Clyde Marine Training Short Courses division will begin providing ‘enclosed spaces’ training to individuals and companies within the next month as a response to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) introducing new requirements to SOLAS Chapter III regulation 19, coming into force on January 1, 2015, regarding entry into enclosed spaces drills.
The requirements are expected to be adopted in November 2014, for entry into force on July 1, 2016, for portable atmosphere testing instruments to be carried on board ships.
The new IMO requirement is for all crew members to participate in enclosed space entry and rescue drills on board ship at least once every two months.
In addition, portable testing instruments will be required to test enclosed spaces from the outside to make sure they are safe to enter and will cover, as a minimum, testing of oxygen, flammable gasses or vapours, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide, expected to be adopted as SOLAS regulation XI-1/7.