Maersk Interceptor Fatality (8 Pics)

Maersk Interceptor Fatality occurred during work to install a Raw Water Pump on the forward leg of the Maersk Interceptor.

Preliminary Findings

• 7 Dec 2017
• 50 knots wind, SWH 2.64
• Installation of Raw Water Pump, forward leg
• Wire sling fails, Raw Water Pump and attached cable falls to sea
• One Roustabout falls overboard and is fatally injured, One Mechanic is seriously injured.
• Rig Design, Material handling system design required an offset vertical lift with a 5 degree angle
• Flat–braided Wire Slings, Flat-braided Wire Slings tested, do not meet Minimum Break Load (MBL)
• Procedures, Inadequacies in procedures relevant for Handling of Raw Water Pump and Risers
• Control of Work, Inadequacies in risk assessment, prior commencing installation of Raw Water Pump

Immediate Actions

• Raw Water Pump handling operations suspended on all units operating on NCS. Suspension will remain in force until the following has been completed:
• A revised Material Handling Plan for Raw Water Pumps
• Purpose made handling devices for Raw Water Pumps
• Complete removal of deck plate snag points in areas where Raw Water Pumps are being handled
• Reiteration of procedures on safe application and scope of use for flat braided wire slings
• SWL of flat braided wire slings reduced by 50%. Use only allowed under Work Permit system

Immediate Emergency Response

Roustabout that falls to sea is recovered by standby vessel ESVAGT Cornelia. CPR administered and rescue helicopter mobilized. He is medevac’d to Bergen. Declared dead at Haukeland Hospital.

The Mechanic is treated in the Rig Hospital and later medevac’d to Stavanger. He suffers injuries to his face, including broken cheek bones and a shoulder injury.

All personnel onboard are muster at to life boat stations.

Crisis management

Crisis teams mobilized offshore including FALCK psychologists and North Sea Priests Prioritized demobilization of full offshore crew

Additional Offshore Leaders and Safety Coaches mobilized

Reception Center established onshore with crisis teams (ISOS and North Sea Priests) Continued crisis management support to Maersk Interceptor crew and onshore teams

Investigations

Police, Petroleum Safety Authority and Maersk Drilling/AkerBP investigations initiated on 8 December

 

Details of Incident

 

Two Mechanics preparing for the lowering of the Raw Water Pump.

One person is operating the trolley hoist by a remote control and one person is responsible for pushing and guiding the pump over the hull side and in-between the riser guides.

This required due to a 5 deg. lifting angel.

As the pump is being lowered to Maersk Interceptor leg, one of the tie- wraps they had used for securing the cable was broken. They decide to lift the pump up again to replace the broken tie-wrap.

The work of retrieving the pump for replacement of the broken tie-wrap required three people for pushing the pump out due to the 5 deg. lifting angel.

When the cable tie-wraps are at a level where the broken one can be changed, one of the mechanics turns around and goes to get some new cable tie-wraps.

Notice the pump being caught by the Deck plate snag point.

Seconds hereafter the wire sling fails.

The consequence is that one Maersk Interceptor crewmember falls to the sea through the opening where the pump was and one person suffers serious injuries.

We will not be able to categorically conclude what exactly caused the person to fall to the sea, but it is likely that he was hit and/or caught by the cable.