Safety Flash
Near miss: Diver’s umbilical trapped
Near miss: Diver’s umbilical trapped
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 20/19
- Control of WorkDivingIsolationLine of Fire
- Entanglement
- Diving operations
- Diver umbilicalRotating machinery
- Energy and process isolationOperational supervisionPermit to workRisk assessment
- Marine industry
- Subsea
Summary
During near-shore diving, an untended umbilical drifted against a seawater intake screen and became trapped when the automated bar started. Emergency stopping and manual reversal freed it; neither diver was injured. The flash identifies absent isolation and inadequate supervision, and records reviews of risk assessment, dive planning and permit requirements.
Classifications: Entanglement; caught in machinery; drawn into machinery.
Classifications: Diving operations; diving; commercial diving.
Classifications: Diver umbilical; diving umbilical.
Classifications: Rotating machinery; rotating equipment.
Classifications: Energy and process isolation; isolation; energy isolation.
Classifications: Operational supervision.
Classifications: Permit to work; PTW; work permit.
Classifications: Risk assessment; hazard assessment.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Subsea; underwater worksite.
Summary
A diver’s umbilical became trapped in an operating seawater intake because isolation and active tending controls were absent.
IMCA SF 20/19. Themes: control of work, diving, isolation, line of fire.