During offloading of a bin from a platform to a boat recently, the crane boom failed, dropping the load on the boat. Two boat crew members narrowly escaped injury. Crude oil from the bin and gear oil from the crane were released into the ocean.
We remind platform operators that Minerals Management Service regulations at 30 CFR 250.20(c) require that cranes be operated and maintained in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 2D, which includes the following provisions:
- Operation of cranes by only qualified personnel, and
- Use of static and dynamic load rating charts to be derived in accordance with API Specification 2C. As specified in API Specification 2C, Section 3.1, loads being moved from a platform to a boat or vice versa are classified as dynamic loads, as opposed to static loads, which include movement between stationary sites on a platform. For a particular crane model and crane boom angle, the allowable load for a dynamic lift is less than that for a static lift, because the potential movement of the dynamic load due to movement of the boat when lifting up or setting down can make the load momentarily far exceed the actual weight being moved.
Other critical areas of crane operation that require attention, which we have highlighted in the past, include:
- Use of proper rigging, including protection of slings against any sharp edges on their loads,
- Keeping personnel clear of suspended loads, especially the area under the load, and
- Not operating cranes while helicopters are landing or taking off.
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