RISK ANALYSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN CONFINED AND ENCLOSED SPACES ON BULK CARRIER AND OIL TANKER VESSELS

Maritime transportation involves significant incidents of occupational accidents and fatalities. Statistical analyses indicate that slips, trips, and falls are the primary causes of reported injuries and deaths, with a notable proportion occurring in enclosed spaces on ships. Despite stringent occupational safety regulations, there is a critical need to enhance hazard awareness and safety culture among seafarers and port workers. This study includes identifying the potential hazards of enclosed spaces on bulk carriers and oil tankers and measuring the enclosed space risk perceptions between two ship types by determining the hazard perception levels in these areas through “Failure Mode and Effects Analysis” (FMEA). During the study, a total of 44 hazards and failures were identified in the bulk carrier and 48 hazards and failures in the oil tanker and risk priority numbers (RPNs) were calculated for each. By the findings, the most critical risks were examined and associated with the hazards of toxic gas pockets and unauthorized entry on the bulk carrier and the hazards of falling from height and electric shock on the tanker ship. As a result of the analysis with the measures taken, an improvement of 30.8 % was achieved in the average RPN for the bulk carrier and 32 % for oil the tanker. Preventive measures include the installation of fixed gas sensors, the use of remote-controlled equipment for confined space inspections, and enhanced training programs. It has been determined that bulk carrier crews and port workers need to focus on the unique risks posed by the cargo and enclosed spaces carried on these vessels. Regular safety drills and implementing a robust safety management system can further mitigate these risks. As another output of this study, the enclosed space list prepared specifically for the bulk carrier subject to the research was taken as an example for other bulk carriers belonging to the ship owner and circulated for each ship. The aim of the research is to reduce the rate of enclosed space accidents on bulk carriers, contribute to the improvement of safety standards and provide a reference for similar studies in the future.