The Bahamas Maritime Authority issued an accident investigation report of fatality on an Anchor Handling Supply vessel.
Vessel description
- Skandi Skansen is a versatile multipurpose construction anchor handling vessel built at STX OSV, Romania and registered in the port of Nassau, Bahamas. The accommodation and machinery spaces are situated forward with an open deck layout aft.
- Skandi Skansen is suited for deep-water mooring and field installation
operations. - At the time of the incident, the vessel was owned by DOF Installer ASA and
managed by DOF Management AS.
Timeline of the events
- On 21 February 2015, the vessel was berthed alongside Standkaien (Beach Quay) in Stavanger Harbour, Norway.
- At 1200 hours the vessel received a work instruction from DOF Subsea Office to mobilize the vessel for an anchor handling task which required replacing the 105mm Gypsy with an 84mm Gypsy.
- The deck crew was engaged in replacing the starboard side AHT Winch Cable Gypsy (Chain lifter) by removing the 105mm Gypsy and installing the smaller 84mm Gypsy which weighed approximately 2492 KG.
- The 105mm Gypsy was uninstalled and transferred to a storage area on the main deck without any incident.
- The Deck crew then connected the lifting sling to the 84mm Gypsy using the main crane whip line with a safe working load (SWL) of 20 tonnes at 40 meters.
- The 84mm Gypsy was released and lifted from the stowage area. It was then lowered landing longitudinally aft of the starboard side AHT winch on the deck hatch cover between the chain hauler guide rails.
- The crane sling was disconnected and the five (5) deck crew began to roll the Gypsy forward.
- One rim of the Gypsy dropped into the starboard side chain hauler guide rail and became unbalanced, it immediately tipped over falling towards two (2) of the deck crew standing on the starboard side.
- One (1) of the deck crew was caught between the Gypsy and the bulkhead as indicated by the arrow within figure 6 below. The Gypsy struck the crew member on the chest, pinning him to the bulkhead. Several members of the crew who witnessed the incident immediately attempted to free the crew member by lifting the Gypsy but due to its weight, were unable to do so.
- The slings were reconnected and the crane was used to lift the Gypsy clear, freeing the crew member. Immediately the crew member slipped to the deck and was unresponsive.
- The vessel’s first aid team administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until shore side medical assistance arrived. The casualty was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and was declared deceased shortly after arriving at the hospital, approximately 40 minutes after the incident.
Analysis report
Equipment Handling
- When the crane hook and slings were connected to the Gypsy, the crane hook was not directly above and in line with the center of the Gypsy. Therefore, when the crane lifted the Gypsy it swung out into the working area.
- There were no guide-lines or chain block attached to the Gypsy to control swing or careful positioning of the Gypsy on the hatch cover when lifting or lowering.
- When the Gypsy was finally landed longitudinally, it was not landed in its intended location. Instead, it was landed to starboard of its intended position with the starboard side Gypsy rim on the edge of the chain hauler guide rail.
- From the evidence collected it was observed that none of the deck crew were concerned with the positioning of the Gypsy, they were all concentrating on manually steadying the Gypsy in a vertical plane (weighing 2492 Kg) and disconnecting the crane hook.
- There were no personnel on deck supervising the operation of lifting, landing or manual handling the Gypsy and no Officer on the bridge monitoring the actions of the crew on deck via the CCTV monitors.
Risk assessment
- A Toolbox Talk3 and risk assessment were carried out prior to commencing the operation by the Crane Driver.
- The TBT was convened involving all six members (Bosun, Crane Driver and 4 AB’s) involved in the operation to change the Gypsy.
- Good communication was specifically recognised as an additional control measure required to control the hazards identified within the TBT assessment checklist.
- The Permit to Work was in force approving the Bosun to commence the operation of changing the Gypsy. When read in conjunction with the Risk Assessment it concludes that the operation of the crane, as a function of working at height, was the most hazardous aspect of the task to be conducted.
- The description of hazards identified did not have hazards related to the chain hauler guide rails, the hatch cover coaming or the risk of manual handling of a Gypsy weighing 2492 kg.
- There was no documented procedure for manual handling either for removal or refitting of a Gypsy for the AHT winch.
Weather conditions
There was no indication that the weather, sea state, swell or any other meteorological factor influenced the outcome of this incident.
Recommendation for the operator
- It is recommended to develop an effective safe working procedure for the manual handling of the Gypsy on deck.
- It is recommended to review the risk assessment and permit to work procedures to facilitate an effective identification of hazards and mitigation of risks related to the handling of the Gypsy and associated equipment.
- It is recommended to consider each task as a separate operation if more than one task is scheduled to take place involving manual handling of heavy equipment.
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Source: Bahamas Maritime Authority
