Tag: lifting appliances

ABS has published a new edition of the ABS Guide for Certification of Lifting Appliances that includes construction and operation of modern lifting appliances.

IMCA Safety Flash summarizes key safety matters and incidents IMCA has issued Safety Flash to summarize key safety matters and highlight lessons learnt from an incident in whichsub-contractors lifting operations had to be stopped due to several unsafe conditions. Sub-contractors were found using uncertified lifting equipment, and lifting slings were being used over sharp edges of vessel frames. Work was stopped by shore-based staff visiting the vessel.It was found that:The crew and the sub-contractor personnel were unaware that they were engaged in potentially dangerous and inappropriate lifting practices;The sub-contractor had conducted no planning or pre-job inspection;Such risk assessment as had taken place, failed to consider all hazards, including the uncertified equipment and unsuitable position of lifting slings;The sub-contractors supervisor was not present when the operation started; Vessel crew failed to verify safety of job planning and certification of equipment when issuing the permit to work (PTW);Vessel crew and contractors failed to exercise the stop work policy when work was conducted in an unsafe manner.The following actions have been taken:Stopped the job, held discussion with sub-contractor personnel and vessel crew;After management review, fabricated and welded on a pad eye to facilitate safe lifting activities.The following lessons were identified:Proper task risk assessment ...

Gas and low-flashpoint fuels code adopted by IMO The new mandatory code for ships fuelled by gases or other low-flashpoint fuels was adopted by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), when it met at the Organization's London headquarters for its 95th session from 3 to 12 June 2015. The Committee also placed unsafe mixed migration by sea on its agenda and considered cyber security matters and passenger ship safety. It adopted new ships' routeing measures and a number of circulars arising from items put forward by the sub-committees.IGF Code adoptedThe MSC adopted the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), along with amendments to make the Code mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).The use of gas as fuel, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), has increased in recent years due to lower sulphur and particulate emissions than fuel oil or marine diesel oil. But gas and other low-flashpoint fuels pose their own set of safety challenges, which need to be properly managed. The IGF Code aims to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the fuels involved.The amendments ...

SSE agreed that more robust guidelines for the safety of onboard lifting appliances should be developed

ALE has completed a world record with the load-out of the 47,830t Arkutun Dagi topside.

Speaking at a joint informal meeting of key industry bodies on 7th April, ICHCA's Technical Director Richard Brough addressed the hazards of ships' lifting appliances

New pocket guide includes guidance for inspecting deck cranes, derricks and life-saving davits Lloyd's Register has published a new pocket guide to help ship owners and operators understand the importance of professional maintenance and survey preparation for marine lifting appliances.The new guide -- Survey and Examination of Ships' Lifting Appliances -- is the latest in Lloyd's Register's acclaimed and popular series of pocket guides that have been produced in conjunction with the UK P&I Club and, in this case, with the crane manufacturers, MacGregor and Liebherr."Lifting appliances need to be thoroughly examined and it is important that operators understand the seriousness and consequences of failure, as well as what they need to do to support the safety framework," Joanna Townsend, Fleet Services Manager for Lloyd's Register, said. "Poor preparation before surveys is a common problem among operators. Other issues include a lack of knowledge about rocking tests, difficulties in obtaining maintenance records and problems accessing the key areas that need to be surveyed.""These are key safety issues," said Townsend. "This pocket guide has been designed so that it is handy to use, inexpensive to produce and will be free to the industry. We highly recommend its use."The rocking test is ...