[Column] Prevention of Personal Accidents on Board (No.1) 9 May 2025 Tweet Capt. Toru Asai General Manager of Loss Prevention and Ship Inspection Department   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This column features the article contributed by our Association to "Mariners' Digest Vol.71", published in October 2023 by the Japan Shipping Exchange, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Highlights Occupational health and safety risks onboard shall be vital. Readers are always required to re-think that risks onboard must be identified and evaluated by yourself.     Introduction This issue give you introduction of accident examples and circumstances leading up to the accident onbored. You will find how to prevent various personal injuries in the next column “ Prevention of Personal Accidents on Board (No.2)” .     1. Works onboard that is likely to cause personal injury   Occupational health and safety risks onboard would sometimes lead to death. Appropriate control measures should be implemented to minimise exposure to hazards that may cause injury, disease or death. Risks onboard must be identified and evaluated. And preventive measures must be taken to remove or minimise those risks to protect seafarers. We introduce the works that often result in personal injury. The risks of each work should be verified.   (1) Enclosed space entry   What is an enclosed space: not designed for continuous worker occupancy; limited openings for entry and exit; inadequate ventilation.   The atmosphere in any enclosed space may contain toxic or flammable gases, or be deficient in oxygen. It may endanger the life of any person entering that space. Gases are often invisible and odorless.The dangers may not be readily appa