New guide helps prevent dropped objects
TIN news: Dropped objects are one of the leading causes of fatalities and serious injuries in the offshore oil and gas industry. Thus, ABS has issued a Guide for Dropped Object Prevention for Offshore Units and Installations including a program of requirements and best practices to protect assets, personnel and working environments from dropped object incidents.
According to the classification society, the guide may help companies develop effective dropped object prevention programs, reducing dropped object incidents by identifying potential problems, mitigating risks, providing employee training and using lessons learned for continued improvement.
For all dropped object zones, the following documents are to be submitted to ABS for review:
• Equipment and Outfitting Register listing items included in the DROP program
• Risk assessment reports for each listed item in the DROP equipment register
• An Onboard Drops Prevention Program that covers the required functions described in 2-1/7
• Implementation and audit of the onboard dropped objects prevention program by recognized external specialists
• A system of record keeping that includes auditing, inspection, accidents reporting, feedback, and lessons learned
In particullar, the Guide provides a two-tier approach that includes onboard management of new and existing equipment and a program for engineering review and manufacturing approval of equipment designed specifically to reduce the risk of dropped objects.
The general procedures of the independent dropped objects inspection are:
• Document equipment location for inspection area
• Take photographs of each item inspected, if possible
• Assign unique identification numbers to each item or tag numbers
• Describe each item inspected
• Inspect and document primary securing methods
• Inspect and document secondary retention methods
• Record equipment condition and whether it meets the safety criteria including comments (i.e., Satisfactory or Reason for Failure)
• Record inspection frequency (i.e., weekly, monthly) as recorded in the equipment inventory inspection criteria
• Generate final report and create a failed items list
For further information read the ABS guide herebelow