Lessons learned: Safety watchman must be vigilant to persons in enclosed spaces - SAFETY4SEA - Safety4Sea

The Nautical Institute provides lessons learned from an incidental wherever 2 were recovered lying motionless astatine bottommost of the ballast tank.

The incident

A bulk bearer was underway. During his inspections the Chief Mate noticed traces of bunker substance lipid successful the forepeak ballast tank. Because that vessel was adjacent to a bunker substance tank, helium suspected a leak from the bunker tank. He tasked 2 unit to participate and inspect the ballast vessel with a presumption to confirming the situation. A 3rd idiosyncratic was elaborate arsenic information watchman astatine the vessel manhole entrance.

After a time, different serviceman came by and asked the information watchman however the inspection was going. He said everything was OK but erstwhile the serviceman yelled down to validate the authorities of the 2 unit successful the tank, helium received nary response. Without hesitating, the serviceman entered the vessel and continued shouting to find the 2 men. He soon saw them some lying motionless astatine bottommost of the tank.

The serviceman rapidly climbed backmost up and retired of the tank. He had nary VHF radio, truthful attempted to rise the alarm by waving his hands and shouting towards the span to pull attention.

Fortunately, the OOW saw him and sounded the alarm. Soon, each unit were mustered and a squad entered the vessel – without breathing apparatus. Both unit were rescued.

The victims were taken to the accommodation and fixed oxygen and CPR. Both victims were resuscitated and were deemed recovered.

Lessons learned

• Incredibly, this mishap did not assertion immoderate lives. Statistics amusement that persons that effort to rescue victims successful an enclosed abstraction often go victims themselves.
• The information watchman indispensable beryllium vigilant and attentive to the persons wrong an enclosed space. Ideally, determination should beryllium adjacent changeless communication.
• Enclosed abstraction procedures request to beryllium thoroughly followed, including ventilating and investigating the ambiance earlier entry, having exigency rescue cogwheel astatine the ready, and equipping astatine slightest 1 of the unit who participate with a state detector.