Hydraulic jumper termination head drops during transpooling

A 1.5 inch hydraulic jumper was being tran-spooled from a wooden reel to a subsea carousel.

During spooling of the first two layers, the second end termination head of the hydraulic jumper pipe (weighing 11 kg / 24 lb) released from the reel and fell 3 m / 9 ft to the floor.

It had been secured using a rubber covered metal band that was fastened to the wooden reel with 2 wood screws.

Five people were working nearby and were in the line of fire.  The end termination head missed them and there were no injuries.

• The distance between the reel and the carousel was too short to allow for the people operating the reel to attach the wire to the jumper and keep a safe distance from the reel when rotating.
• The securing arrangement for the heads, in this case wooden screws, was inadequate. Additionally, a second barrier was not considered necessary.
• This specific risk was highlighted in the task plan. However, the task plan was not properly followed on site before conducting the operation.
• The hazards of potential dropped objects were not properly addressed as part of the pre-job toolbox talk and task risk assessment.
• Some personnel involved were not trained in this type of work.

Termination heads on reels should be highlighted as potential dropped objects in the task risk assessment.

A second barrier should be added before spooling if proper engineered solutions are not in place.

Working closely to a rotating reel should be considered a high risk which should be properly mitigated.

All personnel should be trained for the task they are performing. If there are uncertainties regarding their competence, a competence assessment should be conducted beforehand.

How can something like this happen here?

How are termination heads secured on our site?

What controls do we have in place to prevent a similar incident? Are we following the plan?

What other hazards are associated with this task, and what can we do to mitigate the risk?