IMCA safety guidance
22 July 2008
New guidance on operational communications in lifting operations from the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is relevant to a range of operations, it says. They include quayside, on-deck, subsea, between platform and ship, ship-to-ship, small craft launch and recovery, and drilling.
"Lifting operations involve human decisions and actions and good communication is the key to ensuring that personnel involved in the lifting operation work effectively and safely as a team. Preparation is needed for all lifting tasks and from the initial stages communications planning plays an important part. Communications failures are a common root cause of lifting incidents," explained Hugh Williams, IMCA chief executive.
Guidance on Operational Communications: Part 2 - Lifting Operations will benefit association members seeking to review, or enhance, their own in-house documentation, said IMCA.
Lift planning is addressed in more detail in IMCA's Guidelines for Lifting Operations, and users should also refer to Operational Communications: Part 1 - Bridge and Dive Control, added the association.
Members can download the guidance free-of-charge from the IMCA website. Printed copies cost £15 (US$30) for members and £30 ($60) for non-members, plus 20% for delivery outside Europe.
For more information about IMCA see www.imca-int.com.
