200935 Eye injury due to burst hose

Eye injury due to burst hose
MARS Report 200935

Shortly after our tanker arrived at the designated berth, the bosun was operating the hose-handling crane to position the vessel's gangway to provide safe access to the ship. During this operation, a flexible hose on the crane came adrift from its coupling and hydraulic oil under high pressure sprayed out, some of it entering the bosun's eyes. About 200 litres of spilled hydraulic oil had to be collected from the deck and disposed of appropriately.

Root cause/contributory factors

Inappropriate use of anticorrosive tape, which deteriorated with time and aided the development of undetected corrosion;
Routine inspections were carried out without sufficient attention to detail and failed to detect the deteriorated condition of the hose and connector;
The quantity of oil spilled on deck was abnormally large, as the crane was not fitted with an emergency stop for the hydraulic power pack. This could only be turned off locally from the fo'c'sle, a considerable distance away.

 
What went right

The crew acted quickly to provide first aid to the injured crew member;
The spilled oil was prevented from escaping overside.
Corrective/preventative actions

Company procedures revised and circulated among fleet for compliance; the use of anticorrosive tapes no longer permitted on hydraulic lines, as detailed in our company's maintenance policy. All vessels were instructed to remove all existing anti-corrosive tape from hydraulic connectors and apply protective coating (paint) on metal surfaces.

More effective onboard inspection and corrective actions ordered for noted defects and deficiencies.
Improved communications so that information reaches all key personnel.
Recommendation that the use of eye protection should be considered when operating hose handling cranes or other hydraulic machinery where flexible hoses and fittings may be exposed to the aggressive elements of the sea.
Recommendation that the flexible hoses on the hose handling crane be renewed every five years or earlier, if inspection indicates it is so required. 

Feedback in November 2009 issue of Seaways.