IMCA Safety Flash 14-23
IMCA has published Safety Flash 14-23.
Click to download the IMCA safety Flash 14-23 here.
High pressure oil leak causes a fire in the engine room
A recently built vessel was on passage when a gearbox temperature probe was ejected from its fitting by oil at 25 bar. A jet of gearbox oil sprayed a major part of the engine room including one of the running main engines.
The gearbox low oil pressure alarm sounded on the bridge; the vessel’s engineers stopped the engines. The Master was informed, and the vessel went to emergency stations; the designated firefighting prepared to fight the fire.
Gantry crane wire parted causing injury
Engineers were overhauling a large diesel generator, using the engine room’s overhead gantry crane to lift a 1200kg cylinder liner into position above the engine. This required the electric winch motor to raise the crane hook to its maximum lift height, at which point the crane’s hoisting wire suddenly parted. The suspended cylinder liner fell onto the engine, causing damage to both pieces of equipment, and struck the left foot of an engine room fitter who was standing nearby. The crew member was treated in hospital for a broken toe.
A heavy sheave fell over causing an LTI
A bosun suffered a broken leg when a heavy sheave he was trying to manoeuvre, fell against him. On a vessel going into port, crew were preparing to offload equipment. Very early in the morning, the bosun decided to prepare a 0.5t sheave, which was due to be lifted ashore. He removed the lashings that were securing the sheave vertically against some pipework and started to roll it toward the port side hatch in readiness for offload. The bosun was manoeuvring the sheave past some oil drums when he lost control and the sheave toppled over, struck his thigh and then trapped him under its weight.
Who is in control?
Control was lost of a vessel and it almost ran aground as a result. Fortunately, the crew were able to regain control before the vessel (a ferry) grounded, and the voyage continued safely.
Lithium-ion battery fire
water got into Lithium-ion batteries in equipment for use subsea, causing an explosion. Inspection of the equipment after a successful deployment identified a potential leak from one of the metal tubes. However, other work priorities meant that the technician in charge of the equipment decided to leave it in its storage area and delay the removal and further examination of the battery. Seven hours later, the vessel’s bridge team heard a loud bang followed by a fire detection system warning for the deepwater equipment storage area. The attending crew members discovered a scorched and damaged metal battery tube lying on the deck.
