Following cargo offloading operations from a vessel to an offshore platform, the platform notified the vessel that a post cover (as shown below) had been found on top of a mud skip that had been received from the vessel. The post cover had the potential to be a dropped object of major consequence. The post cover weighed approximately 4kg.
Cause
The post cover had been removed while lashings were fitted to cargo.The post cover was placed on top of the mud skip and not removed prior to the oncoming shift hooking the mud skip ontothe crane to be offloaded.The post cover had gone unnoticed and the mud skip offloaded to the platform.Post covers are known to come free during adverse weather and previous incidents have involved the lodging of post coversin forklift pockets of containers.
The investigation identified one immediate cause and one root cause:
- Immediate Cause: Crew member left post cover on top of mud skip during cargo operations
- Root Cause: No process in place for managing the removal and replacement of post covers during cargo operations.
Recommendations
Immediate action was taken to hold a time out for safety with the crew on-board to reiterate the importance of dropped objects and checks prior to the commencement of lifting operations. Following this the vessel identified a process for managing the removal and replacement of post covers during cargo operations. This is currently being trialled on-board the vessel and more information will be provided across the owner’s/operators fleet following successful trial.
Further information may be found below
Source & Image credit: BMA
