IMCA Safety Flash 03-23
IMCA has published Safety Flash 03-23.
Click to download the IMCA safety Flash 03-23 here.
Diving instructor killed – incorrect valve threads (IDSA)
During a dive, the valve came loose from the diving cylinder and fatally hit the diving instructor; a cylinder with internal thread G3/4 was used, which was fitted with a valve with external thread M25x2.
Near miss: pilot ladder – side rope failed
Whilst undertaking pilot boarding operations during the hours of darkness, a side rope on the pilot ladder parted when it was being weight tested by the pilot. The pilot was not injured; however if the ladder had not been weight tested by the pilot, it could have failed whilst it was being climbed, resulting in a fall from height into the sea.
LTI: finger injury during davit test
A worker suffered a serious finger injury when his hand got caught between a painter rope under tension and the handrail. The incident occurred during testing of the rescue boat davit. He was holding the painter line, which was hitched to the handrail, coiled around his right hand. During the test, the winch brake system failed. This caused the FRC to fall. The crew members’ hand was stuck between the painter rope and the handrail. He suffered serious lacerations and compound fractures to his baby finger. The FRC was damaged.
Small fire following hot work
On a member’s vessel alongside, a small fire started following hot work conducted by the client’s welding sub-contractors. The incident occurred during the welding of jumper stands on the main deck. After completing their work, the welders left the vessel without notifying the bridge, and the Permit to Work was closed. Shortly thereafter, an AB discovered smoke coming from a rag left over the welded area. The small fire was extinguished with a bucket of water.
Single point failure resulting in a dropped object
A small part weighing 0.3kg fell 20 meters from an OMC-160 wind speed and direction sensor installed on a vessel’s main mast. Two wind speed and direction sensors were installed on the vessel’s main mast; they consisted of a wind speed sensor and a wind direction sensor. The wind direction sensor was of the wind vane type unit and had a counterweight (length 6 cm/diameter 3 cm; 300 grams) fixed to it. This counterweight was only secured to the wind vane by a single grub screw. The grub screw came loose causing the counterweight to fall off.