Person injured by mooring lines
- Safety Flash
- Published on 14 July 2010
- Generated on 25 July 2026
- IMCA SF 04/10
- 2 minute read
A Member has reported an incident in which a person was hit by a wire of a warping winch, causing bruises to both legs.
What happened?
On the port side of a crane barge a hopper barge was moored with a spring and two winch wires. During the loading of the hopper barge, the winch wire crawled up along the bollard (see A on Figures 1 and 2).
During this process an employee wanted to transfer on foot from the hopper barge to the crane barge and stepped over the winch wire, whilst conducting a conversation on a mobile phone, at a point between A and B. At that instant, the winch wire jumped over the bollard (see red arrow) and hit the person’s legs. The person fell over and was able to grab the railing of the crane barge, which prevented a fall between the crane barge and the hopper barge.
Figure 1 -Hopper barge seen from crane barge (mooring line shown in grey and red)
Figure 2 -Plan view of mooring operation (mooring line shown in blue and red)
The following lessons were drawn from this incident:
- Personnel should remain alert and watch their surroundings at all times when working on deck.
- Do not use mobile telephones while embarking/disembarking.
- Connect the winch wire only via bollard A (rather than via bollards A and B) to guarantee it is secured and cannot slip over.
- Transfer between vessels moored alongside one another should be conducted in a safe and controlled manner.
- Ensure safe walkways on deck are properly marked.
- Do not stand in loops of wires and ropes.
Further information on personnel transfer between vessels, and between vessel and the dockside, can be found in Guidance on the transfer of personnel to and from offshore vessels and structures.
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.