Fatality: Crew member crushed between TMS and snubber ring

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 19 October 2017
  • Generated on 13 December 2024
  • IMCA SF 25/17
  • 2 minute read

During a maintenance operation, a member of an ROV crew sustained fatal injuries when he was trapped between the top of the tether management system (TMS) and the snubber ring.

a member of an ROV crew sustained fatal injuries when he was trapped between the top of the tether management system (TMS) and the snubber ring

What went wrong? What were the causes?

It should be noted that this incident remains under investigation.

Additional information will be provided in due course.

What lessons were learnt? What actions were taken?

  • Maintenance activities should be properly risk assessed and undertaken in accordance with company procedures.

  • Maintenance activities often introduce additional hazards into the workplace; these should be fully understood, assessed and managed.

  • There should be a documented safe system of work, for example, a maintenance manual and/or work instruction.

  • If activation of the equipment is necessary to complete the maintenance activity, for example for testing purposes, extreme care needs to be taken which includes removing all personnel from any danger zone.

  • Avoid undertaking a maintenance activity under a load or between a load and fixed point.

  • Equipment must be turned off and isolated when being worked on.

  • The incident highlights the need for strict compliance with the ‘golden’ or ‘life-saving’ rules used by all contractors and clients.

Members may wish to refer to the following incident:

  • Fatal accident in connection with the operation of an A-frame based launch and recovery system (LARS) used for ROV operations [“The combination of technical and human error had resulted in an unfortunate breach of barriers causing the fatality”].

Latest Safety Flashes:

LTI: Finger injury during emergency recovery of ROV

A worker suffered a serious finger injury when their finger was caught between a crane wire and the recovery hook on an ROV.

Read more
BSEE: recurring hand injuries from alternative cutting devices

The United States Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has published Safety Alert 487.

Read more
NTSB: Crane wire failure

The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States (NTSB) published "Safer Seas Digest 2023".

Read more
Hot work performed outside of Permit to Work (PTW) boundary limit

A near miss occurred when a third-party contractor working removed a trip hazard from the vessel main deck, using a cutting torch and grinding disc.

Read more
Vital safety information (height of vehicle) found incorrect

“Height of vehicle” information displayed on a truck, was found to be incorrect.

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.