UK HSE: Workers injured by unplanned release of mud slurry

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 1 June 2020
  • Generated on 3 April 2025
  • IMCA SF 17/20
  • 1 minute read

What happened?

An electricity power station company was prosecuted after three contractors were injured by a sudden release of water and sludge, while carrying out maintenance work.

Three crew were removing a recirculation pump for maintenance when approximately 39 cubic metres of diluted slurry and associated stored energy was released, while the pump was being removed.

The contractors were swept off the concrete plinth where they had been working and sustained multiple fracture injuries.

What were the causes? / What went wrong?

An investigation found that the pressurised contents of the pump and associated pipework had not been discharged prior to work starting, because the drain pipe was blocked.

This resulted in the release of stored energy during the removal of the pump, instead of during the isolation process.

There had been a failure to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of the hazards and risks associated with the work, and their employer had not implemented a safe system of work.

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.