Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport Commander Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport Commander Francis Kean has reiterated the importance for ship owners to follow all safety procedures. This was after a recent incident where two men lost their lives after they were alleged to have inhaled harmful chemicals on a vessel anchored at Lami Bay. “Confined space entry is supposed to be covered under the ISM (Safe Ship Management System) procedures of any ship,” Mr Kean said. “We have the Maritime (Safe Ship Management) Regulations 2014 which requires all Fiji ships to have in place safe working procedures and part of these procedures is the confined space entry.” He said ship owners and operators are required to develop these procedures and implement it on board their ships. Mr Kean said these procedures and safe ship management manual is to be audited by Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) for local ships and for foreign ships by the classification society on-behalf of the flag state. The confined space entry procedures, he says, should include: 1. Continuous ventilation of the confined space. Fans to be used are to be electrically safe. 2. Testing of the confined space atmosphere for oxygen deficiency and other noxious or explosive air mixture. Onboard ships, ship officers test the atmosphere using an explosive meter. 3. A lookout to standby at the entrance of the confined space at all times during entry and occupancy of the space. 4. A BA set and FFA (fire extinguisher) to be made ready at the entrance. 5. A lifeline may be used and set of signals arranged between the standby officer and those entering the confined space or a portable VHF radio can be used if safe. 6. A checklist to be signed off before entry to ensure all the above has been carried out and it is safe to enter and work in the confined space. .