IMCA has issued a safety alert following an incident where a pressurized hose disconnected during maintenance on a vessel, highlighting the lack of secondary securing systems and proper equipment checks.
What happened?
A contractor was performing maintenance on the bulk cargo methanol system on deck of a vessel. Residual water was being pumped out from a cofferdam when a pressurized hose suddenly disconnected. The system pressure was approximately 5.9-6 bar, creating a potential risk of injury to personnel. Fortunately, no one was in the line of fire, and no contact was made. There were no injuries or property damage from this incident.
What went wrong?
- There was no secondary securing system – no whip check arrestor – installed, even though this was specified in the task risk assessment.
- No-one checked the equipment before starting the job.
- No-one stopped the job.
- The hose end coupling itself appeared as worn out, and this was unnoticed.
- There were no whip arrestors and hose tail couplings available, neither on the vessel or with the contractor doing the work.
Lessons learned
- Ensure there is sufficient equipment and spares on board to do a safe job – the lack of even a very small part can lead to something being unsafe.
- Ensure pressurised hose connectors have secondary securing – whip arrestors.
- Check your equipment before you start work – it only takes a few seconds. Check the condition of hose end couplings on pressurized equipment, and identify any wear or damage that could compromise their integrity during usage.
