Washington — In response to an “improve in incidents involving grating” on offshore power platforms, the Bureau of Security and Environmental Enforcement has issued a safety alert.
The company says the incidents occurred as a result of employees misjudged grating integrity and/or didn’t perceive how bodily modifications have an effect on the integrity of grating. The alert briefly particulars three incidents that have been reported to the company up to now two years, together with one which resulted in a employee’s dying.
BSEE suggestions to operators and contractors:
- Prepare personnel on the hazards of inadequate grating.
- Create or revise procedures for the removing and substitute of grating to make sure removing preparations don’t create a extra hazardous strolling and dealing floor.
- Procedures ought to present orderly steps conducive to engaged on small areas of affected grating at a time and determine protected working practices.
- When changing deteriorated grating, assume the grating is unsafe to stroll on with out fall safety.
- Remember that modifications to a sheet of grating can have an effect on the rated load capability.
- Follow preventive upkeep relatively than reactive upkeep at any time when doable.
- Substitute grating earlier than it’s deemed hazardous.
“When changing grating, demolition operations akin to ripping grating (reducing the crossbars alongside a sheet), needle or chisel gunning, and eradicating anchor welds can have an effect on a piece of grating’s potential to carry personnel or gear,” BSEE says. “The power of deteriorated grating to carry weight can’t be decided visually or by prior expertise, particularly after demolition operations have begun.”
