Fatal injury during lifting operations – Maersk Interceptor
- Safety Flash
- Published on 21 December 2018
- Generated on 5 July 2025
- IMCA SF 29/18
- 2 minute read
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has completed its investigation of the fatal accident on 7 December 2017 on Maersk Interceptor, a jack-up facility, in which one person was killed and another seriously injured.
What happened?
Several breaches of the (Norwegian) regulations were identified.
This incident occurred in connection with lifting and installing a seawater pump. Four people took part in the work, which involved the use of a steel sling. The latter parted, and the pump fell down. A power cable attached to the pump was pulled along in the fall and hit two people who were in the vicinity. One of them fell into the sea and died, while the other was seriously injured. Under slightly different circumstances, several lives could have been lost.
The incident also had material and financial consequences.
What were the causes?
- The direct cause of the incident was that the lifting sling broke because it was overloaded.
- Underlying causes were multiple and complex and can be related to design weaknesses and inadequacies in following these up, failure to identify risk at several levels, training, and planning and work practice.
The full report can be found here.
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.