Guideline for work in machinery spaces on board cargo ship 

Safety precautions

Merchant Shipping regulations require every dangerous part of a ship's machinery to be

All steam pipes, exhaust pipes and fittings which by their location and temperature present
a hazard, should be adequately lagged or otherwise shielded. The insulation of hot surfaces
should be properly maintained, particularly in the vicinity of oil systems. 

Personnel required to work in machinery spaces which have high noise levels should wear
suitable hearing protectors . 

Where a high noise level in a machinery space, or the wearing of ear protectors, may mask
an audible alarm, a visual alarm of suitable intensity should be provided, where practicable,
to attract attention and indicate that an audible alarm is sounding. This should preferably
take the form of a light or lights with rotating reflectors. Guidance may be found in the IMO
Code on Alarms and Indicators. 

The source of any oil leakage should be located and repaired as soon as practicable. 

Waste oil should not be allowed to accumulate in the bilges or on tank tops. Any leakage of
fuel, lubricating and hydraulic oil should be disposed of in accordance with Oil Pollution
Regulations at the earliest opportunity. Tank tops and bilges should, wherever practicable,
be painted a light colour and kept clean and well-illuminated in the vicinity of pressure oil
pipes so that leaks may be readily located. 

Great caution is required when filling any settling or other oil tank to prevent it overflowing,
especially in an engine room where exhaust pipes or other hot surfaces are directly below.
Manholes or other openings in the tanks should always be secured so that should a tank be
overfilled the oil is directed to a safe place through the overflow arrangements. 

Particular care should be taken when filling tanks which have their sounding pipes in the
machinery spaces to ensure that weighted cocks are closed. In no case should a weighted
cock on a fuel or lubricated oil tank sounding pipe or on a fuel, lubricating or hydraulic oil
tank gauge be secured in the open position. 

Engine room bilges should at all times be kept clear of rubbish and other substances so that
mud-boxes are not blocked and the bilges may be readily and easily pumped. 

Remote controls fitted for stopping machinery or pumps or for operating oil-tank quick-
closing valves in the event of fire, should be tested regularly to ensure that they are
functioning satisfactorily. This also applies to the controls on fuel storage daily service tanks
(other than double bottoms) and lubricating oil tanks. 

Cleaning solvents should always be used in accordance with manufacturers' instructions and
in an area that is well ventilated. 

Care should be taken to ensure that spare gear is properly stowed and items of machinery
under overhaul safely secured so that they do not break loose and cause injury or damage
even in the heaviest weather. 

Engine room safety and environmental procedures 

Safety precautions

The engine room is a place where accidents and pollution incidents can easily occur if safe
working practices and pollution prevention measures are not strictly followed. The Chief
Engineer is responsible for ensuring that the importance of accident/incident prevention is
fully understood by all engineering staff including the potential risks involved.

Safety standards

 All Engine Room Staff must be suitably dressed and must wear coveralls, safety
shoes, gloves, goggles and helmets as per the VMS PPE matrix.
 Engine Room and machinery spaces must be kept clean, tidy and as free as possible
from oil/fuel stains or sources, all of which must be identified and eliminated.
 To prevent fires, any possible source of uncontrollable heat must be protected and
any fuel leakage must be cleaned up and the source identified and eliminated.
 No oil leak collecting tins, trays or other temporary means of collection are allowed.
Save-alls around tanks and machinery must always be kept clean and drainage trays
clean.
 Dirty rags, cotton waste etc must be removed and all such waste must be collected
and disposed of according to the instructions set out in the Safety and Environmental
Procedures.
 Particular attention must be paid by all Engineer Officers to valves, flanges,
thermometer pockets, pressure gauges and other elements which may work loose,
on fuel and lube oil pressurised pipes, resulting in the spray of combustible liquid
onto hot surfaces. Particular attention to this potential hazard is required in
unmanned engine rooms where they can remain undetected for long periods.

High pressure fuel pipe shielding must be intact and properly secured. The heating of
water / oil mixtures such as oil or sludge tanks must be deemed as a critical operation . It
should be kept in mind that the ambient temperature may require the sludge / oil water mix
to be heated and the expansion volume of the liquid may cause an overflow of the tanks
that have been filled close to their maximum capacity. A maximum filling level for such
tanks must be identified that leaves a safety margin for this expansion. This level should be
recorded on the checklist. 

Workshops must be maintained in a clean and tidy condition with all tools kept in good
working order. The area used for welding and brazing must be clearly defined and provided
with the necessary means to prevent accidents and fires. 

Oxygen and acetylene bottles must be stored outside the engine room and accommodation
areas. They must not be stored together but kept apart and securely lashed. Lockers
containing gas bottles must be properly identified. 

Chemicals must be used in accordance with the maker’s instructions including any
guidelines regarding the use of protective clothing. Information on medical care to be
followed in case of accidents is to be posted in appropriate places. Product data sheets are
to be kept with the chemicals along with the appropriate protective clothing. An officer is to
be designated in charge of chemical management. 

Particular care must be taken when fixing and lashing stores, bottles, drums and spares in
order to avoid personal injuries and damages. 

The Chief Engineer must ensure that all checks and precautions to avoid electrical shocks
are taken by the Electrical Engineer Officer. Naked, disconnected/worn wires or open
electrical equipment are not allowed onboard. All electrical equipment must be protected
and any potentially dangerous situations immediately reported to the Chief Engineer and
rectified by the Engineer Officer. 

The Electrical Engineer Officer must inspect accommodation areas including cabins at
regular intervals to ensure that no potentially hazardous problems can result from the use
of unauthorised equipment and/or alterations to the electrical wiring. 

All lifting equipment must be regularly tested according to the applicable rules and / or the
maker’s recommendations, under the supervision of the Chief Engineer who must maintain
a record of the same which is to include certification. Blocks, slings and similar equipment
must be maintained in a good condition and stored separately. Safe working loads must be
clearly indicated in a permanent manner. Critical measuring instrumentation must be
calibrated according to rules and maker’s instructions. 

In addition to the above, it must be noted that:

 A clean and oil free engine room contributes greatly to overall safety;
 No unauthorized personnel may operate equipment or machinery;
 Visitors are only allowed in the engine room without permission of the Chief
Engineer. All visitors must be accompanied.

As a final point, the Chief Engineer is to employ all available means in order to create a
safety conscious and environmentally friendly atmosphere throughout the engine
department. Such means include the holding of meetings, the viewing of training videos and
the reading of Company manuals. All officers and ratings are to be encouraged to contribute
to enhanced safety, and improved pollution prevention measures. 

Machinery Maintenance - Safety Precautions &

Safety guideline

The responsibilities of the marine engineer are rarely confined to the machinery space.
Different companies have different practices, but usually all shipboard machinery, with the
exception of radio equipment, is maintained by the marine engineer. Electrical engineers
may be carried on very large ships, but if not, the electrical equipment is also maintained by
the engineer.
A broad-based theoretical and practical training is therefore necessary for a marine
engineer. He must be a mechanical, electrical, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration
engineer, as the need arises. Unlike his shore-based opposite number in these occupations,
he must also deal with the specialised requirements of a floating platform in a most
corrosive environment. 

Furthermore he must be self sufficient and capable of getting the job done with the facilities
at his disposal. The modern ship is a complex collection of self-sustaining machinery
providing the facilities to support a small community for a considerable period of time. 

This equipment is dealt with either as a complete system comprising small items or
individual larger items. In the latter case, especially, the choices are often considerable. A
knowledge of machinery and equipment operation provides the basis for effective
maintenance.

Machinery Maintenance

Prior to commencing a maintenance task on any piece of plant or machinery, other than
routine tasks normally undertaken while the machinery is in motion, the responsible
Engineer is to ensure that the machine has been isolated from its power supply and cannot
be inadvertently restarted. Appropriate cautionary notices are to be attached to the isolating
device. The responsible Engineer must also ensure that temperatures and pressures in the
machine and associated pipework have been reduced to safe levels prior to commencement
of work.

It is particularly important to ensure that machinery capable of being remotely or

This is of particular importance with regard to main and auxiliary engines starting, turning
gear arrangements, radar, hatch cover and machinery maintenance etc where inadvertent
operation of controls whilst under maintenance may cause an accident.

Notices are to be placed at the appropriate stop valves, local actuators and circuit breakers.
A senior officer must ensure that other ship’s staff and/or shore staff onboard are
appropriately and adequately fore-warned about the works. Adequate supervision must be
arranged according to the criticality. No maintenance or repair work which may effect the
supply of water to the fire main or sprinkler systems is to be commenced without the prior
permission of the Master.

No alarm system is to be isolated without the permission of the Chief Engineer. When
machinery guards or other safety devices are removed during overhaul, they are to be
refitted immediately on completion of the work and before the machinery or equipment is
tested. Before any machinery or equipment is opened for maintenance it is to be
immobilised (locked out / tagged out) to prevent inadvertent starting, particularly when
working with automatic or remote control equipment.
The Officer in charge must give careful consideration to any hazards involved before
allowing maintenance or repairs to, or immediately adjacent to, moving machinery.

Fuel Leaks: 

Fuel oil leaks from bunker tanks, burners and pipelines or other parts of the fuel oil system
present a serious fire hazard and as such these leaks must be rectified immediately.
Frequent inspections of fuel oil systems are essential to ensure that any leaks, which do
occur, are quickly traced and rectified. If lagging on pipelines, heaters etc, becomes
saturated with fuel oil, the affected material is to be removed immediately. It should be
replaced with new material after repairing the leak. 

Cleanliness and Housekeeping

The machinery spaces are to be maintained in as clean a condition as possible. In achieving

1. Keep engine room bilges clean and free from oil, whenever practicable, whilst
observing MARPOL regulations.
2. Trace and stop any leakage of oil or water.
3. Empty save-alls regularly to prevent overflows.
4. Keep tank tops, floor plates, gratings, ladders, handrails etc, clean and free from oil.
5. Tools and movable equipment must be stowed away properly when not in use.
6. Removal of Floor Plates, Manholes and Ladders

All floor plates, gratings, ladders, handrails etc, must be kept properly secured. Whenever it
is necessary to remove these items the following precautions must be observed: The area
affected must be roped off. Warning signs must be displayed to warn personnel of the
danger. The area must be well illuminated.

Sounding Pipes

Sounding pipes are required to be fitted with a cap attached by a chain and an operational
deadweight closure device. Regular checks must be made to ensure that these fittings are in
place and operating correctly. Deadweight closure devices must not under any
circumstances be artificially held open after use. 

Fluorescent Lighting In areas with exposed and or moving machinery fluorescent tubes
must be fitted with diffuser covers. This is to ensure that the frequency of the lighting does
not coincide with that of the rotating and or moving machinery to create the illusion that it
is stationery.