202423: Engine room gantry hook defective

A vessel was in dry dock and crew were engaged in various maintenance tasks. In the engine room, the gantry crane was being used to lift the main engine. The supervisor noticed that the crane’s hook was not able to rotate under load. Work was stopped, the load relieved, and the hook was disassembled to permit investigation.

It was found that the inner mechanism of the hook was in poor condition. The thrust bearing was damaged and the threads of the hook were in poor condition.

 

 

Lessons learned

• A stop work initiative is always advisable if a dangerous situation arises or if something seems out of the ordinary or not ‘normal’.