High potential near-miss: Incorrectly secured overhead equipment

What happened?

During operations, it was observed that the connecting shackle pins on two separate items of overhead equipment (fall arrest inertia reels) were loose and could have become detached. If any of this equipment had fallen it could have struck someone underneath with potentially fatal consequences.

Findings

• Inspection of the securing arrangements revealed that the wrong securing clips had been used and these had fallen out, enabling the shackle pins to work loose. A split pin or wire seizing should have been used to secure the shackle pin;
• The equipment was covered by weather protection boxes which prevented easy inspection of the securing arrangement;

This incorrect securing arrangement was identified previously but lessons were not shared across the fleet or with the contractors who installed this equipment.

Actions

• Conduct a hazard hunt to confirm that any overhead equipment is secured correctly to prevent it coming loose;
• Visual check of rigging and securing of any man riding or fall arrest equipment for similar issues;
• Ensure appropriate regular inspection regimes are in place, particularly for locations where visual inspection is difficult – consideration should be given to equipment already positioned at height or concealed from view;
• Users of fall protection devices may not be able to visually inspect the connections because of location or if weather protection devices are used. In these cases, additional or other suitable inspection arrangements should be in place;
• Care should be taken to confirm the adequacy of the securing arrangements applied when third parties are engaged to install, maintain or inspect such equipment.

Members may wish to refer to the following incidents, both of which relate to securing arrangements coming undone.

• Near-miss: ROV shackle (potential dropped object)
• Near-miss: Missing nut and split pin on shackle