Corrective and preventative actions
A crewmember engaged in fabrication work went to the pipe storage rack to select and remove a length of pipe. Having selected the pipe, he grabbed it by the partially projecting end and pulled with all his strength. As it was held in place between other pipes in the rack by compressive and frictional forces, his initial effort failed to dislodge it.
In a fresh attempt to move the pipe, the crewmember pulled on it with a violent jerk, causing the pipe to suddenly slide out freely. The worker lost his balance and fell backwards, hitting his back on the bulkhead behind him, resulting in a contusion injury.
Root cause/contributory factors
1. Lack of proper risk assessment and work planning;
2. Failure to seek assistance from co-worker when in difficulty.
Corrective/preventative actions
Incident report circulated to all vessels in the fleet with instructions to:
1. Discuss the incident at their next safety meeting and refer to Section 3 Chapter 19.4 of The Code of Safe Working Practice (COSWP) – Manual Handling – Advice to seafarers;
2. Carefully assess any load that is to be lifted or moved and plan for the best way to apply the effort;
3. Request assistance from other crew in case of difficulty;
4. Consider the task and assess injury risks before commencing the operation or task;
5. Remember that statistics have consistently shown that improper muscular effort and/or posture is a leading cause of strain injuries, and proper techniques can prevent them.
Source: Mars/Nautical Institute
