Lessons Learned from Occurrence Reports Reviewed by the Marine
Chemist Qualification Board during 2012
Presented by Lawrence B. Russell, NFPA Marine Field Service

Type of
Incident
Fire
CO
Exposure
Explosion
Arson
Flash of
Combustible
Vapor
Fall from
Height
Fatal Struckby Accident
Number
1
1
1
14
4
1
1
Type of Vessel Number
Tank Vessel 5
Military
Tug/Towing
4
3
Casino Boat 1
Coal Carrier 1
Container Ship 1
Deck Barge
Dredger
Museum Ship 1
Work Boat 1
1
1

Vessel Area or Space
Engine Room – Machinery Space
Fuel Tank
Void Tank/Space
Accommodation Area
Ballast Tank
Cargo Tank
Fan Room
Hold
Pump Room
Vessel Section
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
Number of Incidents
3

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Combustible Material in
Hot Work Space (5)
Combustible Material in
Adjacent Space (4)
Ineffective/No Fire
Watch (4)
Ineffective/No Retest by
SCP (3)
Hot Work after a Change
Voided Certificate. (2)
No Certificate IAW 29
CFR 1915 (2)
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Unauthorized Hot Work
(2)
No Competent Person (2)
Electric Generator
Malfunction (1)
Fail to Follow CMC
Instructions (1)
Ineffective Barrier
Protection (1)
Ineffective Tank Cleaning
(1)
Failure to get a MCC (1)

Photo from www.baltimorefirefighters.net
The Certificate permitted hot work to the rub rail and vents/sounding tubes of aft fuel tanks. However, workers did hot work in fwd engine room near day tank (partially filled).
A fuel line broke or was cut with the expected results - a fire.

Photo from http://www.recon2photo.com/BaltimoreCityFire/Fires-2011
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Workers need to understand and follow the Marine
Chemist’s instructions.
Understand OSHA
29CFR 1915.14
 Understand the “25 foot Rule” in OSHA
29CFR1915.14(a)(1)(iv).

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Ship fitter left a torch line in the engine room.
After lunch, the helper told the fitter that he smelled gas.
The fitter checked his torch and found the gas valve in a slightly opened position.
He shut the valve off and proceeded to commence grinding on a piece of plate without ventilating the area.
Gas that had accumulated under the floor plate in the area of the engine room where he was working ignited resulting in a small explosion.

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Shipyard workers and contractors need to understand and follow requirements in OSHA
29CFR1915, Subpart P, Fire
Protection in Shipyard
Employment, Precautions for Hot
Work, Use of Fuel Gas and Oxygen
Supply Lines and Torches.
No unattended fuel gas and oxygen hose lines or torches are permitted in confined spaces;
No unattended charged fuel gas and oxygen hose lines or torches are allowed to remain in enclosed spaces for more than 15 minutes; and
All fuel gas and oxygen hose lines are disconnected at the supply manifold at the end of each shift.
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All disconnected fuel gas and oxygen hose lines are required to be rolled back to the supply manifold or to open air to disconnect the torch; or extended fuel gas and oxygen hose lines are not reconnected at the supply manifold unless the lines are given a positive means of identification when they were first connected and the lines are tested using a drop test or other positive means to ensure the integrity of fuel gas and oxygen burning system.
The competent person should have re-tested the engine room following the lunch break.

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Two men were injured while welding near two 80 gallon fuel tanks on a drydocked boat.
The fuel tanks apparently still contained 3 to 6 inches of gasoline.
Hot work ignited gasoline vapor .
One fuel tank sailed through the air and landed on nearby railroad tracks and the other tank was destroyed in the blast.
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A competent person authorized hot work in a fuel tank (of a tow boat).
Fuel from an adjacent fuel tank leaked into the fuel tank where the hot work was being performed.
An effort was made to prevent the spread of the leaking fuel with absorbent pads.
But the hot work ignited the fuel. There was no injury or property damage.

Photo of Work Boat involved in Explosion Courtesy P. Dovinh
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Shipyard workers and contractors need to know that the Confined and Enclosed
Spaces and Other Dangerous
Atmospheres in Shipyard
Employment, OSHA 29 CFR
1915, Subpart B, is applicable regardless of geographic location.
Hot work within, on, on, or immediately adjacent to fuel tanks that contain or have last contained fuel is prohibited until the work area has been tested and certified by a Marine
Chemist or a U.S. Coast Guard authorized person as "Safe for
Hot Work“ 29CFR 1915.11(a).

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CMC inspected the pump room & ok’d hot work on ballast pipeline.
During next 16 days other work on a cargo stripping pump resulted in discharge of a flammable liquid into the pump room bilge.
Contractor’s competent person did not test and inspect pump room.
Welding sparks from a repair to a ballast pipeline approximately ten feet above the bilge fell into the bilge and ignited the flammable liquid.
Effort to extinguish the fire with portable AFFF (foam) and hose lines was unsuccessful apparently due to inadequate shipyard fire main water pressure. The ship’s crew then activated the fixed CO2 extinguishing system to extinguish the fire. A local fire department also responded.
The pump room sustained minor smoke damage.

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A Certificate was posted on a hopper dredge.
During the next 5 days hydraulic oil leaked from a ¾ inch hydraulic line drain plug approximately ten feet away from the hot work site.
2 pipe-fitters were removing the remnants of a wasted ballast pipe line from a transverse bulkhead between a void tank and a ballast tank with an oxy-acetylene torch.
Sparks or slag from the hot work ignited the hydraulic oil.
The workers extinguished the fire.

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The release of product into the pump room bilge and leaking hydraulic oil were each a change of conditions that voided each
Certificate as expressly noted in the boilerplate of the Marine
Chemist’s Certificate, “In the event of physical or atmospheric changes affecting the Standard Safety Designations assigned to any of the above spaces, this certificate is voided.”
A competent person should have re-checked in accordance with
OSHA 29CFR1915.15(c) and (d) and NFPA 306 §4.6.2(2) and (3).
The product should have been cleaned up and the Marine
Chemist recalled to inspect the spaces and issue another
Marine Chemist’s Certificate.
Failure of the competent person to inspect whether or not the safe conditions were properly maintained voided the Certificate in accordance with NFPA 306 §4.6.2(4).

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Specifying the type of hot work and location of hot work when using the designation: Safe for
Limited Hot Work - NFPA 306-2009 §4.3.6(2).
Including toxicity test results - NFPA 306-2009
§4.2.2, §4.3.1(3) and §4.4.1.
Listing all spaces tested and the test results –
NFPA 306-2009 §4.2.2 and §4.4.1.
Recording sufficient restrictions or exclusions and instructions for fire barrier use, fire watches, etc. for the competent person on the Certificate
- NFPA 306-2009 §4.4.2 and §4.4.3.

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Unauthorized entry
Unauthorized hot work
Cargo residue in tanks
Hot work ignites vapor
Explosion in the Dip-
Tape gauging device
Shrapnel strikes worker

Rising Stick Type Float-Gauge Float-Gauge with Remote Read-out
Tank
Depth
Plastic Cylinder
Float (Vol. 96.5 ml)
Stainless Steel Sphere
Float (Vol. 62.2 ml)
Approx. 2 inch Diameter
Tank
Depth
Approx. 2 inch Diameter

 What is the proper method of tank testing?

 Marine Chemist Training Module Number
13, Field Instruments – Operation,
Application and Maintenance, page 21:
“ Confined spaces must be sampled from the outside . Generally, to sample confined spaces, the air is actively drawn into the indicator
through a sampling hose by a pump.”

 The International Safety Guide for Oil
Tankers and Terminals, 5 th Edition, Chapter
10, Section 10.3 Atmosphere Tests Prior to
Entry:
“No decision to enter an enclosed space should be taken until the atmosphere within the space has been comprehensively tested from outside the space with test equipment that is of an approved type…”

 Why does the Marine Chemist Training
Module and international tanker industry best practices Guide (ISGOTT) make these statements about testing?

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The correct way is the only way.
Short cuts & complacency result in disaster.

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4.5 Issuance of Certificates. ….Any additions to or deletions from such a Certificate after obtaining a signature for receipt shall void
the Certificate and require reissuance.
Can a Marine Chemist alter or amend a
Certificate?
Can a competent person alter or amend a
Certificate?
Can the CMC direct the CP to alter or amend the Certificate?

Definitions:
 Personally Determine: to find out for oneself
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Physically Enter: of or relating to the body; and to go into
Visual Inspection: The physical survey of the space or compartment and surroundings in order to identify potential atmospheric and fire hazards. (NFPA 306-2009, §3.3.21)

 NFPA 306-2009 (4.1) Determination of
Conditions
“The Marine Chemist shall personally
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determine conditions….. whenever possible, physically enter each compartment or space
and conduct a visual inspection to the extent necessary to determine the atmospheric or fire hazards that exist.”
What does that statement mean?

 Rules §II.A Be of and maintain good character, and physically able to perform the duties of a Marine Chemist.
 Rules §II.F Perform all work in accordance
with the requirements of the Standard and its official interpretations when acting as a
Marine Chemist.

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The CMC Program
 Program Sponsors (Industry)
 USCG
 USN
 OSHA
Liability
 Criminal
 Civil
Insurance Coverage

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Pay attention to details.
Avoid the common errors and omissions.
Consider using EMCC.
Make sure the CP knows what to do to maintain safe conditions.
Make sure the CP knows what is a change of conditions.
Make sure the CP knows when to call you
(and call you back).

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You all do great work
Shipbuilding and repair is a 76 billion dollar industry
The industry relies on you
Train competent persons & shipyard workers
Volunteer to help, train and mentor trainees
Remain vigilant