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• A concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on Crew Familiarization for Enclosed Space Entry will be initiated by the member Authorities of the Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control.

• The inspection campaign will be held for three (3) months, commencing from 1st September 2017 and ending on 30th November 2017. A copy of the press release by Riyadh MOU reg. CIC is attached herewith.

• The purpose of the CIC is to obtain a detailed insight of the relevant compliance with enclosed space entry, using, during routine Port State Control (PSC) inspection, a questionnaire listing amongst others, selected areas to be covered under the inspection, including but not limited to training of crew members responsible for testing the atmosphere in enclosed spaces and familiarization with the relevant equipment and identify and understand the hazards associated with the entry into enclosed space.

• Deficiencies found during the inspection will be recorded by the PSC officer and actions may vary from recording a deficiency and instructing the master to rectify it within a certain period, to detaining the ship until serious deficiencies have been rectified.

• Accordingly all Owners and managers of the Shipping Companies are advised that the ship’s Master and Chief Engineers are advised to ensure that;

  • Crew members participate in an enclosed space entry and rescue drill on board the ship at least once every two months and the record for same is available;

  • Appropriate portable atmosphere testing instrument(s) is available and capable of measuring concentration of oxygen, flammable gases or vapours, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide prior to entry into enclosed spaces.

  • Personnel gas detector that is intended to be carried by individual whilst inside the enclosed space cannot be considered meeting the requirement of portable atmosphere testing instrument.

  • MSC.1/Circ.1477 provides guidelines to facilitate the selection of portable atmosphere testing instrument for enclosed spaces.

  • The testing of atmosphere is to be carried out by calibrated equipment. The portable atmosphere testing instruments may be calibrated on board or ashore in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Pre-operational accuracy tests (bump test using span gas etc.) will not suffice the calibration requirement.

  • Necessary training of crew members responsible for testing the atmosphere in enclosed spaces and their familiarization with the relevant equipment is carried out.

  • Crew members are trained, as appropriate, in enclosed space entry, including familiarization with onboard procedures for recognizing, evaluating and controlling hazards associated with entry into enclosed spaces.

  • Records of above and that procedure required to be followed as per SMS to be retained and maintained; and

  • Ships SMS documentation should detail all the above requirements.

     

Enclosure:

1. Press Release by Riyadh MoU.

2. Questionnaire for CIC

3. IMO Resolution A.1050 (27)

4. IMO Resolution MSC.1/Circ.1477

5. IMO Resolution MSC.1/Circ.1561

    

Disclaimer:

This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.

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