Enclosed spaces: When saving a life turns fatal

Enclosed spaces on ships - such as cargo tanks, holds, and chain lockers - are among the most dangerous environments onboard. While much attention is paid to the initial victims of asphyxiation or toxic exposure, a significant and tragic share of fatalities are would-be rescuers: crew members who rush in to save a colleague, only to become victims themselves.

Concerningly, the majority of multi-fatality incidents in enclosed spaces involve at least one rescuer who perished after entering without proper precautions.

The numbers speak for themselves

Many fatalities involve would-be rescuers - individuals who entered enclosed spaces to save others and became casualties themselves. According to NIOSH, more than 60% of confined space deaths occur among rescuers. IBTA’s analysis submitted to the IMO shows that between 2000 and 2024, there were 67 such fatalities on ships - 48 were crew members and 19 were shore workers. Senior officers (masters, chief officers, chief engineers) are disproportionately represented among rescuer fatalities; for example, nearly half of the 23 masters who died in enclosed spaces lost their lives in rescue attempts.

Published by Gard.

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