Electrical shock from containerised portable office
- Safety Flash
- Published on 25 August 2020
- Generated on 22 February 2026
- IMCA SF 25/20
- 2 minute read
What happened?
Whilst tidying a mobile office (freight) container, an employee sustained a mild electric shock by inadvertently touching an exposed live electrical cable which was obscured by several boxes below a desk.
The cable had been left in position following the removal of a piece of fixed equipment whilst the container was in storage (out of use).
What were the causes?
- Checks on the container, pre and post mobilisation, did not identify the potential risk.
- No formal verification of the condition and safety of the electrical installation in the container had been carried out prior to energising.
Lessons learned
Some of these lessons and actions may be a regulatory requirement in some locations.
- The condition and safety of any electrical equipment should be established before and after mobilisation, but particularly – as in this case – electrical equipment that is wholly within other installations such as freight containers.
- Accurate inspection records and wiring diagrams should be maintained, and defective equipment and redundant wiring removed or labelled as such.
- To ensure the safety of the installation, testing and inspection protocols should be in place coupled together with an approval process which includes the appropriate test and inspection results / records.
Actions
Our Member:
- Isolated and inspected the container electrical installation and the termination of exposed electrical cables.
- Reviewed and assessed mobile container electrical installations elsewhere in its operation.
- Developed and implemented formal work instructions for the fit out and/or modification of mobile offshore containers including the electrical installation.
Related Safety Flashes
-
IMCA SF 05/13
4 April 2013
-
IMCA SF 06/12
25 June 2012
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IMCA SF 02/10
8 April 2010
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