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PSC deficiency code 09232: Cleanliness of engine room

Area 09 Working and living conditions

This code covers the state of the machinery spaces: oil on tank tops and in bilges, oily rags, leaking equipment and rubbish where it shouldn't be. Inspectors see it as a fire risk and as a sign of how the engine room is maintained.

What the inspector looks at

It's judged by eye during the engine room round, and it shapes how hard the inspector looks at everything else down there.

  • Oil on tank tops, floor plates and in bilges, particularly under purifiers, fuel pumps and the main engine
  • Drip trays and coamings: emptied, drains clear, not overflowing
  • Lagging and insulation on hot surfaces free of oil soaking
  • Oily rags and waste kept in closed metal bins, not left on gratings
  • Combustible stores (paint, chemicals, spare filters) kept out of the machinery space or in a proper locker
  • Escape routes and access to fire fighting equipment kept clear

Common findings

  • Excessive oil accumulation in engine room bilges
  • Oil leakage from fuel oil purifier, tank top contaminated
  • Oily rags left on floor plates near main engine
  • Insulation on exhaust pipe soaked with oil
  • Drip tray under fuel pump overflowing
  • Engine room escape trunk used for storage
  • Paint and thinners stored in engine room

The rule behind it

The fire risk side comes from SOLAS chapter II-2, which requires arrangements to stop oil from reaching hot surfaces and ignition sources in machinery spaces. Keeping equipment free of leaks falls under element 10 of the ISM Code, and safe working conditions for the engine crew under MLC 2006 Regulation 4.3. Oil in the bilges also has to be accounted for under MARPOL Annex I.

Action codes you are likely to see

General untidiness is often 17, cleaned before departure. Persistent leaks that need repair can get 16. When oil has collected near hot surfaces, insulation is soaked, or the condition shows a real fire risk, inspectors may treat it as a ground for detention (30) and add an ISM deficiency (15150). See action taken codes.

How to close it

Clean bilges and tank tops, and land or record the oily waste in the Oil Record Book. Find and repair the leaks rather than just wiping them, and renew oil-soaked insulation. Clear escape routes and move combustible stores. Take photos of the cleaned areas, log the repairs in the planned maintenance system, and keep both with the Form B.

Questions

Can a dirty engine room really lead to detention?

Yes, when the condition is a fire hazard, for example oil near hot surfaces or soaked lagging. Ordinary untidiness usually ends with an instruction to clean before departure.

Is it enough to clean the engine room before the inspector comes?

Cleaning helps, but inspectors look for the source. Fresh oil under a pump that was wiped this morning points to an unrepaired leak, and that's what gets written up.

Where should oily rags be kept?

In closed metal containers, emptied regularly, and away from hot surfaces. Rags left on floor plates or stuffed behind pipes are a common finding.

Sources

Written by the SuperRonin team from the sources above. Last updated 27 Oct 2026. This page explains the rules; the regulation, the PSC officer and your flag and class have the final word. If something here doesn't match what you see on board, write to [email protected] and we'll correct it.

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