SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Recognize the dangers of confined spaces

In the February 2009 CFN, we described sources, signs, and symptoms of invisible gas hazards in confined spaces. Now, let’s review precautions, multigas detectors, and six steps recommended to prevent fatalities.

In terms of precautions, here are some practical things you can do to minimize the risk of a fatal confined space accident on your vessel.

A qualified Coast Guard-approved marine drill instructor, Fred Mattera of Point Judith, RI is the owner/president of North East Safety Training Co. (NESTCo), which conducts fishing vessel drills and inspections and basic safety training workshops.

Make sure your crewmen are aware of the risks of confined spaces. Tell them which onboard spaces are considered potentially hazardous and instruct them on precautions.
Provide an adequate means of ventilation for suspect compartments. Even passive ventilation is better than none.
Never enter a space if you think it could be hazardous.
Notify someone before entering a confined space, even if you believe it is safe.
Make sure the space has an adequate and secure ladder or other means of entry and escape.
Keep confined spaces free of rust, hazardous chemicals, and excess organic material, such as decomposed fish. Keep fish holds clean.
Regularly inspect exhaust systems for leaks and repair problems promptly. Do not use fuel-burning heaters without adequate ventilation. And
Use multigas detectors to check spaces for oxygen content and presence of hazardous gases.

Detectors

The Point Club fishing vessel mutual insurance group has provided each of its members with a free multigas detector. This ultra-compact and durable detector is a great tool to sense the presence of hazardous gases and allow you to mitigate exposure to them.

The detector offers the most advanced features of any confined space detector on the market today at an economical purchase price. The alerting features include high-output audible, visual, and vibrator alarms triggered by high or low alarm settings.

Simultaneously displaying the oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and combustibles present, it delivers cutting edge protection and is ideally suited to a wide range of applications, including: hazardous gas response; confined space entry; post inspection fire safety; and monitoring of all of the hazardous gases present on a fishing vessel.

Six steps

Hazardous gas incident reports suggest that fishermen usually do not recognize that they are working in a confined space and they don’t understand they may encounter unforeseen hazards.

They typically don’t test and evaluate the confined space prior to entry and don’t monitor the confined space while people are working in there. And there is seldom a planned rescue response to an emergency situation.

Fishermen need to take six steps to prevent fatalities from this invisible threat.

Recognize – Learn to identify what a confined space is and train your crew to know, too. Training is essential and should stress that someone is likely to die if proper precautions are not taken before entry.

Test – Check the status of confined space with a multigas detector attached to your foul weather gear. While it’s important to understand that dangerous gases can be odorless, pay attention if you notice a distinctive smell.
Evaluate – Inspect confined spaces. Assess the adequacy of ventilation from deck plates, hatches, doors, and blowers. Clean and/or purge the confined space to remove hazardous materials. Repair leaks to prevent hazards from accumulating.
Develop appropriate work procedures – Establish a buddy system that involves attaching a safety line to the crewman entering the space with a standby crewman if trouble develops. Make available protective clothing, boots, and SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus). Set up a crew-to-crew communication system.
Monitor – While continuous monitoring is difficult without a fixed gas detector, a portable gas detector used on a continuous basis can assist in determining whether the atmosphere in the space has changed due to the work being performed.
Rescue – Put in place specific rescue procedures for each confined space before anyone enters one. Assign a standby person for each person who enters and equip the teams with safety lines, protective clothing, boots, and a SCBA. Plan to promptly broadcast a mayday call.

Practice rescue procedures frequently enough so they become second nature. Only this level of proficiency can eliminate rescue attempts that risk the lives of both victims and would-be rescuers and ensure an efficient and calm response to an emergency.

Hazardous gas in confined spaces on a fishing vessel is a rare occurrence. Nevertheless, most of the time it produces fatal consequences. Be aware.

Fred Mattera