Lifeboat launch capability compromised

Scaffolding had been erected to allow safe access for vendor personnel access to surrounding structure, this involved erecting scaffold in close proximity to the lifeboat. During a worksite visit it was noted that the scaffold had been erected around the winch chain on the aft end of the lifeboat.

It was identified that the opening left to allow the winch chain and winch block to pass through was significantly smaller than the winch block itself thus compromising the launching capability of the lifeboat. On the underside of the scaffold boards there was a scaffold pole support that would also have impaired the descent of the lifeboat.