No one was injured in the event on 31st March 2016– almost 8 years back– however a disorderly scene occurred after the collapse of the Rowan Gorilla VII’s boom, according to the Health & & Safety Executive (HSE).
Flying particles harmed a close-by vessel and whipped a pipe out of control before it burst, leaving a cloud of cement dust.
HSE inspectors explained the occurrence as an “mishap waiting to take place”.
It occurred offshore in the North Sea as personnel were preparing to recuperate a malfunctioning submersible pump. As the crane operator raised the boom to clear among the 3 legs of the setup it stopped working catastrophically and collapsed.
HSE discovered the instant reason for the crane collapse was that Rowan Drilling (UK) Limited had actually not examined that a limitation switch, developed to avoid the crane boom being raised to the point of mechanical failure, had actually been properly set.
3 of the 4 boom areas was up to sea in between the rig and the Solvik Supplier supply vessel, which was pumping dry cement to the rig through a versatile pipe. The crane‘s auxiliary hook, cable televisions, parts, and rig particles arrived on the deck of the Solvik SupplierThe boom idea snagged the versatile hose pipe, dragging it listed below the sea surface area, triggering it to burst and whip back onto the deck of the vessel engulfing it in great cement dust.
No one was hurt by the occurrence, there were at least 5 Rowan workers on and around the crane at the time of the collapse. There were 13 team onboard the supply vessel.
The HSE examination discovered that security systems, created to avoid unintended operation of the multitude, raiseand boom joystick controls in the port bow crane cabin had actually all been bypassed to avoid them going back to their locked neutral position. An enhancement notification was served on the business to correct concerns associating with the limitation changes and management problems recognized.
Rowan Drilling (UK) Limited, of Queens Road, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2( 1) and Section 3( 1) of the Health and wellness at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined ₤ 130,000 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 21st December 2023.
HSE inspector Brian Kennedy stated: “It was pure luck that no one was seriously hurt or passed away as an outcome of these failings. Similar to many occurrences, the situations causing the collapse of the port bow crane on the RGVII were years in the making and symptomatic of a faulty security management system that permitted those conditions to exist and continue.
“This was rather just a mishap waiting to take place and highlights the essential value of preserving and evaluating crane limitation changes to guarantee they will constantly supply the desired level of defense.”
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