Two oil and gas sub contractors were lucky to be alive after the uncontrolled collapse of a crane on the Fulmer Alpha North Sea oil platform, said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today.
FAILURES
Respol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd was fined £535,000 over the incident on 11 September 2017.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that the 13 tonne, 45 metre long crane boom fell to the deck without warning, with flying parts hitting EnerMech Ltd employees Grieg Harwood, 40 and John Divers, 69.
Mr Harwood, who was 34 at the time, suffered a fractured jaw and lacerations to his chest.
The HSE said that he had his jaw wired together with three titanium plates fitted. Mr Harwood also suffered psychological damage and was diagnosed with anxiety, trauma and depression.
He stopped working in the offshore industry but is still unable to open his mouth fully and has no feeling in his lower jaw due to nerve damage.
Mr Divers, who was 63, also suffered physiologically and needed counselling. He was unable to face working offshore for 12 months.
By less than half a metre, the crane boom missed a high pressure flare line, a fuel gas line and the main oil line, added the HSE.
A “serious hydrocarbon release” could have resulted if any of these had been hit.
The HSE’s investigation found that the company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks of the work and failed to maintain the crane braking systems and equipment in a safe condition before work began.
Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd of Holburn Street, Aberdeen pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) and Section 2(1) of the of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
RISK ASSESSMENT
After the hearing, HSE principal inspector Dr Stephen Hargreaves said: “Greig Harwood and John Divers are lucky to be alive.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out suitable control measures and safe working practices.
“A North Sea oil platform is a hazardous environment, and it was again pure luck that the crane boom, which crashed to the deck, narrowly missed high pressure gas and oil processing equipment.
“This incident could have been avoided had the company properly planned and risk assessed the work and adequately maintained their cranes.”
“It is very disappointing that we are seeing failings of this nature bringing those working on North Sea installations perilously close to disaster.”