Topic
Line of Fire
Exposure to moving loads, projectiles or released energy paths.
Newest 100 Documents
All 952 in search- 202619 Aug
Segregate Pyrotechnics and Verify Flare Type Before Emergency Drills
A worker suffered second-degree burns after mistakenly activating a parachute flare rather than a handheld flare during a fast rescue craft drill. The alert examines mixed storage, inadequate planning and training, and procedural non-adherence, recommending consideration of improved segregation, labelling, task-specific controls and alternatives to offshore pyrotechnic expending.
- 202612 Aug
Improper Use of Hand Tools and Unplanned Deviations from Job Tasks Results in Injuries
Two construction workers sustained facial lacerations during bolt removal: one from an ejected pneumatic rivet-buster piston during troubleshooting, the other from reciprocating-saw kickback after changing tools and removing a face shield. The alert recommends considering pneumatic isolation, manufacturer instructions, job safety analysis updates and stopping work when tasks or protective equipment require reassessment.
- 20261 Jul
Inspect A2B Systems and Wire Rope Terminations to Prevent Crane Hazards
A lift boat crane incident involved a detached anti–two-block weight, corroded wire rope and falling components. Recoiling rope struck a nearby diver, causing minor injuries. The alert recommends considering termination maintenance, pre-use and periodic inspections, adjusted replacement intervals in corrosive environments, and competence assurance under API RP 2D.
- 20261 Jul
Verify Riser Fin Retention Systems Before Prompts Riser-Handling Operations
Two thermoplastic fins detached during slick-riser handling, creating dropped-object near misses. Findings identified inadequate retention tension, omitted torque verification and 48-hour re-torque, deficient refurbishment and inconsistent checklists. BSEE recommends manufacturer-specified securing checks, design improvements, procedural discipline, vendor acceptance assurance and dropped-object risk assessment.
- 202615 May
Safety Bulletin - Lifting Operations Dangerous Occurrences and Injuries
NOPSEMA reviews recurring failures identified in offshore lifting incident investigations over the preceding five years. The bulletin highlights change management, role-specific competence, manufacturer guidance, drop-zone boundaries and control-of-work interfaces. It calls for rigorous application of systems to routine and non-routine lifts and consideration of control effectiveness and assurance.
- 202614 May
High Potential Near Miss: Dropped object due to contact with crane sheave
A vessel crane near miss involved a DP beacon striking sheave protection bars, detaching with its holder and falling to the deck. Nobody was injured. The flash examines wire-mounted attachment, absent secondary retention, unconsidered management of change and inadequate access controls, highlighting crane limits and third-party equipment coordination.
- 202614 May
Worker suffered crush injury while handling unstable steel plates
A worker holding vertically balanced steel plates sustained hand, wrist and finger fractures when a plate toppled, trapping their hand and wrist. The flash examines temporary storage, removed sea fastenings, limited workspace and inadequate task risk assessment, highlighting how local conditions and past experience shaped the work.
- 202615 Apr
LTI – crew member squeezed between buoy and cargo rail
An anchor-handling crew member was trapped against a cargo rail when releasing a remaining lashing allowed a partly interconnected buoy to spring back. The flash describes crane positioning, rescue using a tugger line and aft capstan, and helicopter evacuation. Lessons emphasise checking residual securing and stored energy before moving complex loads.
- 202624 Mar
BSEE: Crane incident leads to serious facial injuries
This flash summarises BSEE findings on a lifting pin failure during well abandonment aboard a lift boat, resulting in serious facial injuries. It describes stuck casing, excessive loading, incorrect sling positioning and unsuitable procedures, with recommendations addressing free loads, rigging plans, safe working loads and stop-work authority.
- 202617 Mar
MSF: Unsecured bulk hose near miss
An unsecured bulk hose slipped off a platform supply vessel’s deck during transfer in challenging weather, narrowly missing a crew member. The flash identifies communication problems, insufficient hose length and heavy weather as contributing factors, and stresses confirmed communications, radio maintenance and securing suitable equipment before operations.
- 202613 Feb
BSEE: Miscommunication and trapped pressure causes injury during valve maintenance
An offshore valve-maintenance incident injured a worker when trapped gas pressure ejected a bonnet flange. This flash summarises BSEE findings on incomplete authorisation, inadequate isolation verification, miscommunication, unsafe scaffold use and omitted retaining nuts. Recommendations emphasise confirming zero stored energy, reviewing task assessments, following manufacturer instructions and considering two-person working.
- 202613 Feb
Fall from height during mooring due to rope tension reaction
A tanker’s propeller caught a mooring rope, loading a jetty dolphin platform until the line parted. The platform recoiled and a kneeling worker fell onto a lower platform about 1.8 metres below, sustaining minor scratches. The flash examines barrier design, body positioning, communication and keeping clear of tensioned lines.
- 20264 Feb
BSEE Safety Alert 512 - Crane Incident During Well Abandonment Operations Injures Worker, Reveals Safety Gaps
A lifting pin failed and struck a worker during crane-assisted casing removal for well abandonment. Findings identify obstructed casing, excessive loading, misplaced sling connections and unsuitable procedures. Recommendations address free loads, correct equipment and rigging, accurate safe working loads, hazard awareness and stop-work authority.
- 202615 Jan
Fatal injury to a deckhand following a chain failure on the scallop dredger Honeybourne III (PD905)
Investigation of a deckhand’s fatal injury aboard Honeybourne III after a quick-release chain failed and a towing block fell during fishing-gear retrieval. The report examines chain bending, wear, material properties, inspection competence and suspended-load exposure, supported by laboratory testing and finite element analysis. It records company actions and regulatory oversight deficiencies.
- 202612 Jan
High potential dropped object - cradle falls from trailer
Two cradle inserts fell from a trailer before lifting rigging was fully tensioned, with four personnel nearby but no injuries or equipment damage. The flash identifies unstable upright storage, premature removal of securing straps, deficient lift documentation and communication, and conflicting banksman duties. Lessons address lift planning and understanding load geometry.
- 202612 Jan
Spontaneous explosion of a plastic ruler
A plastic ruler spontaneously fractured in a vessel’s office drawer, ejecting fragments across the floor without injury. The flash discusses likely stored tension and brittle material behaviour, highlighting potential eye injuries and cuts. Recommendations include replacing acrylic rulers, discarding damaged ones and avoiding tightly packed drawers or solvent exposure.
- 202518 Dec
LTI: Leg injury while using hand-held grinder
A worker cutting wood with a hand-held grinder suffered a serious calf injury when the tool slipped, struck the floor and bounced back. The flash discusses prompt power shutdown and medical care, tool suitability, omitted toolbox discussion and perceived time pressure behind choosing a grinder rather than a hand saw.
- 20253 Dec
BSEE Safety Alert - 509 - Miscommunication and Trapped Pressure Causes Injury
An offshore contractor was injured when trapped gas pressure ejected a bonnet flange during control-valve maintenance. The alert identifies unverified isolation, missing authorisation, miscommunication, unsafe scaffold use and omitted retaining nuts. Recommendations address zero-energy verification, collaborative job safety analysis, operational support, fall protection and adherence to manufacturer procedures.
- 2025Dec
CHIRP Superyacht FEEDBACK 8 (December 2025)
Superyacht incident reports examine a failed mooring attachment, captain harassment, generator starter battery explosions, collision at anchor, unsafe pilot boarding arrangements, unprotected work aloft and defective life rafts. Commentary discusses battery capacity and ventilation, engineering handovers, equipment servicing and testing, reporting concerns and organisational safety culture.
- 202517 Nov
Stay in the right place – the importance of personal positioning
Two events illustrate unsafe personal positioning: a seafarer approached a deck edge during berthing to improve visibility, and workers pushed a suspended load during lifting alongside. The flash discusses communication, barriers, hands-free lifting tools, keeping outside load impact zones, clear decks and stopping unsafe work.
- 202527 Oct
LTI: serious injury to thumb when pipe fell during maintenance
A vessel engineer sustained partial thumb amputation when a grey water pipe fell about 1.4 m during dismantling, trapping his thumb against a supporting clamp plate. The flash examines inadequate securing and hand positioning, recommending primary and secondary retention and a workplace culture that enables staff to challenge unsafe practices.
- 202516 Oct
Fatal injury to a recreational diver following contact with the motor vessel Karin operating as a recreational dive support vessel
Investigates a recreational diver’s fatal propeller strike during a drift decompression stop in Scapa Flow. Examines Karin’s obstructed forward visibility, ineffective lookout, marker-buoy attachment, vessel coordination and absent documented safety arrangements. Recommendations address harbour oversight, while the annexed bulletin discusses safe vessel separation and hand-held marker-buoy lines.
- 20254 Sep
Two hand injuries caused during mooring
Two mooring incidents involved a hand trapped by a tightening line during rough weather and a finger crushed between a rope and handrail, requiring amputation. Lessons address dedicated fender mooring points, task risk assessment, supervisory roles, stopping unsafe work and considering postponement when weather causes vessel movement.
- 202514 Aug
Injury sustained while operating steel lifting magnet
A crew member suffered a cheek cut requiring fifteen stitches when a steel lifting magnet’s spring-loaded lever recoiled during adjustment. The flash also describes an earlier chin injury involving the same magnet. It examines lever accessibility, maintenance gaps and faded warnings, recommending regular inspection, fault reporting and equipment suitability evaluation.
- 2025Aug
Excavators : Use of safety control lever or isolation devices
This safety notice addresses unintended excavator movement and correct use of safety control levers or isolation devices. It describes a fatal crushing during lifting after inadvertent joystick contact caused slewing, and sets out expectations for isolation, monitoring, safe-approach communication, risk assessment and operator and slinger competence.
- 2025Aug
Motion Compensated Gangways Auto-retraction
HSE warns that power failures or control-system errors can trigger unexpected retraction of motion-compensated gangways, exposing users to falls and moving parts. The notice requires reviews of gangway arrangements, design and automatic-function testing, and calls for adequate advance warnings and rigorous assessment of operator overrides.
- 202531 Jul
Diver sustains laceration to right hand
A diver retrieving tooling during air/nitrox diving at 18 m suffered a deep right-thumb laceration when vessel movement parted a weak link and drew his hand towards a snatch block. The flash describes downline slack, hand positioning, full recovery, and changes to the downline arrangement and tool bag to reduce line-of-fire exposure.
- 20259 Jul
Hose Recoil Strikes Banksman
During scheduled replacement of a potable-water bulk hose on a MODU, a crane lifted one end while the hydraulic reel paid out the hose for deck coiling and backload. The hose separated within a ferrule near the lifting point, recoiled towards the bulk loading station and struck the banksman.
- 20253 Jul
High potential incident: Worker injured when opening a flanged assembly
A worker dismantling emergency shutdown valves on deck sustained a forehead wound when trapped line pressure expelled a gasket. The flash identifies missing pressure checks and monitoring after isolation, alongside water ingress during subsea diving work. Actions included supervised pre-start checks, pressure-checking and venting hold points, and closer line monitoring.
- 20253 Jul
LTI: Hand injury during capstan maintenance
A crew member suffered a serious hand injury while greasing a vessel capstan when rotation trapped his hand between an underside wire clamp and the deck. The flash examines difficult access and grease-gun design, describing grease-point extensions, clamp removal, revised maintenance procedures and wider inspections for line-of-fire hazards.
- 20253 Jul
UK HSE: load falls from lorry and kills cyclist
A cyclist was killed when a heat exchanger weighing over 2.5 tons fell from a lorry after its load shifted on a bend and a securing strap snapped. HSE identified inadequate securing, poor-condition ratchet straps and missing load-security training and securing instructions. Lessons emphasise suitable securing equipment and trained personnel.
- 202518 Jun
Dropped pallet during forklift operation
A safety flash describes a 500kg pallet load falling from a flatbed truck and narrowly missing its driver during forklift unloading. It identifies load positioning, a high centre of gravity, fork positioning and personnel positioning issues. Lessons include revised forklift procedures and ensuring suppliers pack and deliver loads safely.
- 20254 Jun
Injury to thumb during lifting operations
During vessel demobilisation alongside, a crew member injured his thumb when a crane-held load was lowered onto a flatbed trailer while he repositioned a wooden block. The flash identifies unclear signalling and possible perceived pressure, and recommends lift planning, toolbox talks, agreed communication protocols and safe positioning around loads.
- 202516 May
Transport Malta: fatality after steel plates fell onto crew member
This flash summarises a fatality aboard a vessel where unsecured, vertically stored steel plates tipped onto a second engineer working alone. It highlights limitations in stowage and lashing arrangements, which prevented safe use of lifting aids, and questions heavy-plate storage, unnecessary spares and arrangements for lone working.
- 20257 May
Dropped Object Due to Corroded Deluge Flange
Following placement of a lower completion assembly, a retracting crane’s twin hook stinger swung and struck a deluge-line blanking flange. The 4.95 kg flange detached and fell 4.5 metres onto the drill floor, landing approximately 1.5 metres from the nearest person. The incident was classified as having fatality potential.
- 202529 Apr
BSEE: Nitrogen cylinder rupture causing worker injuries and equipment damage
A nitrogen cylinder ruptured at its base during preparations to pre-charge accumulator cylinders, dispersing cylinders and debris and causing minor shrapnel injuries to three rig personnel. BSEE attributed the failure to corrosive wall loss aggravated by environmental and structural conditions. Recommendations address recertification, filling pressure, training, inspection and corrosion-preventive maintenance.
- 20253 Apr
Incidents occurring during decommissioning
This safety flash compiles decommissioning incidents involving offshore structures, lifting and diving work. Cases include falling loads, damaged rigging, structural collapse, chemical exposure and underwater burning. It summarises breaches of selected life-saving rules and records a riser recovery incident in which personnel remained clear of the lifting area and escaped injury.
- 202519 Mar
Finger injury during manual handling
A worker’s finger was crushed while manually manoeuvring a steel bar weighing around 100 kg during shoring disassembly at a land-based site. The bar rolled from a curved pick-ring. Lessons emphasise securing individual components against sudden movement, using appropriate lifting tools and becoming familiar with loads and equipment before starting.
- 202519 Mar
Injuries during lifting operations
Two lifting incidents caused minor injuries: crane two-blocking parted a wire and dropped lifting gear, while excess loading of a soft sling released a shackle during component alignment. Common findings concerned operator competence, supervision and line-of-fire awareness. Lessons emphasise experienced personnel, active supervision and keeping people clear of danger.
- 202519 Mar
LTI: rope under tension moved and hit person’s hand
A crew member sustained serious finger injuries when a tensioned winch rope jumped a slipway side during equipment recovery to a vessel. The flash identifies sea-induced movement, an unrecognised hazard area and unsuitable vessel design, and describes revised work instructions, a recovery no-go area and task redesign.
- 20256 Mar
Diver lifted off seabed
A diver’s umbilical snagged on another bell’s clump weight, lifting the diver approximately 4–5 m above the seabed during adjustment. Services remained intact. The flash describes stopping the operation and clearing the umbilical, and recommends second-diver or ROV monitoring when divers pass close to objects being lifted.
- 20256 Mar
Divers helmet struck and damaged subsea by crane hook
A crane hook slipped from a pipe handling frame during subsea spool tie-in work in poor visibility, striking and irreparably damaging a diver’s reclaim helmet without injury. The flash identifies insufficient pennant length and discusses safe separation, position monitoring, reinforced communication, rigging inspections and revised task hazard analysis.
- 202521 Feb
Nitrogen Cylinder Rupture
A nitrogen cylinder charged to 2,400 psi ruptured at its base after rig crews positioned a cylinder rack for accumulator pre-charging. The rack was not connected to charge the accumulator. The rupture scattered the rack, debris and the remaining 11 cylinders around the immediate and port aft areas of the rig.
- 202524 Jan
BSEE Safety Alert 494 - Ruptured Nitrogen Cylinders
A nitrogen cylinder ruptured during preparations to pre-charge an accumulator system, causing three minor shrapnel injuries and equipment damage. BSEE attributes the failure to corrosive wall loss, aggravated by crevices, moisture and deteriorated rack coating. Recommendations address cylinder recertification, filling records, training, inspection and corrosion-preventive maintenance.
- 202523 Jan
Safety Flashes – a review of 2024
Reviews IMCA’s 2024 Safety Flashes, covering 88 member-shared events and 33 drawn from public sources. Highlights line-of-fire exposure, hand and finger injuries, bypassed safety controls, lifting, working at height, equipment failures and dropped objects. Includes a reference list of the year’s flashes and reinforces stop-work authority.
- 202417 Dec
Sudden disconnection of pressurised hose
During vessel maintenance, a hose disconnected while residual water was pumped from a cofferdam at approximately 5.9–6 bar. Nobody was struck or injured. The flash identifies absent whip arrestors, missed pre-use checks and an apparently worn coupling, and recommends secondary securing, coupling inspection and sufficient onboard spares.
- 202421 Nov
Mooring deck accident on bulk carrier Mona Manx with loss of 1 life
Investigation into a fatal mooring accident aboard Mona Manx at Puerto Ventanas, Chile. An entrapped spring line released under tension during an engine-powered astern manoeuvre and recoiled upwards, striking the second officer. The report examines procedural gaps, omitted entrapment risks, safe positioning and communication, and records subsequent safety actions.
- 202412 Nov
Diver exposed to unplanned release of production gas
A saturation diver removing a blind stab from a subsea skid was pushed backwards by released production gas but remained unharmed. The flash identifies unverified isolation, deviation from procedures, inadequate review of task risks and unused ROV tooling. It highlights change management, procedural hold points and reinforcement of stop-work authority.
- 202424 Oct
Dropped sheave and clump weight
During wind turbine monopile installation, a clump weight was hoisted into a sheave, breaking it and dropping both components onto the deck. No injuries occurred, but equipment damage and a hydraulic oil spill resulted. The flash highlights simultaneous winch operation, inadequate observation, absent automatic stops and lessons on lift oversight and stopping unsafe work.
- 20243 Sep
Nitrogen cylinder ruptured
A nitrogen cylinder ruptured on a drill rig floor, destroying its rack and propelling other cylinders up to 15 metres away. Severe base corrosion had escaped inspection. The flash highlights inspection access within cylinder quads and asks readers to check certification, condition, drainage and supplier inspection standards.
- 20243 Sep
Offshore platform decommissioning near miss
Two workers escaped injury when offshore platform topsides detached and swung above them during decommissioning in Western Australia in 2021. The flash examines inadequately assessed crane auto-tensioning forces and pre-load tension, and outlines technical lift-plan assessment, castellated cuts where rotation is possible, and keeping workers clear of suspended loads.
- 202429 Aug
Dropped object during cable trans-spooling
During cable trans-spooling ashore, a failed connection bolt released a 5.7 kg roller, which fell 8 m and struck a worker’s shoulder. The flash examines inadequate risk assessments, missing secondary retention, changed offloading arrangements and uncommunicated cable wax, emphasising management of change and better communication.
- 202429 Aug
Parted tag line caused damage during lifting operations
A tag line failed under excessive tension during crane recovery of a 2.4-tonne LiDAR buoy to a vessel deck. Unexpected buoy movement struck a worker without injury and damaged the buoy and vessel. The flash examines deficient recovery procedures, lift planning, briefing, supervision and training, and records corrective planning and training actions.
- 202414 Aug
Arm injury from metal skip cover
A crew member suffered an arm injury when an unsecured heavy skip cover closed during waste disposal on a vessel’s deck. No bones were broken, and the person returned to light duties. The flash stresses securing covers, checking closing mechanisms and considering a hazard hunt for similar conditions onboard.
- 202414 Aug
Crew member cut hand on broken glass during heavy weather
A galley worker injured their left hand when a glass slipped, struck the sink and broke during heavy weather aboard a rolling vessel. The injury required seven stitches. The flash highlights awareness of weather-related task risks, pausing to consider hand safety and the additional protection gloves could have provided.
- 202414 Aug
LTI: fingers severed by spinning fan blade
A vessel worker lost three fingers while moving a portable blower during engine-room housekeeping after switching off its power. The fan remained in motion, its guard was inadequate and its handle obstructed. The flash highlights residual momentum, unseen moving parts and the importance of using designated handles and guards.
- 202414 Aug
MSF: Serious hand injury – high pressure air
During a vessel fire drill, a crewmember assisting with breathing apparatus suffered a finger injury from high-pressure air released through a cylinder valve’s pilot vent hole. Surgical treatment was required. The flash relays MSF recommendations on connection tightening, leak checks, breathing checks and low-pressure alarm testing.
- 202431 Jul
Dropped object: unsecured cargo inside box broke lose and fell
A safety flash describes unsecured cargo falling approximately 5 m onto a vessel deck during a quayside lift. A loose hydraulic ram broke its crate and destabilised the pallet assembly. Nobody was injured. Recommendations address cargo securing, competent inspection, trained lifting crews, pallet limitations and wind checks.
- 202431 Jul
MAIB: LTI – a wedge shattered causing injury
A cargo-vessel crew member struck a hatch-cover securing wedge with a sledgehammer. The wedge shattered, and a fragment penetrated their right leg below the knee, resulting in three days off work. The flash prompts equipment and work-area checks and consideration of force, swing alignment and direction.
- 202431 Jul
Side scuttle (porthole) knocked out by wave impact
A wave dislodged a cabin porthole on a platform supply vessel in heavy seas, propelling components across the cabin and admitting water. Metallurgical investigation attributed failure to poorly manufactured, overtightened screws. Actions included scuttle inspections and overhaul, revised deadlight procedures and signage discouraging overtightening.
- 202416 Jul
Equipment fell on someone’s leg causing injury
A worker cleaning a bow thruster room suffered a leg injury when an unsecured auxiliary engine cooler shifted during equipment movement. Delayed treatment worsened the injury, and reporting took three days. The flash emphasises organised storage, securing loose parts, removing unusable spares, prompt reporting and immediate attention to injuries.
- 202427 Jun
Safety warning issued following contact between a diving support boat and a recreational diver with loss of 1 life
This bulletin examines a fatal recreational diving accident in Scapa Flow, almost certainly involving Karin’s rotating propeller. It highlights an unseen delayed surface marker buoy during drift decompression, dedicated lookouts, safe vessel standoff and coordination between boats. Divers should hold buoy lines rather than attach them to themselves.
- 202418 Jun
Swinging load after loss of position
During backloading of an empty refrigerated container, a Pipe Supply Vessel lost position and the load swung uncontrollably. Wind gusts, thruster wash and loss of a thruster DP signal contributed. Nobody was harmed and equipment was undamaged. Lessons address vessel-to-vessel operational limits, cargo-lifting procedures and adherence to ASOGs.
- 202418 Jun
UK MAIB: Person injured during lifting of compressor
A contractor was crushed beneath a suspended 1865 kg compressor when a departing vessel rolled slightly. The flash examines unsuitable lifting attachments, unsecured steel bars and an offset centre of mass. It stresses competent lift planning, appropriate supervision and coordination with vessel personnel over departure timing and environmental conditions.
- 20243 Jun
Stored energy – dislodged pin causes injury
A worker suffered a forehead laceration when a stuck securing pin was forced out using a hydraulic jack during structure removal. The flash examines unassessed changes to the work method and exposure to stored energy. Lessons include stopping and reassessing changed tasks, with pin cages or catchers proposed as an engineering solution.
- 20243 Jun
UK MAIB: Leg injury while mooring
This safety flash recounts a leg injury during unmooring when a messenger line snagged and wound onto a winch drum, tightening around a worker’s leg. It highlights excessive line length and restricted operator visibility, with lessons on keeping clear of moving machinery and maintaining sight and communication during remote operation.
- 202422 May
Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) crew member snagged on tag line and lifted off feet
A CTV crew member guiding slings during crane-hook recovery was lifted about 0.5 m above the deck when a tag line snagged or became entangled on harness carabiners. Prompt intervention returned him unharmed. The flash highlights deck positioning and reports the operator’s procedure review and discussions with crews.
- 202430 Apr
Injuries to the eyes and face
Three crew incidents involve a screwdriver striking a cheek, an unplanned hydraulic-fluid release injuring a crane driver’s face and eye, and airborne debris entering an eye despite safety glasses. The flash discusses tool choice, written work instructions, refresher training, appropriate eye protection, engineering controls and stop-work authority.
- 202430 Apr
Near miss – lid on ash trash barrel blown off due to hot ash
A vessel waste-container lid was expelled by pressure from hot incinerator ash while a crew member attempted to release the compression ring. The lid fell 11 m to the main deck. The flash identifies unrecognised disposal risks and records installation of a goose neck vent and revisions to waste-management procedures.
- 202430 Apr
UK MAIB: Crew member injured by rotating crank handle – LTI
A tug crew member suffered a fractured wrist when a coupling winch’s attached crank handle spun as tensioned barge lines were released. The flash examines failure to remove the handle under the operating procedure, restricted supervisory visibility, dynamic risk assessment and toolbox talks, noting that CCTV could help.
- 202416 Apr
BSEE Safety Alert - De-pressurizing Piping to Remove Hydrate Results in an Injury
An offshore platform operator suffered bruising and swelling when a ball valve assembly separated during depressurisation of gas lift piping containing a possible hydrate. Approximately 900 psi remained trapped behind the valve. The alert discusses inadequate isolation, missing task hazard analysis, and measures operators should consider for hydrate prevention and safe pressure bleeding.
- 202416 Apr
Improperly Depressurizing Piping to Remove a Hydrate Causes Injury
An offshore platform operator suffered bruising and swelling when a valve assembly detached during depressurisation of gas lift piping containing a possible hydrate. Approximately 900 psi was trapped behind the valve. The alert recommends considering energy isolation, balanced bleeding, task hazard analysis, management of change and gas dehydration.
- 202416 Apr
UK HSE: worker injured by falling stack of batteries in flexible intermediate bulk containers
An IMCA safety flash recounts an HSE case in which batteries weighing at least 300 kg struck and severely injured a worker during restacking. Flexible intermediate bulk containers ripped. Findings identified overstocking, unsafe stacking and absent documented risk assessments or safe systems for battery stacking and storage.
- 202419 Mar
Person pulled to deck by fall arrest harness
A swinging crane whip line caught a worker’s fall-arrest wire during moonpool preparations, pulling them to the deck; no injuries were reported at the time. The flash identifies communication, planning and supervision shortcomings during parallel activities, and recommends clearer communication, conditional tagline use and careful harness connection-point selection.
- 202419 Mar
Person struck and injured during lifting operations
During spar decommissioning, a partially attached fire water pump skid came free on a second lifting attempt and struck a nitrogen vessel previously cut 95% loose. The vessel struck a worker. The flash identifies unknown welds, inadequate work and change controls, and ignored crew concerns, emphasising preparation, listening and reassessment.
- 202427 Feb
Heavy equipment fell over during manual handling
A wheeled control cabinet toppled during manual handling, striking a crew member’s leg and bruising their knee. The flash identifies omitted wheeled-load risks, disregarded handling instructions and unsafe positioning. Lessons address task-specific assessments, pre-work discussion, manufacturer guidance and stopping unsafe work; the crew subsequently fabricated a handling ramp.
- 202427 Feb
LTI: Damage and personal injury arising from heavy weather
A rogue wave forced open a vessel’s weathertight crane-pedestal door. While attempting to close it, a crew member was struck by incoming water and washed down two flights of stairs, sustaining serious injuries. The flash examines door orientation, coordinated medical care and recommendations to reposition the door and maintain weather awareness.
- 202427 Feb
Pipeline End Manifold yoke dropped from 45° position
A vessel rigging team released one restraint while adjusting a pipeline end manifold yoke held at 45°, causing the opposite cargo strap to fail and the yoke to fall horizontally. Two nearby workers were uninjured. Learning addresses unsuitable straps, engineered securing, task risk assessment and management of change.
- 202419 Feb
USCG: wire rope hazard management – dropped turbine nacelle
A vessel crane’s wire rope failed during offloading, dropping a 69-ton wind turbine nacelle 2.2 m onto the deck near personnel. Corrosion, wear and monotonic ductile overload were identified. The flash relays USCG recommendations on load testing, lubrication, maintenance tracking, earlier rope renewal, visual inspection and crane-operator training.
- 202412 Feb
MSF: Two dropped object incidents
Two vessel incidents involved a metal wedge falling 13 m during gangway pin removal and a lightning rod falling 26 m onto deck. The flash examines unsecured items, access to drop zones and rod fittings, describing tethering modifications, improved barriering guidance and planned maintenance checks.
- 202422 Jan
LTI – forklift knocked spooler bar onto person’s leg
A reversing forklift struck a spooler bar resting on wooden chocks at a third-party yard, causing it to roll onto a worker’s leg. The flash discusses unsuitable bar provision, combined supervisory roles and ineffective sensor positioning. Actions addressed risk assessments, banksman use, collision-warning systems and reversing cameras.
- 2024
CHIRP Superyacht FEEDBACK 5 (Winter 2024)
Five superyacht reports examine a night-time tender grounding, suspected lithium-ion battery thermal runaway, swimmers endangered by propulsion start-up, unsecured shipboard appliances and failure to wear a tender kill cord. Commentary addresses passage planning, communication, crew training, appliance securing and proposed kill-cord interlocks, retaining uncertainty about the battery fault.
- 202318 Dec
Line of fire near miss during lifting operations
A banksman narrowly avoided a structure being landed on a vessel’s back deck; an adjacent container was damaged. Inadequately spaced bumper bars allowed load rotation and were wrongly relied upon for personnel protection. The flash discusses exclusion zones, unassessed changes and differences between planned and actual work.
- 202318 Dec
Two hand injuries
Two marine incidents involved a pilot’s knuckle injured by an abruptly closing access hatch and a seaman’s thumb crushed during small-boat mooring. The flash examines hatch securing, bulky backpack access, unassessed pinch points, communication and glove compliance, recommending secured hatches and separate transfer of bulky bags.
- 20236 Dec
LTI: Fingers injured during fender lifting operation
A crew member sustained severe finger injuries when a polypropylene hauling rope jerked under swell-induced tension during fender lifting. The flash examines hand positioning, inadequate task analysis and failure to stop work as conditions changed. It discusses glove limitations, rope slack and prompt onboard medical care.
- 20236 Dec
UK MAIB: Shifting of centre-of-gravity of load
A banksman suffered crush injuries when an unbalanced container swung during unloading from a research vessel in port. Improperly secured cargo and unevenly stowed weights affected the load’s centre of gravity. The flash discusses load distribution in lift planning, escape routes, and rigging arrangements for lifting unbalanced loads vertically.
- 202314 Nov
Safely Approaching a Helicopter on Offshore Helidecks
An offshore crew-change near miss involved personnel approaching a helicopter from the rear while its rotors were moving and before pilot clearance. BSEE recommends operators and contractors consider pilot confirmation, aircraft-specific safe entry zones, passenger familiarisation and facility-specific procedures. The alert also describes the air crew’s stop-work intervention.
- 202313 Nov
High potential near miss: Dropped Paraguard stretcher during drill
During a rescue drill in a crane pedestal, a 12 kg Paraguard stretcher fell approximately 50 m after the descending cable was connected to the dummy’s harness rather than the stretcher. Nobody was injured. Lessons address equipment-specific rescue planning, attachment arrangements, team familiarity and exclusion of personnel from the potential drop area.
- 20232 Nov
Rig personnel exposed to unrecognized stored-energy hazard
During preparations to skid a jackup rig’s cantilever, an operating handle became stuck while a worker manually turned a skidding pin. Hydraulic release of some jack tension allowed the pin and handle assembly to rotate suddenly downwards, exposing the worker to a struck-by hazard from unrecognised stored energy.
- 202330 Oct
Serious LTI – Person struck in rigging accident
A rigger suffered multiple serious injuries when rigging fell from a hatch cover during vessel loading. The flash examines oversized rigging, misleading drawings, missed radio instructions and fast thinking. Lessons address crew-aware design, positive confirmation of communications and end-user involvement in developing procedures.
- 20233 Oct
LTI – fingertip pinched by wire sling
A rigger sustained a serious finger injury while fitting a steel wire sling to a forklift fork, which the operator raised without banksman instructions. The flash identifies complacency, poor communication and inadequate task assessment, and emphasises banksman signals, safe positioning and hazard-focused toolbox briefings.
- 20233 Oct
LTI – worker fractured arm during mooring line handling
A crew member suffered a fractured left forearm when a mooring rope struck them during barge unmooring preparations. A tripped winch message was misunderstood as an all-stop signal, prompting additional coiling on a bollard while the barge moved. Lessons emphasise clear communications and further mooring and line-of-fire training.
- 20233 Oct
Serious hand injury during mooring operations
A dock worker sustained a serious hand injury while removing a mooring rope from a bollard during vessel departure preparations. The flash describes insufficient slack, rising tension at the winch and absent messenger or tail lines. It highlights inadequate planning and risk assessment, hand positioning and readiness to stop unsafe work.
- 202312 Sep
BSEE: Hazards to Personnel During Lifting Operations
This safety flash summarises BSEE examples of workers pinned or struck during offshore lifting. It presents recommendations on barricading hazardous areas and measures operators and contractors should consider, including careful tagline handling, suitable rigging, clear escape paths, weather monitoring, stopping uncontrolled lifts and maintaining communication.
- 202312 Sep
Finger injury while setting up pipe cutting operation
A crew member’s middle finger was trapped between a scaffold tube and a pipe cutting machine during vertical setup for jumper repair. A defective inlet valve allowed air to energise the machine. The flash discusses omitted manual setup validation, unsafe hand positioning, revised procedures, toolbox talks, operator training and pre-use inspections.
- 202312 Sep
UK HSE – Worker struck in the face by a crane hook
A worker freeing a jammed paper reel with an overhead crane lost an eye after crane contact with the spinning reel made the hook swing into his face. The flash highlights inadequate assessment of machinery malfunctions, missing instructions, and the need to address non-routine operations and routine violations.
- 202329 Aug
Fatality during transfer of pipes
This safety flash reports a fatality during pipework transfer between a quay and a vessel, with local authorities still investigating. It highlights suspended-load exposure, crush areas and sudden load movement, and recommends access barriers, securing loads against rolling and controlled drop zones adjusted for possible deflection.
- 202329 Aug
MSF: Air cylinder – high pressure discharge
A breathing apparatus cylinder’s pillar valve broke off while a crew member drained residual pressure before landing it ashore. Nobody was injured. The investigator considered impact from dropping the cylinder responsible. Recommendations address secure handling, slow controlled discharge, valve orientation and PPE; the owner is investigating excess-flow valves.
- 202329 Aug
Red Zone Hazards Pose Increased Risk to Personnel During Lifting Operations
This alert describes three offshore lifting incidents involving workers struck or trapped by moving loads. It recommends restricting access to red zones and asks operators and contractors, where appropriate, to consider careful tagline handling, suitable rigging, clear escape paths, weather monitoring, stopping uncontrolled lifts and maintaining communication.
- 20233 Aug
High potential: dropped chain assembly
A 2.3 kg chain assembly fell 10 m during lowering, grazing a worker’s helmet without injury. Wind displaced a soft sling, whose fibres prevented the hook latch from locking. The flash highlights unsafe positioning, poor visibility and absent communication, recommending correct rigging placement, clear lifting areas and supervision.