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An IMCA Member
reported an incident during a dive support vessel
transit from port to an offshore location, a diver
sustained an injury to two fingers of his left
hand.
The diver was in the
aft transfer lock and was holding a chamber door open to
allow a colleague to transit between the chamber and
transfer lock. When holding the door open, another
door in the aft transfer lock swung open, trapping the
diver's fingers between the two
doors.
At the time of the
incident, weather conditions winds were between force 7
and 8. The vessel was pitching and rolling
heavily.
The diver received
first aid inside the chamber from his
colleagues.
The diver
was subsequently decompressed and the vessel
returned to port.
On arrival in port the
injured person was taken out of the dive chambers and
transferred to a hyperbaric facility for further
treatment and "bend" watch.
The diver sustained
crush injuries to his fingers, as well as the removal of
both finger nails.
After investigation,
the immediate cause of the injury was attributed to
uncontrolled opening of chamber door, trapping and
crushing diver's fingers between the two doors, with
underlying causes as follows:
- Door spring tension
was not enough to hold against uncontrolled door
movement;
- No hooks were used; no
door dampers were in place;
- No risk assessment had
been carried out for the chamber with regard to rough
weather transit;
- The chamber door
design and securing arrangement for chamber doors were
poor;
- Chamber doors are
heavy and cumbersome;
- Safety observation
should have heightened diver awareness of hazards in
chambers.
Personnel are reminded
that they should consider the
following:
- Carry out a risk
assessment on all chamber door systems for potential
uncontrolled movements;
- Test and set latching
devices, particularly spring loaded latching devices,
to an optimal tension for safety and ease of use;
- Adhere to diving
chamber transit
procedures.
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