- Accidents in enclosed spaces onboard vessels continue to be a source of serious injuries and fatalities.
- Despite decades of work to improve enclosed space entry by maritime safety organizations, training institutions, and vessel owners and operators, the risks have not been eliminated.
Most people aren’t trained to spot dangers unless they are obvious. However, the maritime industry takes invisible hazards very seriously and keeps highlighting best practices to avoid any risks onboard by staying aware of all invisible hazards as well.
While it is essential that seafarers are focused on the visible dangers onboard their vessels, it is just as important that the invisible hazards are not ignored as they can cause long-lasting damage to crew members and disrupt operations. Therefore, continuous safety campaigns from operators are vital to highlight the need for seafarers to concentrate on all risks in order to avoid long-term health effects that these may cause, reports Safety4sea.
For example, fumigants can be dangerous to human health, since they are not usually detected by smell. In this regard, crew members must be fully aware of the risk of carrying a fumigated cargo and adjacent spaces to be properly ventilated. In case entry to fumigated spaces is imperative, the use of PPE and breathing apparatus is mandatory. Diseases are also considered as an invisible hazard; on the occasion of COVID-19 pandemic many guidelines were issued, introducing new safety measures.
9 major invisible hazards onboard
- Fumigation
- Diseases
- Fatigue
- Mental Wellness
- Electrical shock hazards
- Biological Agents and Carcinogens (i.e. Asbestos)
- Noise and vibration
- Weather and Environmental conditions
- Harmful atmosphere
For invisible hazards, keep in mind:
ALWAYS
Identify all energy sources (such as electrical, mechanical, gravity and kinetic) before starting a task
Check if a Permit is required, obtain authorization and comply
Treat all energy sources as live until they have been:
- Safety isolated
- De-energised
- Verified, and
- Locked out with life-saving equipment such as locks and tags.
NEVER
- Start work without a pre-job risk assessment to identify risks and appropriate controls;
- Start work if you think that the conditions are unsafe;
- Start work if you are unclear of the safety or emergency procedures;
- Rely only on PPE; it is your last line of defence.
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Source: Safety4sea
