Beyond The Checklist: Preventing Enclosed Space Fatalities at Sea

Despite decades of awareness campaigns, regulatory updates, and repeated industry commitments, seafarers and shore workers continue to lose their lives in enclosed spaces on board ships, often in circumstances that were entirely preventable.

The persistence of these incidents forces us to confront a hard truth: the measures currently implemented are insufficient. To break the cycle of fatalities, the industry needs a change of mindset, move beyond the checklists and procedures, and embed a genuinely human-centric approach to safety.

What do the numbers tell us?

From a P&I Club perspective, enclosed space related fatalities remain one of the leading causes of loss of life at sea. According to The International Group of P&I Clubs (IG), 83 deaths occurred in enclosed spaces during the five-year period between the 2015 and 2019 policy years.

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Published by UK P&I Club.

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