200421 Enclosed Space Ventilation

Enclosed Space Ventilation
MARS Report 200421

The Code of Safe Working Practice says: 'if the air in an enclosed space is tested and found deficient, ventilation must be carried out before entry and must be maintained whilst persons are in the enclosed space'. My current vessel was built in May 2002 under ABS and is sailing under Bahamas flag, it is now 21 months old and we still have no exhaust ventilation equipment on board at all. I have twice raised a store requisition for it and it was also raised before I joined. The request has also been recorded in a Safety Meeting and the Superitendent was also told by me during his personal visit to the vessel - but it has still not been supplied.

I wonder how, in this modern world of STCW95, ISM, ISO etc., the company are managing to take a major risk of a person dying in an enclosed space due to lack of ventilation? I am sure that an exhaust ventilator does not cost more than US$1,000. Or is it that they are simply not bothered about human life as its covered by the insurance policy but the equipment cost of US$1,000 has to be payed from the company's profit?

In the case of any accident of this sort, the investigation will surely blame the Chief Officer for the loss of life of one of the crew. He may also face possible personal manslaughter charges brought by the victims family. We all know that crew refusal to enter enclosed spaces is possible only in theory and not in practice. In addition we cannot wait for at least 24 hours of natural ventilation time as recommended, because sometimes the situation requires us to enter these spaces as soon as possible. Ballasting and then deballasting tanks to ventilate them is usually not practical.

I request you to kindly take some action for this, for example, to make the carriage of ventilation equipment a part of SOLAS requirements.

Have other seafarers encountered similar problems to this? Would any of the authorities care to comment on this report?