Safety in the engine room

The engine room is a place where accidents and pollution

incidents can easily occur if safe working practices and
pollution prevention measures are not strictly followed. The
Chief Engineer is responsible for ensuring that the importance
of accident/incident prevention is fully understood by all
engineering staff including the potential risks involved

Safety standards

 All Engine Room Staff must be suitably dressed and

must wear coveralls, safety shoes, gloves, goggles and
helmets as per the VMS PPE matrix.
 Engine Room and machinery spaces must be kept clean,
tidy and as free as possible from oil/fuel stains or
sources, all of which must be identified and eliminated.
 To prevent fires, any possible source of uncontrollable
heat must be protected and any fuel leakage must be
cleaned up and the source identified and eliminated.

 No oil leak collecting tins, trays or other temporary

means of collection are allowed. Save-alls around tanks
and machinery must always be kept clean and drainage
trays clean.
 Dirty rags, cotton waste etc must be removed and all
such waste must be collected and disposed of according
to the instructions set out in the Safety and
Environmental Procedures.
 Particular attention must be paid by all Engineer Officers
to valves, flanges, thermometer pockets, pressure
gauges and other elements which may work loose, on
fuel and lube oil pressurised pipes, resulting in the spray
of combustible liquid onto hot surfaces. Particular
attention to this potential hazard is required in
unmanned engine rooms where they can remain
undetected for long periods.
High pressure fuel pipe shielding must be intact and properly
secured. The heating of water / oil mixtures such as oil or
sludge tanks must be deemed as a critical operation . It
should be kept in mind that the ambient temperature may
require the sludge / oil water mix to be heated and the
expansion volume of the liquid may cause an overflow of the
tanks that have been filled close to their maximum capacity.
A maximum filling level for such tanks must be identified that
leaves a safety margin for this expansion. This level should be
recorded on the checklist.

Workshops must be maintained in a clean and tidy condition

with all tools kept in good working order. The area used for
welding and brazing must be clearly defined and provided
with the necessary means to prevent accidents and fires.

Oxygen and acetylene bottles must be stored outside the

engine room and accommodation areas. They must not be
stored together but kept apart and securely lashed. Lockers
containing gas bottles must be properly identified.

Chemicals must be used in accordance with the maker’s

instructions including any guidelines regarding the use of
protective clothing. Information on medical care to be
followed in case of accidents is to be posted in appropriate
places. Product data sheets are to be kept with the chemicals
along with the appropriate protective clothing. An officer is to
be designated in charge of chemical management.

Particular care must be taken when fixing and lashing stores,

bottles, drums and spares in order to avoid personal injuries
and damages.

The precautions a duty engineer should take while working in

the vicinity of the funnel are:

 To inform engine room duty personnel

 to ensure steps are taken to reduce the emission of
steam, harmful gases and fumes as much as possible.
The Chief Engineer must ensure that all checks and
precautions to avoid electrical shocks are taken by the
Electrical Engineer Officer. Naked, disconnected/worn wires or
open electrical equipment are not allowed onboard. All
electrical equipment must be protected and any potentially
dangerous situations immediately reported to the Chief
Engineer and rectified by the Engineer Officer.

The Electrical Engineer Officer must inspect accommodation

areas including cabins at regular intervals to ensure that no
potentially hazardous problems can result from the use of
unauthorised equipment and/or alterations to the electrical
wiring.

All lifting equipment must be regularly tested according to the

applicable rules and / or the maker’s recommendations, under
the supervision of the Chief Engineer who must maintain a
record of the same which is to include certification. Blocks,
slings and similar equipment must be maintained in a good
condition and stored separately. Safe working loads must be
clearly indicated in a permanent manner. Critical measuring
instrumentation must be calibrated according to rules and
maker’s instructions.

In addition to the above, it must be noted that:

 A clean and oil free engine room contributes greatly to

overall safety;
 No unauthorised personnel may operate equipment or
machinery;
 Visitors are only allowed in the engine room without
permission of the Chief Engineer. All visitors must be
accompanied.

As a final point, the Chief Engineer is to employ all available

means in order to create a safety conscious and
environmentally friendly atmosphere throughout the engine
department. Such means include the holding of meetings, the
viewing of training videos and the reading of Company
manuals. All officers and ratings are to be encouraged to
contribute to enhanced safety, and improved pollution
prevention measures.

https://www.mitags.org/safe-engine-room/#:~:text=Required
%20engine%20room%20PPE%2C%20such,other%20utilized
%20machinery%20and%20equipment.

https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-safety/10-extremely-
dangerous-engine-room-accidents/

https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-safety/a-general-overview-of-
engine-room-crane-and-safety-features-2/