Unsecured hatch door dislodged during HPU transport

What happened?

A worker noticed a hatch door lying beside a public road and suspected that it was a component that would normally be fitted to a hydraulic power unit (HPU).

Subsequent follow-up confirmed that the hatch door had been dislodged from a HPU during transport from a laydown area to a supply base.

No one had been injured and there was no damage to equipment or infrastructure.

Why did it happen?

The packer was aware of the requirement to restrain the doors of older generation (larger) HPUs but did not wrap the unit with horizontal restraints (belly wrap) because the equipment required to complete the task was not available.

The transporters were unaware that the hatch door is designed to be removed by lifting vertically from the hinge pins.

Without additional restraints, the hatch door lock was unable to hold the hatch door in place during transport.

The hatch door lifted from the hinge pins and fell from the moving transport vehicle.

What did they learn?

It is not uncommon that hatch doors can be removed by hand by lifting off the hinge pins when the door is closed and the lock engaged.

There were expectations in place regarding the presentation of HPUs for transport. These were informal and inconsistent. The requirement to secure hatch doors during transport was not included in formal packing or loading procedures.

A similar incident had occurred previously. Lessons had not been effectively communicated. Chain of responsibility receivable checklists had identified non-compliances in return logistics consignments. These non-compliances had not been escalated and reported.

Ask yourself or your crew

Are you involved in packing, loading or transporting HPUs? Did you know that hatch doors on some HPUs can lift off the hinge pins, even when the lock is engaged? Do your procedures for packing and loading HPUs require wrapping the unit with horizontal restraints (belly wrap)?

Have you identified any non-compliances against packing and loading procedures? Do you report non-compliances when you see them? How do you report these non-compliances?

Are you aware of your responsibilities under local chain of responsibility legislation? Are you aware of the Safer Together load safe tool?

What happened?

A worker noticed a hatch door lying beside a public road and suspected that it was a component that would normally be fitted to a hydraulic power unit (HPU).
Subsequent follow-up confirmed that the hatch door had been dislodged from a HPU during transport from a laydown area to a supply base.
No one had been injured and there was no damage to equipment or infrastructure.
Why did it happen?

The packer was aware of the requirement to restrain the doors of older generation (larger) HPUs but did not wrap the unit with horizontal restraints (belly wrap) because the equipment required to complete the task was not available.
The transporters were unaware that the hatch door is designed to be removed by lifting vertically from the hinge pins.
Without additional restraints, the hatch door lock was unable to hold the hatch door in place during transport.
The hatch door lifted from the hinge pins and fell from the moving transport vehicle.
What did they learn?

It is not uncommon that hatch doors can be removed by hand by lifting off the hinge pins when the door is closed and the lock engaged.
There were expectations in place regarding the presentation of HPUs for transport. These were informal and inconsistent. The requirement to secure hatch doors during transport was not included in formal packing or loading procedures.
A similar incident had occurred previously. Lessons had not been effectively communicated. Chain of responsibility receivable checklists had identified non-compliances in return logistics consignments. These non-compliances had not been escalated and reported.
Ask yourself or your crew

Are you involved in packing, loading or transporting HPUs? Did you know that hatch doors on some HPUs can lift off the hinge pins, even when the lock is engaged? Do your procedures for packing and loading HPUs require wrapping the unit with horizontal restraints (belly wrap)?
Have you identified any non-compliances against packing and loading procedures? Do you report non-compliances when you see them? How do you report these non-compliances?
Are you aware of your responsibilities under local chain of responsibility legislation? Are you aware of the Safer Together load safe tool?