Safety Alert/Rigging

Rigging Incident
Industry: Oil and Gas/Construction
Activity: Abrasive Blasting &Coating
Location: BP Refinery Kwinana/Tank farm
Date: 21/09/06
Incident Type: Unsafe Rigging and Work Plan/Practice.
Environmental conditions: Windy, wet day.

In a recent incident reported at the BP Refinery Kwinana, a worker identified a hazard on a petroleum storage tank work site (Tank 407) that could have had serious consequences.A part of the scope was to work on shell plates from a tank being refurbished and refitted for use.Abrasive Blasting &painting was to take place as directed on a specific shell section that was supposedly made secure and safe for our task by client(BP) mechanical contractors. It hazard identified was that there was a potential for the shell plate to fall and crush personnel working on the job.

On thorough inspection and JHA it was decided that the securing method for the task was totally inadequate even under the mildest of environmental conditions.


The whole securing method relied upon balance of the platform creating a securing tension on the structure .Limited and inadequate supports were provided by angle irons at three corners…a bottom shell plate ,a few steel wedges at the bottom and a not standard/unsafe arrangement of a sausage sling choked around a rough edged wind girder attached to a metal hooked chain block.The chain block itself was welded to the remaining tank shell plate.The chain block didn’t seem to be rated to take the weight it was expected to.

It was judged that given certain environmental conditions,(let alone compliance and standards issues)the whole structure could collapse on workers, working on such an arrangement ,leaving very little route for escape (especially as it was requested that we blast both sides of the plate…tank side and the external platform side)


The sausage sling ,though not the only factor, was cited as not being standard practice to arrange a material sling choked around a jagged edge as well as attaching to a metal hook and chain block to a possibly insecure weld.In addition weight ratings for the chain block needed to be confirmed.

From the photographs it could be implied that someone had attempted work on this job(with a non standard ladder).


Contributing Factors;

• Lack of knowledge of the appropriate scaffold/rigging compliance standards .
• Communication between planners, engineers and task specific consultation to build a work platform appropriate for the task
• Corrective actions are not proactive and taking too much time to correct.
• Lack of understanding of risk management procedures and hazard identification and controls
• Workers passive acceptance of a below standard construction and rigging standards
• Lack of appreciation of the risks associated with the task and
• Lack of overall accountability and concern in regard to safe working at heights and safety planning/management
• Communication with ourselves in regard to the suitability of the positioning of the shell plate and whether the securing method would be sufficient and secure for our task and scope of work.
















Corrective Actions

Using The JHA and Safety Auditing Processes and Getting Advice

These hazards were originally identified following a Job Hazard Analysis process carried out by the blasting and painting crew. A further inspection was conducted by the TCC Group Safety and Health Representative and Safety Advisor.