Supervisor Killed at Hanwha Ocean Shipyard During Testing on FPSO
A supervisor identified as a Brazilian national overseeing construction of an FPSO vessel at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, was killed on September 3 during testing on the under-construction vessel. The Coast Guard is reporting that the individual fell from a platform that collapsed while two other individuals clung to the structure and were rescued.
Related work at the Hanwha Shipyard was immediately suspended as investigations began into the incident. Korean media reports that the Coast Guard and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are investigating the incident as a possible violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act.
Lift testing was being performed on the 150,000-ton FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) vessel being built for Petrobras. According to the reports, large bags filled with water we being lifted between approximately 11:30 am and noon local time using a winch aboard the vessel designed for lifting heavy objects. The structure holding the winch collapsed under the weight, leaving it bent and hanging down.
Report from Korean TV (Click image for video)
The supervisor who was on the platform fell more than 30 feet (10 meters) to the water below. The Coast Guard reports he was recovered at approximately 1330 and was in cardiac arrest. He died at a local hospital.
The other two individuals were able to hold on to the remaining structure. They are reported to have suffered less serious injuries.
South Korea’s unions have complained about unsafe working conditions at all the shipyards. Last year, there was another fatal accident at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard that also resulted in work being suspended. A month later, there was a fatal accident that killed a subcontractor at HD Hyundai’s Ulsan shipyard.
This latest incident comes as the shipyards have been involved in prolonged contract negotiations with the unions. Hanwha Ocean reached what it called a major labor deal with its unions in late July. The unions, however, have been calling for strikes at HD Hyundai’s shipyards as they demand better wages and working conditions, and now are also protesting the planned merger of HHI’s yard in Ulsan with the Hyundai Mipo shipyard.