Research Article

Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports

Number: Advanced Online Publication Early Pub Date: October 16, 2026
TR EN

Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports

Abstract

Despite successive regulatory reforms, entry into enclosed spaces remains one of the deadliest operations in ship management. The IMO GISIS database was screened, and every case involving actual entry, atmospheric exposure and a death or injury was retained, yielding 39 official reports published between 2007 and 2025 by the authorities of 15 flag states. Each case was coded on seven barriers (B1–B7) defined from IMO A.1050(27) and ISGOTT on a three-level ordinal scale (absent/inadequate/adequate) adapted from Kjellén’s (2023) barrier index; the barrier concept rests on Hollnagel, and the joint failure of the barriers is interpreted through Reason’s defences-in-depth model. The cases resulted in 53 deaths and 33 injuries (86 victims), of which 64.1% were multiple-victim events. Oxygen deficiency was present in 79.5% of cases and associated with 83.0% of deaths. The preventive barriers were systematically weak: permit-to-work (B2) was absent in 89.7% of cases and respiratory protection (B5) in 87.2%; all six failed in 30.8%, and the mean score was 3.00 out of 14. Emergency response (B7), by contrast, never collapsed entirely and was uncorrelated with prevention quality, whereas the preventive barriers formed a coherent scale (Cronbach α = 0.72). A rescuer-victim pattern was observed in half of the determinable cases and was the principal driver of multiple fatalities (U = 55.5; p < 0.001). Neither severity nor barrier performance improved over time. Adopting the revised recommendations is necessary but not sufficient; what is decisive is applying the rules to every entry.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Maritime Engineering (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

October 16, 2026

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

June 18, 2026

Acceptance Date

October 2, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

APA
Kaya, A. Y. (2026). Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports. Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences, Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.52998/trjmms.1974093
AMA
1.Kaya AY. Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports. TRJMMS. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.52998/trjmms.1974093
Chicago
Kaya, Ali Yasin. 2026. “Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports”. Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences, no. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.52998/trjmms.1974093.
EndNote
Kaya AY (October 1, 2026) Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports. Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences Advanced Online Publication
IEEE
[1]A. Y. Kaya, “Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports”, TRJMMS, no. Advanced Online Publication, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.52998/trjmms.1974093.
ISNAD
Kaya, Ali Yasin. “Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports”. Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences. Advanced Online Publication (October 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.52998/trjmms.1974093.
JAMA
1.Kaya AY. Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports. TRJMMS. 2026. doi:10.52998/trjmms.1974093.
MLA
Kaya, Ali Yasin. “Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports”. Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences, no. Advanced Online Publication, Oct. 2026, doi:10.52998/trjmms.1974093.
Vancouver
1.Ali Yasin Kaya. Atmospheric-Hazard Enclosed-Space Accidents on Ships: A Barrier-Based Analysis of Accident Investigation Reports. TRJMMS. 2026 Oct. 1;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.52998/trjmms.1974093

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