Near miss: Dropped object during lifeboat testing
- Safety Flash
- Published on 30 October 2023
- Generated on 3 November 2025
- IMCA SF 25/23
- 2 minute read
During launch testing of a lifeboat, a turnbuckle and shackle weighing 7 kg fell 23 m from the davit onto the boat, landing within a metre of a worker hooking up the falls at the lifeboat hatch.
What happened?
The worker was physically unharmed; there was some cosmetic damage to the lifeboat.
What went wrong?
There was a mechanical failure – the turnbuckle was of a “closed” design that did not allow visual inspection of the thread engagement through the buckle.
The threaded end of this turnbuckle was just 13 cm and had one thread securing it into the buckle (see location of nut in illustration) on the threaded end.
The bottom end was lost at sea.
Actions
- The lifeboat was secured to the falls and the area cleared before it was lifted.
- The remaining maintenance pennant turnbuckles were removed from the other lifeboats, and the threaded end measured was 17-18 cm with plenty of thread though the buckle.
- Similar turnbuckles on other vessels in this fleet were examined carefully.
- Arrangements were made to replace “closed” turnbuckles with “open” turnbuckles that can be properly inspected.
- Company arranged with the lifeboat OEM to source appropriately specified open type turnbuckles from their supplier.
- Procedures revised to include thorough DROPS inspection of turnbuckles and other rigging overhanging the lifeboats before launch.
Related safety flashes
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IMCA SF 07/20
26 February 2020
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IMCA SF 21/16
10 August 2016
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IMCA SF 17/15
26 October 2015
-
IMCA SF 13/14
17 July 2014
Viking Norsafe, the supplier of the davit system, has circulated a Product Awareness Notice relating to their E-110 Davit systems fitted with optional hanging off units using closed turnbuckles.
It has been circulated to vessel owners with E-110 systems. It can be downloaded here.
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