Safety Flash
High potential near-miss: Failure of both divers’ breathing air supply and dive stage recovery winch
High potential near-miss: Failure of both divers’ breathing air supply and dive stage recovery winch
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 01/16
- Control of WorkDivingLine of FireMachinery and Equipment
- EntanglementMechanical failure
- Diving operationsPressure testing
- Diver umbilicalGas cylinderHoseWinch
- Emergency responseRisk assessmentSafety communication
- Marine industry
- SubseaVessel
Summary
A diving near miss involved entanglement with a submerged winch exhaust hose weight, restricting the diver’s breathing supply and stalling the recovery winch. Emergency gas and use of the clump weight winch enabled safe recovery. Corrective actions addressed hose positioning, weight attachment, umbilical testing and deck risk assessment.
Classifications: Entanglement; caught in machinery; drawn into machinery.
Classifications: Mechanical failure; equipment failure.
Classifications: Diving operations; diving; commercial diving.
Classifications: Pressure testing; hydrostatic testing; pneumatic testing.
Classifications: Diver umbilical; diving umbilical.
Classifications: Gas cylinder; compressed gas bottle; gas cylinders.
Classifications: Hose; flexible hose.
Classifications: Winch; winches.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Risk assessment; hazard assessment.
Classifications: Safety communication; toolbox talk; toolbox talks.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Subsea; underwater worksite.
Classifications: Vessel; aboard ship; onboard vessel.
Summary
Entanglement between a diving umbilical and exhaust hose disrupted the diver’s air supply and stopped the recovery winch.
IMCA SF 01/16. Themes: control of work, diving, line of fire, machinery and equipment.