IMCA published an accident report concerning a seafarer who was hit by a steel plate that bounced off the deck. The crew member was later sent to the hospital for a check up but returned to work the day after.
The Incident
A seafarer was injured by a steel plate that bounced off the deck after it fell 14m from a load because a magnet failed. The incident took place when shaped steel plates for reinforcing were being lifted from the main deck to the ROV hangar through a hatch. The lifting equipment was a 25T crane, two connected soft slings and a heavy-duty magnet. As a lift was swung into position over the hatch opening, one steel plate, sized roughly 1.5m x 1m and weighing approx. 450 kg, came loose from the magnet and fell approximately 14 meters down into the ROV hangar.
A welder foreman who was in the area underneath, was hit by the plate in the back of his legs as the plate bounced up from deck. Investigation after the incident showed the plate had bounced twice and the last time it struck the bulkhead forward in the ROV hangar. The crew member managed to walk away from the incident but complained subsequently of pains where the plate had struck. He was sent to hospital for a check-up and returned to work the next day.
Probable Cause
The plate was so shaped that the magnet could not hold it properly. 8 or 9 rectangular plates without cut outs had been lifted successfully with the magnet. The plate that fell was shaped differently, having a rectangle 68 cm x 54 cm cut from it. As this plate was to be lifted, no one took considered that this plate had a large cut out, limiting the connection area for the magnet.
Also, clear instructions were not followed. The investigation points out that the lifting operation was planned with clear instructions not to use magnet for lifting into ROV hangar. Pallets were to be used to lift plates into hangar, and magnet to distribute only, not above 300mm off deck.
Lessons Learned
•The importance of following plans and also focus on identifying increased risk cannot be stressed enough.