Near Miss: Load Lifted Without Notice Putting Crew in the Line of Fire

IMCA reports of a near miss incident where load lifted without notice putting crew in the line of fire.

What happened

During cargo operation at an offshore installation, the deck foreman on the installation noticed that a sling was twisted while starting to heave up a cargo. An AB on deck was asked to remove the twist, when the crane operator started lifting the load without proper notice, which placed the AB between the cargo and a 20’ container. This could have resulted in a fatality or severe injury. The operation was stopped immediately; there were no injuries.

What went wrong

The crane operator had poor visibility on deck.

Poor communication:

• The deck foreman on the offshore installation rejected the officer of the watch’s request to disconnect the crane before sending the AB.
• Nothing was done to secure the safety of the AB in charge of untwisting the sling.
• The crane operator started to lift with no instructions nor signal.

Lessons learned

• When the situation deteriorates, STOP. Become extra vigilant, remain aware of what is going on around you, ensure good communication between all stakeholders.
• Ensure clear deck policies and stop work policies are followed.
• Don’t take short cuts, don’t hurry, don’t assume that everything is OK.

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Source: IMCA

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