Fatality during basket transfer

A member has reported an incident in which a crew member suffered a fatal fall from a Billy Pugh X-800 series personnel basket during a transfer between an incomplete platform jacket and heavy lift barge. The basket started swinging and the person fell and landed on a walkway of the platform jacket, suffering serious head injuries. He was evacuated to hospital and subsequently died of his injuries.

The company’s investigation revealed the following causes:

• There was no provision of an adequate landing platform for the personnel basket;
• The basket landing area being used was on a walkway grating 1.2 m in width and between two transition pieces of the jacket;
• During the lifting operation of the basket the crane barge was rolling and pitching between 1-2 degrees and the boom angle of the crane was at 31 degrees (main crane in use), a combination of factors which allowed the basket to swing when raised;
• The crane operator continued to lift the basket despite it striking the transition pieces of the jacket;
• The two tag lines attached to the basket were not used to stabilise the basket whilst it was being hoisted.

Following the incident, it was noted that all offshore personnel transfer methods involve some degree of risk. The method of personnel transfer should be taken into account when conducting assessment of risk for the project. The transfer method should be identified and mitigating factors agreed with the client prior to the start of operations. Mitigating factors should be taken into account, such as environmental limit criteria, provision of adequate landing areas and use of the most appropriate mode of transfer.

The company and its client took the following actions:

• Review the type of basket currently in use and consider an alternative which can provide impact and fall protection;
• Identify and provide a proper landing platform for personnel basket landing in the initial jacket positioning phase;
• Reinforce standard operating procedure with regards to personnel basket transfer and lifting operations;
• Reinforce the stop work policy. All personnel have the right to refuse to be transferred or conduct a transfer when they consider the situation unsafe to do so;
• Reinforce the safety awareness of personnel basket transfer by conducting more safety discussions on the subject. Personnel working on barges which use personnel basket transfer method have been reminded about the safety issues, to be more vigilant and exercise their right to stop the work if they see the conditions are unsafe to continue.

A series of sketches follows which describes the incident in more detail:

Members may wish to refer to Guidance on the transfer of personnel to and from offshore vessels and structures.