The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) has published a marine investigation report detailing a dangerous space fatality.
What happened
On the morning of 21 December 2021, a Bahamas registered bulk carrier had nearly completed loading a cargo of corn in Chennai, India, when a team of fumigation contractors arrived onboard.
In the early afternoon, two contractors entered cargo hold 4, wearing gas masks along with a phosphine gas detector. Shortly afterwards, one of them climbed back out, feeling breathless. He then noticed his colleague had fallen and went back down the ladder to help him. He too collapsed.
After the alarm was raised, the chief officer ran to the hatch and saw the two workers motionless at the bottom of the ladder. He then fetched an emergency escape breathing device which he wore to enter the hold and retrieve both contractors. One of the workers recovered but his colleague did not survive.
Why it happened
Oxygen levels in the cargo hold had been depleted by the corn cargo inside – in the six days that the hatches had been shut, oxygen levels had fallen well below that needed to support life. Dangerous levels of phosphine were also found but toxicology showed no gaseous poison in the blood or lungs of the victim or survivor.
The fumigation workers entered cargo hold 4 without the knowledge of the crew and without effective protection – the cargo holds were not considered dangerous spaces and therefore there was no safe system of entry or access control in place. The attempt to help a colleague in distress cost the victim his life. The uncoordinated rescue attempt by the chief officer using unsuitable equipment could have resulted in more victims.
What we can learn
Organic cargoes, such as corn, can deplete oxygen (and raise carbon dioxide) to dangerous levels in enclosed spaces rapidly.
The fumigation contractors’ protective equipment – gas masks and phosphine detector – offered no protection from the other hazard that they were exposed to. The risk of oxygen depletion was not considered by those onboard or ashore.
The human drive to help those in distress is incredibly strong but can prove fatal: the importance of realistic drills to prepare for these scenarios and imprint an appropriate response cannot be underestimated. Shoreside personnel that are subject to the same risks would benefit from similar training.
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Source: The Bahamas Maritime Authority
