Printable version

Country: NORWAY - Europe

Location: OFFSHORE

Incident Date: 16 November 2022   Time: 07:00

Type of Activity: Production operations

Cause: Dropped objects

Function: Production

A "bird screen" lid with a weight of 20 kg which had been bolted on to a decommissioned atmospheric vent line fell down on a walkway 37 m below during a period of high winds (50-60 knots).

• The vent line lid was designed to be installed on a vent facing upwards.
• The lid, as installed, did not have any means of secondary retainment since the lid had not been identified as a potential dropped object.
• The original tag number of the vent line was set to "deleted" after being decommissioned, hence leaving it without a formal trace in the maintenance program.

• Review of decommissioning procedures to cover the risk of potential dropped objects.
• Review and improve inspection routines for potential dropped objects, physical and drone based.
• Review requirements for establishing tag numbers for other decommissioned equipment that could deteriorate into hazardous conditions.

Figure 1: Lid while installed on the atmospheric vent line

Figure 2: Lid after it had fallen down on walkway

Figure 3: Atmospheric vent line after the lid had fallen down

Safety Alert number: 352
IOGP Safety Alerts http://safetyzone.iogp.org/

Disclaimer

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, neither the IOGP nor any of its members past present or future warrants its accuracy or will, regardless of its or their negligence, assume liability for any foreseeable or unforeseeable use made thereof, which liability is hereby excluded. Consequently, such use is at the recipient's own risk on the basis that any use by the recipient constitutes agreement to the terms of this disclaimer. The recipient is obliged to inform any subsequent recipient of such terms.
This document may provide guidance supplemental to the requirements of local legislation. Nothing herein, however, is intended to replace, amend, supersede or otherwise depart from such requirements. In the event of any conflict or contradiction between the provisions of this document and local legislation, applicable laws shall prevail.