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Press Article: Enclosed spaces - How to change behaviour
News & Insights 15 December 2020
Akshat Arora, Senior Surveyor, looks at why the shipping sector continues to struggle with deaths and injuries in enclosed spaces, in the latest issue of Maritime Risk International.
Enclosed space entry-related accidents on board ships have long been a cause of serious injuries and fatalities. The IMO adopted Resolution A.1050(27), “Revised Recommendations for Entering Enclosed Spaces Aboard Ships” in November 2011 and incorporated mandatory amendments to SOLAS Ch III Reg.19.3.6 (emergency training and drills) and Ch XI-1 Reg.7 (atmosphere testing instrument for enclosed spaces). Additionally, the International Safety Management (ISM) Code requires companies to ensure proper risk assessment procedures are in place.
Unfortunately, despite the existing requirements, enclosed space fatalities persist. In 2019, based on a study done by Vistrato, the International Transport Federation (ITF) underlined a “shocking spike” in deaths in confined spaces with a total of 145 casualties in the past 20 years, with an alarming 28 of those occurring within a span of 16 months. These incidents highlight improper training, insufficient hazard awareness and perhaps signal a need for enclosed space entry-related procedures to be reviewed further.
The full article is available in Maritime Risk International's December/January 2021 issue, pages 22-23, linked on the right.
Category: Loss Prevention