Crew must follow relevant enclosed spaces entry and rescue procedures
The Hong Kong Marine Department has issued Information note referring to a fatal accident onboard a Hong Kong registered bulk carrier in which a Bosun was killed after entering alone into an enclosed space without following the procedures for proper entry.
The Incident
A Hong Kong registered bulk carrier was drifting at sea while waiting for berth at Hadera, Israel for discharging of coal cargo. At the time of the accident, some crewmembers were repairing the faulty ballast valves actuating system inside the double bottom underneath the cargo holds.
With reasons unknown, a Bosun entered alone into a cargo hold access space without gas freeing and ventilation, wherein no repair work had been scheduled. He lost his consciousness and fell on the spiral ladder in the access space. Later on, he was discovered by the chief officer who passed by the cargo hold and noticed a tool box placed beside the cargo hold access space’s entrance.
The chief officer called for assistance and he immediately entered into the space without following the enclosed space rescue procedures. When a crew arrived, he entered into the space for assistance too, but came out immediately after he saw the chief officer and the Bosun lying inside the space. He called the Master through portable radiotelephone immediately and the rescue operation was commenced.
Eventually, the chief officer was saved but the Bosun was certified dead in the hospital ashore.
Investigation into the accident revealed that the concerned cargo hold access space was not safe for entry and the Bosun, who did not follow the entry procedure, was overcome and killed due to high concentration of carbon monoxide and oxygen depletion inside the space.
The chief officer fainted and fell down when he entered into the space alone for the rescue without following the rescue procedures. He was rescued with minor injury.
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It is important that all officers and crew on board ships with enclosed space entry or rescue responsibilities should strictly follow the relevant enclosed spaces entry and rescue procedures. They should participate in the drills at least once every two months and the drills should be planned and conducted in accordance with requirements stipulated in Chapter 3 Regulation 19 of SOLAS Convention. |
Source:Hong Kong Marine Department
