ExxonMobil Canada is reporting a near miss incident on the Hebron platform that they say “had the potential for fatality.”

The incident occurred on May 28 while maintenance was being performed on a knuckle boom crane while using a hydraulic pin puller.

The pin puller failed, which resulted a nearly 15 pound puller rod being projected 19 meters across the pipe deck, striking the top of a handrail, and then dropping 21 meters to a walkway on the deck below.

ExxonMobil says work immediately ceased in the area. An investigation into the root cause of the incident has begun, which is being overseen by the C-NLOPB.