Personnel lifting system fatality
- Safety Flash
- Published on 1 October 2000
- Generated on 18 November 2025
- IMCA SF 06/00
- 1 minute read
We have learned of a fatality when a worker fell from a full body harness boatswain’s chair when ascending on a hoisting system.
What happened?
The initial information from the investigation team indicates that the individual fell when he became detached from the self-locked grip latch hook, similar to that depicted below. The latch on the hook depicted on the right opens outward.
Our member took the following actions:
The company involved has implemented a survey of all personnel hoisting and fall arrest systems seeking:
- verification that all hook components are designed and manufactured and certified for lifting personnel.
- where such hooks are used, these should be self-locking and self-closing with an inward moving latch.
Examples of such hooks are shown below.
Snaphook, self-locking
Carabiner, self-locking
Snaphook, self-locking
Swipe to see next image
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