The learning objective of this chapter is to understand how an enclosed space
entry operation is closed out
once a task inside the enclosed or confined space is finished the following
items must be completed click on the tasks for more information
personnel were tallied into the space by the watchman at the commencement of the
entry operation the reverse must now take place the watchman
must tally them out again handing back the personal tags or gaining a second
set of signatures on the tally board in this way it will be immediately apparent
if someone is missing and still inside the space account for equipment it is
essential that all equipment is also accounted for as a rag or hand brush can
easily be drawn into a pump or valve at a later stage and damage or block it
with serious consequences one of the last tusks of the entry team
before exiting is to check around the area in which they have been working and
remove any gear if the working side is completed and all personnel have left
the space it should be secured again by removing any gas free tax stopping
ventilation unless instructed otherwise by the responsible officer because the
space is to be entered again later withdrawing any Air Lines electrical
leads ejectors ropes and other similar equipment and closing any lids again
unless instructed otherwise by the responsible officer because the space is
to be entered later in effect the space is to be returned to the pre entry
condition all equipment used for the entry procedure and for the tasks
performed should be cleaned checked and returned to its correct storage location
test meters should be purged switched off and returned to the control room or
safety locker as applicable breathing apparatus should be cleaned and if of
the self-contained type bottles recharged and the sets return to their
racks flashlights lifelines and other safety equipment should be cleaned
checked and stored and personal protective clothing should be
decontaminated if required cleaned ventilated and returned to the safety
locker if working valves were secured prior to
the entry taking place they must be unlocked again and made ready for normal
use similarly if tags were placed on control panels they too must be removed
the securing of the space and the return of equipment will normally be reported
verbally between the crew members involved and the responsible officer but
where items of equipment have been withdrawn against a written log they
should be signed back in on return where applicable the officer on watch and the
duty engineer should also be advised that the planned task has been completed
the exact nature of final written reports or entries on controlled
documents such as logbook entries or closing out an enclosed space entry
permit will be determined by the company safety management system and the nature
of the task inside the space in any event the records must be filed and kept
for the required period note that they may subsequently be examined by an
auditor or inspector for learning this incident involves a
chemical tanker which had stainless steel center tanks with coated wing
tanks on either side her crew was comprised of men of several
nationalities the ship was in ballast and had just finished cleaning tanks
they were in the final stages of mopping and drying in preparation for the next
cargo the chief officer who had been on deck throughout was closely supervising
the operation although the details of the enclosed space entry permits are not
available the tanks had however already been guests freed the previous day and
the deck crew had been inside for ejecting in the mopping the chief
officer had also been inside all of them for inspection
on the day of the incident the deck crew was divided into two teams of two seamen
each in order to speed up the final preparations it eventually became a
practice that they went in and out of the tanks with minimal supervision by
the chief officer or attendants from the deck the afternoon coffee break came and
the deck was suddenly deserted the officer on watch on the bridge saw dark
clouds approaching and his soon started to rain heavily the watchman was sent to
inform the crew of the rain two men were sent on deck to close the tank lids many
of the tanks were almost in load ready condition and it was important that they
did not get rainwater inside the two men hurried from lid to lid swinging them
over and throwing the securing dogs on with a few quick turns to each the rain
eventually passed and the pump man went out to once again check the tanks he was
halfway through tightening the dogs on number five sent a tank lid when he
heard a faint knocking coming from inside the tank he immediately opened
the lid back up and found the chief officer clinging on to the ladder
breathing heavily he had one safety shoe in his hand and was weakly banging at
the inside of the tank hatch luckily he was only suffering from shock and
fatigue failure to observe basic enclosed space entry procedures and the
independent actions of the chief officer primarily led to this near-miss incident