Tag: enclosed space entry

Enclosed space rescue drills often lead to injuries and fatal incidents, either it's because of lack of safety measures or lack of oxygen. Gard supports that preparedness comes with regular training and practice during the drills and recommends that time based goals should be set during enclosed space entry drills so that the crew understands the associated risks.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator informed of another two recent enclosed space entry deaths onboard an RMI-registered bulk carrier. This comes in addition to four associated deaths of seafarers on two RMI-flagged ships in 2018. 

Injury or death due to oxygen deficiency is a common hazard in the maritime industry. An oxygen-deficient atmosphere has less than 19.5% available oxygen (O2) and any atmosphere with less than 20.8 % oxygen should not be entered.

InterManager conducted a survey focusing on the danger of enclosed spaces aboard vessels. InterManager published the results and the feedback of the survey to highlight the risks hiding in that sector of the shipping industry, while also alert the industry eradicate these risks.

The Hong Kong Marine Department (MARDEP) informed of a fatal fall of a bosun onto the cargo hold bottom while onboard a general cargo ship. MARDEP noted a lack of compliance with safety procedures and unfamiliarity with entry into enclosed spaces.

In 2007, the enclosed space fatality incident onboard the ERRV vessel Viking Islay off UK shocked shipping community as three men died successively trying to rescue one another. Enclosed space entry has been over the years the hidden enemy for crews.

Peter Hazell, Assistant Vice President, Head of FDD Skuld, focused on the various incidents concerning former coal fired power stations that have started to burn biomass as feedstock in order to enhance sustainability of fuel sources. This results to shipments of wood pellets intended to be burned. Most of these shipments are executed without incident but there are significant hazards associated with the carriage of wood pellets.

The Hong Kong Marine Department informs of an incident where a stevedore mistakenly entered a fumigated cargo hold of a Hong Kong registered bulk carrier and was later found lying on the spiral ladder of the cargo hold. The stevedores were lack of safety awareness of confined space entry and they were not familiar with the working environment on board the vessel.

Enclosed space fatalities continue, as shipping lacks a thorough understanding of the risks faced by today’s seafarers while shipping industry investigations encourage a ‘blame culture’, according to a study by shipmanagement trade association InterManager. 

The ITF underlined a shocking spike in deaths in confined spaces, as a workplace hazard long familiar to the shipping industry. Since January 2018, 16 dockers and 12 seafarers have died from asphyxiation or explosions in confined spaces – or from falls after passing out due to bad air.