201566 Heavy chain wheel crushes crew member

Edited from Marine Safety Forum Safety Flash 15-16

An offshore supply vessel was mobilising for a project which required the use of an 84mm chain wheel (gypsy) instead of the 105mm unit already installed. Once the existing unit had been removed and stored on the main deck, the installation of the 84mm unit began.
The crew disconnected the 84mm gypsy from the crane without checking its final landing position. They did not initially see that the rims of the gypsy were on each side of the skid rail instead of further to the left, on the smooth deck. After disconnecting from the crane, the crew started to roll the gypsy to position it for installation. However, during this manoeuvre the right hand rim dropped into the gap in the rail, causing the gypsy to tip beyond its balancing point. It fell over and pinned two crew members against the bulkhead. After rescuing the crew members from their precarious position, one required first aid while the other was subsequently pronounced dead.

Lessons learned
- Identify all hazards and risks prior to starting a job. Due to their size and weight, gypsies should not be manually handled or rolled.
- If the execution of the job does not go according to plan, stop and re-evaluate.
- Ensure there are adequate lifting or handling appliances for handling the intended job.