A recent Safety Flash by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), focuses on an incident, in which, during launch testing of a lifeboat, a turnbuckle and shackle weighing 7kg fell 23m from the davit onto the boat, landing within a metre of a worker hooking up the falls at the lifeboat hatch.
The worker was physically unharmed; there was some cosmetic damage to the lifeboat.
What went wrong?
There was a mechanical failure – the turnbuckle was of a “closed” design that did not allow visual inspection of the thread engagement through the buckle. The threaded end of this turnbuckle was just 13cm and had one thread securing it into the buckle (see location of nut in illustration) on the threaded end. The bottom end was lost at sea.
Actions taken
- The lifeboat was secured to the falls and the area cleared before it was lifted;
- The remaining maintenance pennant turnbuckles were removed from the other lifeboats, and the threaded end measured was 17-18cm with plenty of thread though the buckle;
- Similar turnbuckles on other vessels in this fleet were examined carefully;
- Arrangements were made to replace “closed” turnbuckles with “open” turnbuckles that can be properly inspected;
- Company arranged with the lifeboat OEM to source appropriately specified open type turnbuckles from their supplier;
- Procedures revised to include thorough DROPS inspection of turnbuckles and other rigging overhanging the lifeboats before launch.
