MSF: dropped object near-misses

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 5 February 2015
  • Generated on 4 April 2025
  • IMCA SF 02/15
  • 1 minute read

The Marine Safety Forum has published two safety flashes (15-01 and 15-02) regarding a number of dropped object incidents.

In the first incident, a piece of timber which was approximately 300mm x 100mm, fell 15 meters from the crane jib support to a mezzanine deck area below. After an initial inspection, it was discovered that the dropped object was not a loose item that had been displaced but was in fact a section of the jib stowage arrangement, which had apparently split and come lose from the jib support arrangement. The incident occurred during very poor weather conditions which may have contributed to the incident.

In the second incident, a single whip line headache ball and hook assembly detached from the crane and landed on the top of the safe haven damaging the deck. Fortunately the deck crew were standing clear and were approximately 4 metres from the point of impact. Although shaken, there were no physical injuries. The assembly weighed 160kg and fell approximately 50 meters giving an impact force of 784KN, which would most certainly have resulted in a fatality had it struck a crew member.

Latest Safety Flashes:

Incidents occurring during decommissioning

IMCA has put together a summary of incidents relating to decommissioning.

Read more
LTI: rope under tension moved and hit person’s hand

A member of the crew suffered a serious hand injury when struck by a rope under tension.

Read more
Injuries during lifting operations

A member reports two separate lifting activities involving failure of lifting equipment and resulting in minor injuries to nearby personnel.

Read more
Finger injury during manual handling

An IMCA’s members’ utilities supplier in the United States reports a serious finger injury during manual handling

Read more
Acetylene gas explosion

There was a small explosion and fire when crew were working on an oxy-acetylene system.

Read more

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.

The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.

All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.

Share your safety incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive Safety Flashes straight to your email.