Analysis Of Shipboard Confined Space Accidents (January 1999 through April 2018)
In June of 2018, the IMO’s Sub-committee on the Carriage of Cargoes & Containers was presented with a proposal advanced by the International Bulk Terminals Association (IBTA is a participating NGO at IMO) addressing the safe handling of solid bulk cargoes. It’s a rather large document (24 pages), which includes proposed amendments to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code of Practice.
Given that proposals of this sort generally move with glacial speed (if at all) at IMO, it may be awhile before it (or any part of it) actually becomes part of the IMSBC. That doesn’t mean the proposal lacks merit, or shouldn’t be taken very seriously by the maritime community going forward.
Within the proposal, Annex 1 provides analysis and a great deal of insight into each of the serious shipboard confined space accidents that have been recorded by IBTA within the time frame January 1999 through April 2018. Of those 71 accidents, some 88 people lost their lives in 55 incidents due to asphyxiation and/or carbon monoxide poisoning. Another 18 people lost their lives in 13 fire/explosion accidents. These accidents involved both ship and shore workers, with 36 shore workers losing their lives as well as 70 seafarers.
Blueoceana Company provides access to the Annex 1 analysis here: Analysis of Shipboard Confined Space Accidents (1999-April 2018)
