201828 Floor plate clamp tripping hazard

 

 

Two engine room crew were assigned the job of dismantling and repositioning a pipe approximately 2m long and 6cm in diameter while the vessel was at sea. The pipe was located at the bottom platform of the engine room.

While shifting the dismantled pipe, one of the crew caught his foot on an unsecured, protruding floor grating clamp. He stumbled and his fingers got caught between the pipe flange and the corner plate securing the floor grating. Even though he was wearing gloves, the incident resulted in a fracture of the middle finger and a deep cut on the index finger.

Lessons learned
- Even the most mundane task can pose unsuspected risks if basic precautions are not taken. Tripping hazards should always be attended to in a timely fashion.
- Make a special effort to go over and around your vessel with fresh eyes; try to spot and eliminate tripping hazards.