Skip to content

Chemical reaction: person injured during grouting operations

What happened

After completion of the grouting operation for an offshore wind farm transition piece, the sub-contract grouting team began cleaning their equipment using high pressure water jets. During this cleaning operation, one member of the team received first degree burns to his two knees and left calf.  The team member suffered burns in three places and minor irritation spots elsewhere. The burns were treatable on board and had completely healed after three weeks.

Grouting plant on vessel

What went wrong?

The investigation discovered that the person who was affected, had grouting dust on his coveralls when he started working with the water jet. Whilst he was using the water jet he got soaked to the skin with the water, and this water mixed with the grouting dust to make a corrosive solution which burnt his skin.

What was the cause?

Our member considers that the root cause of this unfortunate incident was that the Safety Data Sheet for the grout lacked any information regarding the hazard of the grout dust mixing with water and becoming corrosive. This lack of hazard identification resulted in no risk mitigation measures being introduced to the risk assessment.

Members may wish to refer to:

Safety Event

Published: 20 January 2022
Download: IMCA SF 02/22

IMCA Safety Flashes
Submit a Report

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of all. The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on Members sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Please consider adding [email protected] to your internal distribution list for safety alerts or manually submitting information on incidents you consider may be relevant. All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate.

IMCA’s store terms and conditions (https://www.imca-int.com/legal-notices/terms/) apply to all downloads from IMCA’s website, including this document.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in the documents it publishes, but IMCA shall 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.