What happened? During preparations for disconnecting a tow tug which was moored to a barge in turn moored to the jetty, a crew member of the tow tug fell into […]
Safety Flashes
IMCA safety flashes disseminate important information on incidents and potential hazards and the lessons learnt from them that can help prevent incidents occurring elsewhere in the industry.
Individual safety events are available individually online, tagged and searchable, while the traditional PDF collections are also available for download.
Submit a Report
All members are encouraged to contribute relevant safety-related information – please visit our Safety Flash Reporting page for details on the submission process.
IMCA Contact
Nicholas Hough
Consultant - Safety and Security
Contact
Safety Events
Manhole opened and not correctly closed
What happened? During a safety round on deck prior to cargo operations it was noticed that a manhole had been opened in order to pump out ballast water to replace […]
MSF: Potential dropped objects – nets or tarps to cover cargo?
What happened? Marine Safety Forum Safety Alert 20-04 describes a potential dropped object (PDO) during cargo operations. A wooden baton of the type often used to support covers attached to […]
Safe use of FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container)
What happened? A FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container) containing 36 sand bags weighing approx. 25kg each was being lifted from the quayside to the vessel. As the load was lifted […]
High potential incident: gantry hoist failure
What happened? An electrically powered gantry hoist failed whilst under load dropping cargo and lifting equipment to deck. The incident occurred during a lift of 500kg of palletised provisions onto […]
Leg entanglement from Tag Line during cargo operations
What happened? An AB got his leg entangled with a tag line during lifting operations. The incident occurred when a vessel was alongside a rig offloading cargo. The AB attached […]
USCG: Automatic identification system (AIS) inaccuracies led to fatalities
The United States Coastguard (USCG) has published Safety Alert 04-20 relating to an incident where a causal factor in a number of fatalities was incorrect information entered into vessel AIS […]
Crewman fatally injured while stood on the stern ramp of Seatruck Progress
What happened? The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published Accident Investigation Report 10/2020 into the death of the Third Officer of Seatruck Progress, when he was struck and […]
Man overboard from stinger
What happened? A member of the crew fell overboard through an opening in the stinger. The incident occurred with the vessel alongside in port. A team of three electricians were […]
Trip and fall down hotel stairs causing serious wrist injury
What happened? Whilst engaged in business travel, an employee of one of our members slipped and fell when descending a hotel staircase. He sustained multiple fractures and dislocation of the […]
Fall from a height into a ballast tank
What happened? A worker inside a ballast tank fell from height. The incident happened when a welder and two welder helpers were installing additional stiffeners on the inside of […]
Serious incidents involving the weather
A member has published a safety notice designed to raise awareness with the number of serious weather related incidents which have occurred within their fleet over the last few months. […]
Near miss/positive: crew exercised stop work on new gangway
What happened? A newly installed gangway was found inadequate and unsafe. After the first transfer test on the gangway, the Captain observed several unsafe conditions – a trip hazard and […]
Lifting basket with unsecured cargo which fell out
What happened? A cargo basket containing equipment was to be lifted from the vessel deck to an offshore installation. The crane on the offshore installation was unable to lift the […]
MSF: water based mud spill on deck
What happened? The Marine Safety Forum (MSF) has published Safety Alert 20-05 relating to a spill of water-based mud. During routine mud transfer operations at an offshore installation the rig […]
Serious injury caused by high-pressure washer
What happened? A work team supervisor sustained a laceration to his upper right thigh caused by a high-pressure water jet. The injury required several stitches and the injured party was […]
UK HSE: Workers injured by unplanned release of mud slurry
What happened An electricity power station company was prosecuted after three contractors were injured by a sudden release of water and sludge, while carrying out maintenance work. Three crew were […]
Fire in the engine room
What happened A vessel suffered a fire in the engine room. The incident occurred after the vessel was leaving port during the hours of darkness in calm weather. The vessel […]
Engine room fire – a small rag left after maintenance
What happened There was a small fire in the engine room of a large multi-engined vessel. Work had been carried out the previous night to replace a sheared bolt on […]
Inadvertent activation of condensed aerosol fire extinguishing system leads to a fatality
What happened The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has issued Safety Bulletin SB1/2020 highlighting a potentially serious hazard, associated with condensed aerosol firefighting suppressant particles after a fatal accident […]
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