Safety in Offshore Lifting Operations: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Offshore lifting operations represent high-risk activities in the oil and gas, offshore wind, and marine construction industries, with incidents involving equipment failures, dropped objects, and human errors continuing to threaten personnel safety and operational integrity. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence on safety factors, risk assessment methodologies, and intervention effectiveness in offshore lifting operations from 2011 to 2026. Following PRISMA guidelines, this study searched four databases (SciSpace Deep Search, SciSpace Full-Text Search, Google Scholar, and PubMed) identifying 261 unique records. After rigorous screening (abstract threshold ≥3.5, full-text threshold ≥4.5), 56 studies were included in qualitative synthesis and 51 in quantitative meta-analysis. This study employed the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model to pool relative risk (RR) estimates and assessed heterogeneity using I² statistics and Cochran’s Q test. Quality assessment utilized the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for observational studies. The pooled analysis of 51 studies (N = 66,164 lifting operations) demonstrated that comprehensive safety interventions significantly reduced incident risk (pooled RR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.47, 0.50], p < 0.001), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 83.9%, Q = 310.16, p < 0.001, τ² = 0.0821). Critical safety factors exhibited strong associations with incident risk: Overloading/Exceeding Safe Working Load (SWL) (RR = 3.45, 95% CI [2.67, 4.46]), Absence of Pre-Lift Safety Check (RR = 3.12, 95% CI [2.34, 4.16]), Equipment Failure/Mechanical Defects (RR = 2.84, 95% CI [2.12, 3.81]), and Inadequate Rigging Inspection (RR = 2.61, 95% CI [1.98, 3.44]). Risk assessment methodologies predominantly employed Bayesian Networks (n = 18 studies), Fault Tree Analysis (n = 16), and Quantified Risk Analysis (n = 14).This meta-analysis provides robust evidence that integrated safety management systems combining pre-lift planning, equipment inspection protocols, competency-based training, and real-time monitoring significantly reduce offshore lifting incidents. The substantial heterogeneity indicates context-dependent effectiveness, necessitating tailored interventions addressing equipment integrity, procedural compliance, environmental conditions, and human factors. Future research should prioritize standardized reporting, long-term safety performance metrics, and comparative effectiveness trials of emerging technologies.