IMCA SF 09/26 Injury Alert : Crush Injury

Safety Briefing: Severe Crush Injury from Unstable Steel Plates  – IMCA SF 09/26

What Happened: Onboard an offshore support vessel (OSV), a crew member suffered severe crush injuries while manually handling heavy materials. The worker was using their left hand to balance several steel plates in an upright, vertical position. Suddenly, one of the heavy plates tipped over. The falling steel trapped the worker’s hand and wrist between a metal frame and an emergency stop pedestal.

The heavy impact caused multiple fractures to the hand, fingers, and wrist, which required surgery. Additionally, the falling plate caught the worker’s side, cutting their abdomen.

The investigation revealed a chain of dangerous circumstances. The plates were kept in a cramped, temporary storage area rather than a designated steel rack, with no supervisor overseeing this temporary setup.

Critically, sea fastenings had been removed while the vessel was still on its voyage. This drastically increased the risk of the plates shifting. Because the crew had performed the job this way before without getting hurt, the hazard was ignored. No manual lifting aids were used, the crew did not pause to reassess the danger, and the permit’s risk assessment did not match the actual, real-world conditions of the task.  

Immediate Operational Checks: Officers, take the following actions on your vessels today:

• Inspect Deck Storage: Walk the ship right now and identify any heavy materials stored in “temporary” or unapproved arrangements. Move them to designated, secured racks immediately. Secure with SWL rated straps, slings, or solid restraints. Not unrated twine.
• Test Sea Fastenings: Check that all sea fastenings for cargo and raw or spare materials are firmly in place. Remind your crew that fastenings must never be removed while underway, unless properly authorized and safe to do so. Consider vessel motions, & heaving-to.
• Use Handling Aids: Locate your manual handling tools. Dollies, trolleys, lifting gear, pallet trucks, cranes, lifting bags, etc. Ensure the crew has them on hand and strictly mandates their use for moving awkward or heavy loads. Ensure new personnel are aware.

Lessons Learned:

• Update Risk Assessments: Ensure your safety paperwork reflects how the job is actually done on the deck, taking into account cramped spaces and realistic constraints. Test whether your stretchers can actually squeeze through that store room. Be sure!
• Supervise Temporary Changes: Treat “temporary” storage with strict safety oversight. Unsupervised temporary fixes often become permanent, hidden hazards.
• Enforce a Safety Pause: Always empower your crew to take a “Take 5” or last-minute risk assessment (LMRA) / Safe Job Analysis (SJA) right before getting hands-on with a task.
• Fight Complacency: Just because a dangerous shortcut worked in the past does not mean it is a safe procedure. Stick to the approved handling methods every single time. Minimise the exposure to hazards wherever possible.

Take advantage of a fresh pair of eyes! Those new to the vessel may spot hazards the regular crew have grown to accept as normal.

Don’t be afraid to ask for vessel modifications that eliminate risk.

Praise people who stop the job for safety. Don’t delay your follow-up to observations.

Tags: Marine Safety, Crush Injury, Risk Assessment, Material Handling, Deck Operations  

Official Report: IMCA Safety Flash 09/26: Worker suffered crush injury while handling unstable steel plates