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Lateral Learning: Fatal Crane Incident at Amin (Nimr) Steam

A fatal incident occurred at the Amin (Nimr) Steam Pilot project site on Thursday 20th September, 2012 at an approximate time of 14:10 hrs. The deceased is a 32 year old Indian helper working for Al Turki Enterprises (ATE), a PDO contractor.

An ATE mechanical crew was using a 25 ton crane to lift pipe sleeves. During the lifting operation, the deceased went to fetch slings from the cranes tool box located above the cranes battery. The contents of the box cannot be accessed from ground level so he stood on the outrigger and reached over. In doing so he placed himself in the arc path taken by the cranes counter weight which as it rotated, crushed the deceased against the toolbox.

He immediately fell unconscious and was brought to STS camp clinic in Amal. The doctor gave him CPR but could not revive him and at 15:15 hrs he was declared dead.

  1. Ensure there is a proper lifting plan in place and it is followed at all times;
  2. Ensure HEMP has been carried out;
  3. Ensure the Ten Questions For A Safe Lift have been discussed and properly cascaded during the toolbox talk; (slide 6)
  4. Ensure risks of concurrent operations are assessed and mitigated;
  5. Ensure lifting operation personnel are competent and qualified;
  6. Ensure a Person is In Charge (can be the Banksman) and wears a high visibility vest;
  7. Never access a crane when it is either operating or about to operate;
  8. Use steps to access heights, not an outrigger;
  9. Always be aware of events around you and expect the unexpected;
  10. Barricade the area and ensure only authorized personnel enter;
  11. Crane drivers and banksman (signaller) must visually check all around the crane before operating.

  • There was no Person In Charge or banksman controlling the crane operations
  • There were Concurrent Operations leading to conflicting tasks in the area.
    • 2 mechanical crews working on two separate PTWs in the same area
  • The deceased walked into and within the cordoned off area.
  • There were non adherences to the PTW requirements and deviations from the Lifting Operations Standards and Procedures (PR 1709):
    • lifting plan was not followed;
    • hazards were not reassessed when there was a change at the work site;
    • crew members changed from one crew to another.


Category:Safety AlertsDocument Type:Safety
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