Winching equipment
- Safety Flash
- Published on 1 July 2000
- Generated on 11 November 2026
- IMCA SF 03/00
- 2 minute read
A client has recently alerted us to a couple of incidents involving winching equipment on board vessels.
What happened?
In the first incident a member of the vessel crew stood on a tugger winch support bracket with his foot protruding slightly from the support flange. As the drum rotated during operation, the securing bolts caught the man’s boot, crushing his steel toe cap, resulting in injury to this big toe.
In the second incident, two members of the marine crew were carrying out routine maintenance on a cherry picker. This involved spooling off, greasing and respooling on, a section of crane wire rope. One person was positioned on top of the crane jib, crouched in front of the winch wire. His hand became trapped between the crane winch wire drum counter bar and rope guard during the respooling operation with the resultant loss of his left-hand index finger.
The client identified the following common themes:
- A full risk assessment had not been undertaken.
- No procedures of management of change.
- Procedure for new rope diameter manual spooling inadequate (second incident).
- The position of controls operator and his view of activities.
- Position of winch operator – standing on the winch frame.
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.