Skip to content

Marine Safe Australia – Hand injuries

Marine Safe Australia has published a safety flash covering a number of hand injuries including the following:

  • Hand injury when folding aluminium ladder

While folding a four part hinged folding ladder to place it back to its stowage position, a person got his hand squeezed at the hinge part;

  • Severe hand injury – rotating machinery

A newly installed generator was started without belt guards in place. A person’s finger got caught by the V-belt which resulted in fracture and deep laceration to the index finger. The potential could have been loss of finger/hand;

  • Serious injury -top of thumb amputated

The V-belts of an air compressor were found to be slack after it was installed the previous day. A crewman decided to tension/reposition them again. While trying to check the tension of the V-belts, by manually rotating the assembly, his thumb got stuck between the V-belt and pulley wheel. This resulted in the top of his thumb being amputated.

Amended August 2023

Safety Event

Published: 8 September 2014
Download: IMCA SF 15/14

IMCA Safety Flashes
Submit a Report

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of all. The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on Members sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Please consider adding safetyreports@imca-int.com to your internal distribution list for safety alerts or manually submitting information on incidents you consider may be relevant. All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate.

IMCA’s store terms and conditions (https://www.imca-int.com/legal-notices/terms/) apply to all downloads from IMCA’s website, including this document.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in the documents it publishes, but IMCA shall not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained. The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual’s or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.