Dropped objects

Impact problems are becoming increasingly important to industry, with respect to safety issues. The designer has to take into account accidental loads of the material caused by dropped objects, collisions or explosions. In particular with respect to aramid materials, ballistic protection applications are an important issue. Advantageously, the materials should have a large capacity to absorb kinetic energy. 

Lack of escape routes Persons on board Cyclones/hurricanes Downers and leaners Blowouts Hydrogen sulfide Dropped objects Helicopters Ship collision. 

Dropped objects (usually from deck cranes) are a major hazard on offshore platforms. If they fall on the deck, they can hurt workers and/or seriously damage equipment (with the potential for a catastrophic event). If the dropped object is heavy and it falls into the sea, it can be traveling quite fast by the time it reaches the seabed, especially in deepwater. Consequently the dropped object can cause substantial damage to subsea equipment—with the potential for causing a serious environmental problem. 

At the annual meeting of the Offshore Operators Committee held in December 2010, it was noted that 19.5% of offshore accidents are due to crane movement (closely associated with dropped objects events) and that the number of accidents in this area has not been improving. The favorable trend shown in Figure 1.11 does not apply to such accidents. For this reason, the OOC working the BOEMRE is researching the causes of such accidents so that actions can be taken to reduce their number. 

Dropped objects from cranes and other lifdng equipment... 

All regularly assigned personnel, as applicable, should be ttained in environmental protection and pollution control. For most persoimel, this requirement involves little more than making sure that everyone knows that it is completely unacceptable to spill liquids or drop objects overboard. Senior operators and supervisors need to be aware of the allowable limits for discharges of materials such as produced water, and they must know when they seem to be not in compliance with those limits. 

Ruptures due to impacts (e.g., dropped objects, swinging loads) can cause significant sparking subsequently resulting in a relatively high ignition probability. 

Working offshore in a marine environment is challenging and introduces multiple hazards. Weather conditions can be harsh and change constantly. European offshore wind operations already face such hazards as transfers to and from turbine platforms from vessels in shifting seas and injuries associated with dropped objects or with crane operations and suspended loads. Assembling sections of a wind turbine offshore can... 

Dropped objects Electrocution and arc flash Emergency evacuation... 

Loading materials during transport can lead to dropped objects and uncontrolled lifts. 

Personnel working in the tower or the nacelle are at heights and climb ladders multiple times per day, and they face fall hazards or exposure to dropped objects. 

Crane and lifting operations Large turbine components or heavy pieces of equipment must be lifted and moved. Hazards can include dropped objects, uncontrolled lifts, crushing, unbalanced vessels, crane failure, and collapse. 

Employees work at elevated site who could drop objects on others below... 

Dropped objects, usually from deck cranes, are a major hazard on offshore platforms. If they fall on the deck they can hurt workers and/or seriously damage... 

I.B.IO Are the cranes located so the supply boats and laydown areas are reached with minimum of lifting over process and wellhead areas, or over any equipment or piping which contain hydrocarbons If this is not possible, has dropped-object protection been considered for critical equipment ... 

Process Hazards Analysis (PHA) techniques were developed for the onshore chemical and refining industries. These industries typically work with a much wider range of chemicals than are used offshore, and many of those chemicals are highly toxic and/or corrosive—something that is rarely a major consideration offshore. Therefore, the use of onshore-style PHA methods when analyzing the risks associated with offshore facihties can feel like something of a misfit. Where possible, these techniques should be modified so that problems to do with hazardous chemicals receive less prominence, but other issues, such as dropped objects and escape and evacuation routes, are analyzed more thoroughly. 

Material Handling Risk Assessment/Dropped Objects... 

Areas for potential dropped objects (including subsea) and... 

One of the greatest hazards on an offshore facility is that of dropped objects, usually from one of the platform cranes. Dropped objects include drill pipe, chemical totes, galley supplies, and production risers. 

Before a Dropped Objects study is carried out, it is normal for a Material Handling Philosophy to be developed. This philosophy will discuss issues such as ... 

Determine the impact of a dropped object in each of the drop zones. 

The consequences associated with a subsea-dropped object can be categorized and used in a hazards analysis as follows ... 

The following strategies can be used to reduce the risk associated with a dropped object to an acceptable level ... 

Shield critical components or place them close to larger, more robust items. In practice, studies often show that the impact energy of a dropped object can be... 

Design subsea components so that they are less likely to fail if struck by a dropped object. 

Develop dropped-objects emergency response plans. 

One means of reducing the risk associated with dropped objects is to create a safe zone or quadrant at the seabed. No subsea equipment should be installed in that zone. All lifts to and from the rig or platform should be carried out in the water column above that zone. Then, if the object is dropped, the chance of an important piece of equipment being hit is minimized. 

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