MCA has published Safety Flash 1/26

Click here to download the IMCA Safety Flash 1/26.

Spontaneous explosion of a plastic ruler

While working in an office onboard the vessel, the reporter observed that a clear 30 cm plastic ruler—stored flat inside a desk drawer—suddenly fractured into three main pieces and several smaller fragments. The event forced the drawer ajar and scattered fragments several metres across the office floor. No injury occurred, though potential hazards included eye injury from flying shards and minor lacerations from sharp edges.

Just when you thought office work was the safest gig in the world… the stationery decided to go BOOM!

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NTSB: Engine room fire – put things back properly after maintenance

A fire broke out in the engine room. Two crew members were in the machinery control room when the fire started: one escaped, and the other was removed by the shipboard emergency squad and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. After reporting no active fire and removing the crew member, the crew verified that the engine room was sealed and released the fixed gas fire extinguishing system. No pollution was reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at US$18 million.

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High potential dropped object – cradle falls from trailer

The incident occurred during the offloading of two the cradle inserts from a vessel alongside. The cradle inserts were secured together with cargo straps and rigged with a 4-legged chain bridle. As the crane operator began lifting, the inserts then unexpectedly fell off the right side of the trailer before the rigging was fully tensioned, landing near the crane.

There were no injuries nor equipment damage; however, four personnel were in the immediate area of the dropped cradles. Our member is treating this dropped object near miss incident as having had the potential to have caused serious Injury or fatality.

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LTI – back injury

A member of the crew of a crew transfer vessel (CTV) badly pulled their back whilst helping with mooring operations during a vessel departure from port for an offshore wind farm. The Master was on the bridge conducting pre-departure checks, while the mate and the Able Seaman were on deck. The Mate was at the mooring station preparing to release the vessel’s lines, and Able Seaman was stowing the vessel’s gangway.

During normal operations, the gangway is stored on the quay while the vessel is operating in the field. After removing the lashings and securing ropes, the Able Seaman used a line to lower the raised end of the gangway down onto the quay. While doing this, the AB experienced a sudden and severe pain in the lower back, and cried out in pain. The job was stopped and the AB was assisted to a chair for assessment and rest.

Throughout the night, the AB’s condition worsened, and the following morning, medical attention was requested. After examination by a doctor, a suspected herniated disc (lumbago/lower back injury) was diagnosed. Subsequently, a medical professional declared the AB unfit for duty, and they were sent home.

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BSEE: arc flash incident – is the wire still live?

Contract electricians on an offshore platform were installing a three-conductor cable from a transformer to a motor control centre cabinet. The job required coordination between crew members who could not see one another, in different locations. During the first attempt, the team found the cable was too short. They withdrew it, stripped more insulation, and prepared to try again. On the second attempt, the electrician below the motor control centre pushed the cable into the penetration before making contact with the receiving team inside the energized cabinet. The cable end was routed behind a protective barrier near a live bus bar. An electrician inside the cabinet tried to reposition the cable using non-insulated pliers. That action caused an arc flash between the exposed ground wire and the energized bus bar. The electrician received a minor thermal burn and there was charring and damage to an electrical panel.

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