IMCA Safety Flash 02-23
IMCA has published Safety Flash 02-23.
Click to download the IMCA Safety Flash 02-23 here.
Umbilical management – near miss
A diver was working with the barge crane to remove two sleepers from under a newly installed 16” x 45 ft (40cm x 13.5m) repair spool. The crane was rigged directly onto the sleepers to be moved. Once the sleepers cleared, the pipeline moved and rolled over a section of the divers umbilical. The diver discovered that his umbilical was trapped and was able to free it himself. Visibility was excellent, it was daylight, and the diver was able to move his umbilical over to a suspended section of pipe, and was unharmed.
Lost ROV incident
An ROV got trapped inside the platform structure due to strong tidal current. Subsequently the tether was damaged, and the ROV lost power and telemetry. Attempts to free the slightly positive ROV and pull it carefully out of the structure, but these were not successful. Ultimately, the vessel was needed elsewhere, and the tether was cut and secured to the jacket. Upon returning to the platform the next day, the damaged tether parted during a new rescue attempt. The ROV drifted away from the platform and after a few hours the signal from the ROV’s beacon was lost.
Incorrect gangway rigging
A member reports several cases of gangways being rigged incorrectly.
Blocked emergency exit hatch
An engine room emergency exit hatch could not be opened. The emergency exit hatch providing egress from the engine room to the vessel’s main deck on the starboard side at the stern, was found blocked during the Master’s routine inspection/walkaround. The hatch could not be opened from the engine room compartment.
Serious hand injury (MSF)
This serious injury was sustained while someone was replacing a knife into its sheath. The crew member had been splicing 12mm polypropylene rope for use as guide ropes on the gangway. He had removed his gloves to splice the ropes, and once finished, attempted to put his knife back into its sheath at his belt, still without gloves.