Printable version

Country: NORWAY - Europe

Location: OFFSHORE

Incident Date: 10 November 2021   Time: ---

Type of Activity: Lifting, crane, rigging, deck operations

Cause: Caught in, under or between (excl. dropped objects)

Function: Production

During connection to shuttle tanker, a crane operator stood by the control panel to operate the mooring winch. At the level below was an auxiliary winch connected to a rope that was hanging over the railing. By mistake, the crane operator activated the lever for the auxiliary winch, and the IP at the level below saw the rope connected to the auxiliary winch move. He thought the rope was slipping over the railing and grabbed it. At the same time, the crane operator pulled further on the aux winch lever, which resulted in the IP's hand being pulled in and squeezed between the railing and the structure.

• The design of the workplace made it challenging for the crane operator to keep an eye on the control panel while operating the winch.
• The risk of unintentional operation of the winch was not identified in the governing documentation, and the IP's role in the work operation was not sufficiently described in the procedure.
• The production technician lacked part of the required training and did not know that the auxiliary winch could be operated from the control panel.

• Closer follow-up of outstanding competence requirements.
• Update procedures and SJA with risk of unintentional driving of winch.
• Disconnect redundant levers.
• Make improvements to workplace design.

Figure 1: Crane operator by the control panel

Figure 2: IP standing by railing on level below control panel with auxiliary winch in foreground

Safety Alert number: 336
IOGP Safety Alerts http://safetyzone.iogp.org/

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