Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) is warning ship operators they must combine vigilance, structure and care with the new SOLAS X1-1/7 - MSC.1/Circ.1477 & MSC.1/Circ.1485 regulations to safeguard crews from the dangers of gas when entering enclosed spaces. Just supplying vessels with one portable four-gas detection unit, as stipulated by the IMO, simply isn’t sufficient, stresses WSS.
The new regulation, coming into force on 1 July 2016, requires all ships engaged in international voyages to have at least one unit capable of detecting the presence of oxygen, flammable gases or vapours, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide. This is an important step forward, the leading global provider of maritime products and services acknowledges, but not the end of the road when it comes to safety.
Most importantly of all, Sheriff notes, the detection units have to be used by individuals entering enclosed spaces or tanks, not forgotten in a drawer. Next, they must be visually inspected regularly, the batteries charged, and the units ‘bump tested’ before use. So, an on-board routine needs to be established whereby the crew satisfy these demands.
Simple visual and functional checks suffice in these respects, but not in all. The sensors that detect the gas are sensitive to contamination, so must be stored carefully to protect them. Testing them with a lighter, as some crewmembers do, is a definite no.
With so many potential risks to detector integrity crews should be trained to perform ‘bump’ tests. This consists of exposing sensors to a challenge gas at a sufficient concentration to activate a unit’s alarms at its lower level settings. It proves it works, but not how accurate it is. This is when, according to Sheriff, it may be time to call in the professionals:
WSS supplies a range of advanced Unitor gas detection units, such as the Unitor Gas Pro, with complete maintenance packages delivered by skilled technicians, thus ensuring optimal standards of operation. This solution dispenses with the need for exchanging units at service centres, or investing in on-vessel calibration kits. WSS’ service engineers can efficiently re-certificate, calibrate and inspect gas detectors on board when visiting to test or inspect other equipment.
All WSS units have been tested with stringent drop and moisture tests, giving them an increased operational lifespan. The Unitor T4 unit is also supplied with an external filter as standard for increased protection.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service is part of Wilhelmsen Maritime Services, a Wilh. Wilhelmsen group company. It has the world’s largest maritime services network, with 4,500 marine professionals servicing 2,200 ports in 125 countries. Wilhelmsen Ships Service supplies safety products and services, Unitor products, Unicool refrigerants, Unitor and Nalfleet marine chemicals, maritime logistics and ships agency to the maritime industry. Last year the company made product deliveries to 25,000 vessels and handled 70,000 port calls.