Fatality: Falling object

A member has advised of a fatality, the initial details of which follow.

During wireline toolstring recovery, accidental contact with the wireline sheave was made, causing the assembly to fall to deck, fatally injuring a crew member. This occurred when the port pod line was raised to allow visual inspection of the bottom of toolstring and to break tool down without wireline being paid out first.

The company has noted the following lessons to be learnt:

• The common industry practice of working in close vicinity to suspended wireline tools presents a dropped object hazard that should be recognised and eliminated; . Communications between all team members involved with lifting operations needs to be improved; . In lifting operations, all necessary steps should be taken to ensure that tools/devices are not drawn into any sheave; . Risk assessments of wireline lifting operations must identify such hazards; . Written work procedures must clearly state how risks will be managed; . Common work practices and contingency activities must be subject to risk assessment and documented as a written procedure.