Entry into enclosed spaces requires a permit to work to be opened, which should be signed off and closed once the work is complete. This cannot have been properly done on the previous occasion that it was opened and is a serious violation of the enclosed space entry requirements, indicating significant deficiencies in the ship’s safety procedures.
While uncommon, these incidents emphasize the critical need for thorough inspections before loading operations begin. Independent inspectors normally check the holds, but if the new cargo is the same as the previous one then this inspection might have been omitted, or conducted from the deck, leaving the open manhole unnoticed.
The potential risks of these oversights are severe, particularly with cargo entering the stool, which would make retrieval difficult, especially as methane gas could accumulate in the area, creating a fire or explosion hazard.
