Page 35: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2023)

ENCLOSED SPACES

If you think the human element is the only cause of enclosed space deaths, think again.

By Wendy Laursen nclosed space incidents are cited as the largest regularly. It would be an inconvenience to have to ? ll out a cause of on-duty fatalities in commercial ship- permit and test the atmosphere every time. “So what? Incon- ping. The risks can’t simply be engineered out, veniences are a necessity of life.” but there’s a powerful coalition wanting action Having inbuilt detection systems would be a step forward,

Enonetheless. he says. However, beyond the initial expense, there is also

There’s a tendency to blame failure to follow procedures, the need for testing, calibration and maintenance. “You they say. Investigations seldom focus on the practicality of might not get that investment from owners until the IMO those procedures or the in? uence of the operating environ- makes them mandatory.” ment and vessel design, they say. Currently, IMO guidelines INTERCARGO is part of the coalition trying to make are just that, guidelines, and they can be interpreted differ- change happen. Members of the Human Element Industry ently by different shipping segments. Group (HEIG) also include International Chamber of Ship-

Paul Markides, Marine-Quality Manager at INTERCAR- ping, OCIMF, International Marine Pilots Association, Inter-

GO, notes that even the de? nition of what is an enclosed space national Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations, Institute can vary. On LNG carriers, there is a case for not designating of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (IMarEST), compressor rooms as enclosed spaces as people enter them so InterManager, the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA),

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