The American P&I Club has issued an alert on the issue of confined-space accidents and a pending safety effort to address the problem of the so-called “silent assassin.”
Beginning Sept. 1, port state control inspectors around the world will begin a focused campaign to review ships crews’ awareness of the dangers of entering enclosed spaces.
The port state officers will check that the ship has safe procedures in place to ensure that crews are not harmed while working in enclosed spaces, which may contain flammable, corrosive or toxic fumes or a lack of oxygen.
The goal in the three-month campaign is 10,000 inspections in port states operating under the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). The officers will confirm that the vessel follows all Safety of Life at Sea Convention provisions. Deficiencies will be recorded and vessels may be detained until the shortcoming is corrected.
To view the American P&I Club’s full alert, including links to training tools on enclosed space entry, see PORT STATE CONTROL: CONCENTRATED INSPECTION CAMPAIGN FOR ENTRY INTO ENCLOSED SPACES
Below is the questionnaire (click here to download) that will be used during inspections under the Paris MOU and an educational poster to spread awareness of enclosed-space hazards:
Courtesy American P&I Club
