Chapter 6

Volume 2 Start 6 Contents 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Examples 6.3 Labelling 6.4 Behaviour 6.5 Safety 6.6 Floating packages 6.7 Sunken packages 6.8 Ashore packages 6.9 Sunken craft 6.10 Chemical warfare
 

6.5        Safety precautions

6.5.1          IMO manuals

Many aspects on safety precautions are addressed by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the Manual on Chemical Pollution (Ref. 1), Section 1 on “Problem Assessment and Response Arrangement” and Section 2 on “Search and Recovery of Packaged Goods Lost at Sea”.

6.5.2          General observations

The packaging properties and the development of events will be determining for the choice and design of response actions. Floating packages require quite different actions compared to accidents involving sinking packages. The packages’ sizes and weights will be decisive for the choice of salvage equipment. The packages’ appearance and the packaging material have a bearing on how they should be handled. The planning of the whole operation depends on whether the packages are damaged or leaking.

Before starting a salvage operation against packages lost at sea it is important to predict their behaviour in order to assess the risks to response personnel, population on land, seafarers, and to the environment. The following questions should be asked:

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Is there a risk that the contents of the packages will escape?

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Will the package float or sink?

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To where will floating packages move?

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Will sunken packages stay or move on the seabed?

Mechanical damage of the packages during the accident may cause stress to the packaging material and increase the risk of ruptures.

 

6.5.3        General checklist
 

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Always observe the greatest caution when starting to inspect and salvage a package which is suspected to contain chemicals. A package with unknown contents and with no interpretable information on its cover must be considered dangerous until clarity is achieved. Always act on a worst possible case basis.
 

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All relevant information should first be gathered about the chemicals as well as the properties of the packaging.
 

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Adjust the level of the personnel protection to the contents of the package (if known) as well as package size and appearance (damage, leakage)
 

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Observe the uttermost caution if the contents and the appearance of the package are unknown.
 

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Unprotected personnel must be directed to the windward side of packages with unknown contents or packages with hazardous leakage.
 

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Use appropriate personnel safety equipment if there is any risk for the packagings to be damaged during the salvage.
 

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Observe the greatest caution when working close to crane lift operations, especially when loaded freight containers are involved.
 

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With due consideration to safety, mark as soon as possible large containers with appropriate devices (buoys and/or radio/radar beacons, reflectors or transmitters). Se also Section 6.7.4.
 

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Take samples of the contents of damaged (and leaking) packages. Sampling of intact packages should be avoided.


The packaging material’s weather resistance will significantly influence the safety precautions during the response action. E.g. paper and wood fibre exhibit short marine environmental durability while casings of e.g. iron may resist several years before they are penetrated by rust (Ref. 41, Ref. 42 and Ref. 43).
 

Recovered packages containing chemicals and dangerous goods should always be treated with greatest caution during the salvage action as damaged packagings might leak. Smaller packages that are adversely affected by the marine environment should by safety reasons always be transferred into salvage drums (cf. Figure 6 - 3) before other actions and transport. Note that these salvage drums must be approved for transport of dangerous goods.