A DROPPED OBJECTS Inspection (or DROPS - Dropped Object Prevention) is a systematic assessment to identify and mitigate the risks of objects falling from heights in industrial environments, such as oil rigs and construction. The objective is to prevent serious accidents, protect the health of workers, guarantee the integrity of equipment and structures, and ensure compliance with safety standards. The inspection involves identifying loose or poorly fixed items, checking connections and recommending corrective actions and preventive maintenance.
“Dropped Objects” is a safety term used mainly in the offshore, marine, oil and gas and heavy construction industries to refer to any object that falls from a height. Either accidentally or due to a failure of fixing that could cause damage to people, equipment or structures.
There are two main types:
- Static objects - something fixed that becomes detached (e.g. a reflector, a tool held in a holder, a pipe clamp).
- Dynamic objects - something that falls due to movement or activity (for example, a wrench slipping from a worker's hand, a screw loosening during maintenance). In practice, “Dropped Objects” are one of the biggest causes of serious and fatal accidents offshore. That's why there are programs like DROPS (Dropped Object Prevention), which create standards, training and checklists to prevent objects from coming loose and falling.
In Brazil, formal concern with inspection and prevention of Dropped Objects began to gain strength from 2008–2010, driven by two main factors:
Influence of international operators
Some international companies were already applying the DROPS program in other regions of the world and brought the requirements to their operations in Brazil. Platforms chartered or operated by foreign companies have begun to require periodic DROPS inspections in contracts with suppliers.
Serious offshore incidents
Accidents involving falling tools and structural components on platforms and drill ships have been recorded in Brazil, some of them resulting in fatalities. One of these accidents marked the beginning of the requirement for this type of inspection in charter contracts, leading companies in the sector to adopt and demand DROPS inspections as an essential preventive measure.