Port company fined after 600kg FIBC bag falls on employee
- Safety Flash
- Published on 11 April 2018
- Generated on 7 October 2026
- IMCA SF 08/18
- 2 minute read
The UK Health & Safety Executive (UK HSE) have prosecuted Associated British Ports (ABP) for safety breaches after a flexible intermediate bulk container weighing 600kg fell and struck an employee.
What went wrong? What were the causes?
A 600kg flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) bag of Ammonium Nitrate fell onto an employee as he was removing pallets from the front of a stack. He suffered multiple fractures, a dislocated ankle and knee and back injuries, and he was unable to work for thirteen weeks.
The HSE investigation found that the company had failed to follow their own risk assessments, by stacking FIBC bags directly on top of one another rather than in the recognised industry standard of stacking in a pyramid fashion. The company had also failed to review their stacking practice following earlier incidents of bag spills and stack collapses on the dockside.
This case highlights three things:
- The importance of following industry guidance;
- The importance of ensuring that companies and crews follow their own company risk assessments;
- Learning from previous incidents – ensuring that systems of work and procedures are properly and thoroughly reviewed after incidents.
Related Safety Flashes
-
IMCA SF 19/16
12 July 2016
-
IMCA SF 14/11
23 December 2011
-
IMCA SF 02/05
1 February 2005
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.