- During an ROV emergency recovery, a worker’s finger was amputated due to insufficient planning and risk assessment.
- Key oversights included failing to identify all procedural steps and not addressing the faulty LARS latching mechanism beforehand.
- Emergency recovery procedures and training have since been improved to prevent similar incidents.
An incident during an emergency recovery operation involving a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) led to the amputation of a worker’s finger. Despite prior planning, unforeseen risks emerged during execution, highlighting critical gaps in procedural detail and risk assessment, reports IMCA.
The Recovery Process
The operation involved connecting the ROV emergency rigging sling to a crane hook using a fast rescue craft (FRC). A worker was tasked with releasing the ROV hook from the crane wire, using a knife to cut a securing rope. During this process, the worker’s left ring finger was pinched, resulting in amputation down to the nail bed.
Contributing Factors
- The need to release the ROV hook was not identified or planned for, leaving workers unprepared for the associated risks.
- The emergency recovery was initiated without attempting repairs on the LARS latching mechanism, which could have prevented the situation.
A thorough toolbox talk was conducted before starting the operation, ensuring basic awareness among the team.
What Went Wrong?
Releasing the ROV hook was not identified as a procedural step, leading to an absence of risk mitigation measures.
The emergency recovery plan lacked sufficient detail for safe task execution.
Faulty equipment contributed to the need for emergency recovery, which could have been avoided with prior repairs.
Actions Taken Post-Incident
Emergency recovery procedures were reviewed and updated to include all necessary steps and their associated risks.
Emphasis was placed on detailed task evaluations and comprehensive planning for emergency operations.
Routine training in emergency recovery scenarios using the FRC was implemented to ensure preparedness.
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Source: IMCA
