Saving lives: dangers of enclosed spaces
Throughout my first year at the Institute (almost), the dangers involved with working in enclosed, or confined spaces, have cropped up time and time.
Currently the China Maritime Safety Administration is in the midst of a nine-month special campaign against illegal entry into dangerous enclosed spaces onboard ships. A circular issued by Huatai Marine announcing the campaign said: “In recent years, the number of accidents caused by the act of illegally entering enclosed spaces has been increasing year by year, and such illegal acts have [posed serious threats] to the safety of both personnel and ships.”
In December 2023, InterManager called on the shipping industry to work together to improve safety and prevent further deaths in enclosed spaces. It came as it revealed 310 people had died in 197 accidents in enclosed spaces since 1996.
Then in July last year, the Association sent statistics to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) warning that the casualty rate for enclosed space accidents had almost doubled. When looking at enclosed space accidents in 2022 versus 2023, despite both years recording 14 incidents, there were 34 casualties in 2023 compared with 18 in 2022.
One story that stuck in my mind was a Britannia P&I Club BSafe case study on the death of a contractor on board a bulk carrier in 2021. The vessel arrived in Chennai, India to load 53,000 tonnes of yellow corn. Specialist contractors boarded to install ducting for fumigating the cargo. A
cargo hold was loaded and its hatches and accessways were sealed. Six days later, a team of fumigation contractors prepared to enter the cargo hold. Two workers entered with gas masks and a phosphine gas detector and, shortly afterwards, worker A emerged feeling breathless and noticed worker B had fallen over inside the cargo hold. He went back to help his colleague, and at some point, also collapsed. Other team members did attempt to help but had to retreat due to breathlessness. Both workers were retrieved and given first aid and oxygen. However, worker A was later declared dead while worker B recovered. What struck me the most was that in this scenario the would-be rescuer was the one who ended up losing their life.
Unfortunately, this is an all-too- common occurrence.
The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) published an enclosed spaces guidance leaflet, which shared an alarming statistic crediting the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) - “Over 50% of workers who die in enclosed spaces are attempting to rescue other workers.”
I’ve read many articles and guidance notes on enclosed spaces highlighting the dangers of workers responding to incidents which then tragically result in multiple casualties. It has been a concern repeatedly reported on in the maritime industry throughout the years.
122 | ISSUE 111 | MAR 2025 | THE REPORT
By Frances Birkett, IIMS Marketing & Publishing Executive
These reports, from the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU), feature some well-known enclosed space incidents and casualties:
• ERRV Viking Islay: Three seamen died after entering an eclosed space while the vessel was conducting rig support operations in the North Sea in 2007. Two of them had gone to try and secure a rattling anchor chain in the chain locker. The first seaman collapsed, and the other raised the alarm before going in to help his companion. He also collapsed. The third seaman, the first rescuer, entered while wearing an Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD). At some point the EEBD hood was removed or dislodged and they also collapsed.
• Sava Lake: In 2008, two seamen collapsed in a store on board the general cargo ship. The chief officer entered the store to try and rescue the men but was soon forced to leave after becoming short of breath and his vision narrowed. The two seamen had asphyxiated. To clear the cargo hold ventilation trunking of any build up of cargo residues from the hold, or sea water from the deck ventilator, the flexible bellow pieces fitted adjacent to the ventilation fan had been cut. This created a direct air path from the cargo hold into the forward store. A test showed air in the cargo hold contained only 6% oxygen.
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