8.2.8.

Were the Master and officers familiar with the company procedures addressing the
protective equipment required by the IBC Code, and was this equipment in satisfactory
condition and suitable for the products being handled?
Short Question Text
Protective equipment required by the IBC Code.

Vessel Types
Chemical

ROVIQ Sequence
Main Deck, Internal Accommodation

Publications
IMO: ISM Code
IMO: IBC Code
ICS: Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals) - Fifth Edition

Objective

To ensure crew members are protected from exposure to hazardous conditions when engaged in cargo
operations.

Industry Guidance

ICS: Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals) - Fifth Edition

3.11 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

3.11.1 General

PPE protects the wearer from exposure to hazardous working conditions by providing a barrier between the wearer
and a hazardous environment. The effectiveness of that barrier will be lost if the PPE is incorrectly used or is the
wrong type. It is therefore essential that the selection of PPE is based on a thorough assessment of the risks
involved. To ensure consistency across their fleets and that crew members are adequately protected, companies
should identify and harmonise cargo-specific PPE for all products on board their ships.

3.11.4 Toxic or corrosive substance protection

The crew should always wear adequate protective clothing when opening equipment that may contain toxic or
corrosive substances, e.g. when ullaging and sampling, connecting and disconnecting hoses, opening sighting ports,
working within the manifold area, entering pumprooms and tanks, investigating leaks and dealing with spillages on
deck.

3.11.5 Chemical resistant clothing (protective suits)

A protective suit should always be used when working in environments where there is a risk of accidental exposure to
products or their vapours. There is a risk of exposure during operations at the ship’s manifold when connecting and
disconnecting hoses, during tank and line sampling, and tank cleaning.

If a protective suit has been contaminated with a hazardous product, it should first be washed or hosed down
thoroughly before removal from the wearer. The protective suit should then be properly cleaned in accordance with
the manufacturer’s guidelines and dried prior to being stored in a ventilated space designed for the purpose.

3.11.6 Types of chemical resistant clothing

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SDS and the company’s PPE matrix (see Appendix F) should provide advice on the correct type of protective suits
and other associated PPE to use when exposure to a product is possible. Ideally, the protective suit should combine
the maximum level of protection with the greatest degree of comfort.

Various materials are used to manufacture chemical protective suits. Each material has different chemical resistant
properties. The manufacturer of a protective suit must provide a chemical resistance list to indicate for which
chemicals a suit may be used for and which restrictions might apply. This list should be referred to prior to use.

Protective clothing is referenced under European/ISO and US standards respectively. Up to date standards should be
consulted.

Protection will only be as good as the weakest link and it is therefore important that gloves, boots and head gear,
including face protection, offer the same degree of chemical resistance as the remainder of the clothing. Proper sizing
of the clothing is essential since an incorrectly fitting suit can mean the expected level of protection will not be met
and may be uncomfortable.

Personnel using the protective suits should be properly trained for the type of suit they are using. Before moving into
the working area with type 1/level A and type 3/level B suits it is essential that a second properly trained person
inspects the suit and confirms it is being properly worn.

Use of a higher level of protection will generally also involve a higher level of exertion, especially in adverse climatic
conditions. An assessment of the user’s fitness to wear a particular suit type should therefore be conducted. It is
recommended that companies issue guidelines for the maximum time a person is allowed to work in a type 1/level A
and type 3/level B protective suit.

At all times protective suits should be maintained as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Any defects must be
repaired, or the suits removed from service.

When selecting appropriate chemical resistant clothing, the manufacturer’s instructions should be consulted to ensure
that the clothing provides the degree of protection specified as required in the product’s SDS.

3.11.7 Eye protection

• Chemical splash goggles give complete chemical and mechanical eye protection and can generally be worn
comfortably over most spectacles.
• Chemical spray hoods, usually combined with a safety helmet, provide eye and face protection from
splashes of liquid and mechanical hazards, but not against vapour hazards. They should be worn when
disconnecting hoses at the manifold or during any other operation where there is a risk of being splashed or
sprayed with product under pressure. Face shields are not suitable for this task as they do not offer full
coverage from liquid or vapour releases from below the level of the bottom of the shield; and
• Safety spectacles, with or without lateral protection (side shields), are available with different lens materials.
Safety spectacles are not designed to be worn over normal spectacles. These are designed to protect the
eyes from dust and debris while chipping or carrying out similar tasks. These are not suitable eye protection
in chemical environments.

3.11.8 Hand protection

The cargo’s SDS should be consulted. The choice of glove will be dependent on the resistance of the glove’s material
to the chemicals handled and whether the working conditions are continuous or intermittent. Gloves with long cuffs
that can extend over the sleeves of normal clothing are preferable.

3.11.9 Foot protection

Rubber or PVC boots need to be worn when there is a risk of coming into contact with corrosive or toxic chemicals.
Boots should have reinforced toe caps in order to provide protection against physical injuries.

3.11.10 Cargo-specific PPE

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Companies should ensure that product handling hazards are identified and managed. As such, companies should
identify cargo-specific PPE for all products or groups of products that are loaded on board its ships. The use of SDS
and other available information must be part of the process. The selection of cargo-specific PPE should be based on
a risk assessment.

PPE terminology should be standardised across all company documents.

If the cargo specific PPE matrix refers to general categorisation of products, such as corrosive, toxic, very toxic, etc.
the company should identify which products belong to each category.

TMSA KPI 6.1.4 requires that the company has procedures that address cargo specific hazards for all vessel types
within the fleet. Cargoes with specific hazards may include:

• Aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Toxic cargoes.
• Incompatible cargoes.
• High vapour pressure cargoes.
• Cargoes containing mercaptans and/or H2S.

IMO: ISM Code

7 The Company should establish procedures, plans and instructions, including checklists as appropriate, for key
shipboard operations concerning the safety of the personnel, ship and protection of the environment. The various
tasks involved should be defined and assigned to qualified personnel.

IMO: IBC Code

14.1 Protective equipment

14.1.1 For the protection of crew members who are engaged in loading and discharging operations, the ship should
have on board suitable protective equipment consisting of large aprons, special gloves with long sleeves, suitable
footwear, coveralls of chemical-resistant material, and tight-fitting goggles or face shields or both. The protective
clothing and equipment should cover all skin so that no part of the body is unprotected.

14.1.2 Work clothes and protective equipment should be kept in easily accessible places and in special lockers. Such
equipment should not be kept within accommodation spaces, with the exception of new, unused equipment and
equipment which has not been used since undergoing a thorough cleaning process. The Administration may,
however, approve storage rooms for such equipment within accommodation spaces if adequately segregated from
living spaces such as cabins, passageways, dining rooms, bathrooms, etc.

14.1.3 Protective equipment should be used in any operation which may entail danger to personnel.

Inspection Guidance

The operator should have developed procedures addressing the protective equipment required by the IBC that
included:

• A list of protective equipment to be available on board based upon risk assessment and considering the
products to be carried.
• What protective equipment is required to be worn for the different types of operations on board, and
products handled, preferably in the form of a cargo-specific PPE matrix.
• Crew training in the correct use of the protective equipment.
• Checks to be made that protective equipment is being correctly worn prior to entering a working area.
• Assessment of a user’s fitness to wear particular protective equipment in given climatic conditions.

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 • Guidelines for the maximum time a person is allowed to work in a Type 1/level A and Type 3/level B suit
protective suit, if applicable.
• How protective equipment should be cleaned and stored.
• Actions to be taken if defects are identified in protective equipment.
• Frequency of inspection of the protective equipment and records to be kept.

Suggested Inspector Actions

• Sight, and where necessary review, company procedures, including the cargo-specific PPE matrix where
provided, addressing the protective equipment required by the IBC Code.
• Review the records of inspections of the protective equipment.
• Inspect a representative sample of the protective equipment in the storage location(s).
• Observe, where possible, protective equipment in use on deck.

• Interview the officer in charge of cargo operations to verify their familiarity with company procedures,
including the cargo-specific PPE matrix where provided, addressing the protective equipment required by
the IBC Code.
• Request a deck officer or rating to demonstrate or describe the selection and donning of a full set of
protective equipment including a protective suit.

Expected Evidence

• Company procedures, including the cargo-specific PPE matrix where provided, addressing the protective
equipment required by the IBC Code.
• Records of inspections of the protective equipment.
• An inventory or the protective equipment available onboard required by the IBC Code
• SDS for the products being handled.
• Chemical resistance list available for the protective suits provided on board.
• Evidence that protective suits were suitable for use in a flammable atmosphere.

Potential Grounds for a Negative Observation

• There were no company procedures addressing the protective equipment required by the IBC that included:
o A list of protective equipment to be available on board based upon risk assessment and
considering the products to be carried.
o What protective equipment was required to be worn for the different types of operations on board,
and products handled, preferably in the form of a cargo-specific PPE matrix.
o Crew training in the correct use of the protective equipment.
o Checks to be made that protective equipment is being correctly worn prior to entering a working
area.
o Assessment of a user’s fitness to wear particular protective equipment in given climatic conditions.
o Guidelines for the maximum time a person is allowed to work in a Type 1/level A and Type 3/level
B suit protective suit, if applicable.
o How protective equipment should be cleaned and stored.
o Actions to be taken if defects are identified in protective equipment.
o Frequency of inspection of the protective equipment and records to be kept.
• The officer in charge of cargo operations was not familiar with the company procedures addressing the
protective equipment required by the IBC Code.
• The PPE matrix, where provided, was not cargo-specific.
• PPE terminology was not standardised across all company documents.
• A crew member was observed not wearing adequate protective clothing where there was a risk of accidental
exposure to toxic or corrosive products or their vapours.
• A crew member was observed wearing protective clothing incorrectly where there was a risk of accidental
exposure to toxic or corrosive products or their vapours.

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• Protective equipment in use did not provide the degree of protection specified as being required in the SDS
of a cargo being handled.
• Face shields were being worn when disconnecting hoses at the manifold or during any other operation
where there was a risk of being splashed or sprayed with product under pressure.
• Safety spectacles were being used as eye protection in a chemical environment.
• Protective equipment was not stored in an easily accessible, ventilated space, designed for the purpose.
• Protective equipment in use was stored within the accommodation in an unauthorised space or spaces.
• Items of the protective equipment required by company procedures were not available on board.
• There was no chemical resistance list available for the protective suits provided on board.
• There was no evidence that chemical suits were suitable for use in a flammable atmosphere.
• An item of protective equipment in use was in poor condition.
• Gloves, boots and/or head gear were of inferior chemical resistance than the protective suits provided.
• Protective equipment was not available in a suitable quantity and range of sizes to fit the crew on board.
• A deck officer or rating was unfamiliar with the selection and donning of a full set of protective equipment
including a protective suit.

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