not extend far enough to the next level up to provide safe access.
- There was no anti-slip grit applied on the rungs of ladder.
What lessons can be learned?
- The design of the vertical ladder and its location/position made it easy for the crew member to be unsafe
- It was an inadequate and unsuitable design.
- A ladder extension could have been provided.
- Anti-slip paint could have been used on the rungs.
- Some form of bag or carrying device could have been provided for the “fire patrolling device”.
- The task was seen “routine” and there was an unchallenged acceptance of the method of carrying it out
- Trying to climb a ladder whilst carrying something in their hand. There was little awareness of the potential risks involved in this task.
- Opportunities to stop and consider the risks of the job – discussing a JSA, holding a toolbox talk before starting work – could have been taken.
Related Safety Flashes
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IMCA SF 02/24
22 January 2024
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IMCA SF 20/23
15 August 2023
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