Part B
Preparations For Emergencies
5 Record of Passengers
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5.1 The owner, charterer, managing operator or master of a vessel making a voyage in exposed or coastal waters shall keep an accurate record of all persons, which embark on and disembark from the vessel, including the names and gender, distinguishing between adults, children and infants.
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5.2 The owner, charterer, managing director or master of a vessel on any other type of voyage shall keep a correct, written count of all passengers, which embark on and disembark from the vessel. Prior to departing on a voyage, the passenger count shall be deposited ashore in a well marked location or with a representative of the owner or managing operator of the vessel.
6 Passenger Safety
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6.1 Before getting underway on a voyage where passengers are carried, the master of a vessel shall ensure that suitable public announcements are made informing all passengers of the following, as applicable to the vessel's operations and arrangement—
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.1 a general explanation of emergency procedures;
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.2 the location of emergency exits and survival craft embarkation areas;
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.3 the stowage location of lifejackets;
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.4 the proper method of putting on and adjusting lifejackets of the type carried on the vessel including a demonstration of the proper donning of a lifejacket;
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.5 the location of the instruction placards for lifejackets and other lifesaving devices; and
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.6 that all passengers will be required to wear lifejackets when possible hazardous conditions exist, as directed by the master.
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6.2 As an alternative to an announcement that complies with VIII/6.1, the master or other designated person may—
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.1 prior to getting underway, deliver to each passenger or, on a vessel that does not carry vehicles and that has seats for each passenger, place near each seat, a card or pamphlet that has the information listed in VIII/6.1.1 to VIII/6.1.6; and
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.2 make an abbreviated announcement consisting of—
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.1 a statement that passengers should follow the instructions of the crew in an emergency;
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.2 the location of lifejackets; and
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.3 that further information concerning emergency procedures including the donning of lifejackets, location of other emergency equipment, and emergency evacuation procedures are located on the card or pamphlet that was given to each passenger or is located near each seat.
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6.3 Ferries operating on short runs of less than 15 minutes may substitute bulkhead placards or signs for the announcement required in VIII/6.1 and VIII/6.2 where the Administration determines that the announcements are not practical due to the vessel's unique operation.
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6.4 On a vessel on a voyage of more than 12 hours duration, passengers shall be requested to put on lifejackets and go to the appropriate embarkation station during the safety orientation. Where only a small number of passengers embark at a port after the original muster has been held, these passengers shall be given the passenger safety orientation required by VIII/6.1 or VIII/6.2 if another muster is not held.
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6.5 The master of a vessel shall require passengers to wear lifejackets when possible hazardous conditions exist, including, but not limited to—
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.1 when transiting hazardous bars and inlets;
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.2 during severe weather;
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.3 in event of flooding, fire or other events which may possibly call for evacuation; and
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.4 when the vessel is being towed.
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6.6 Sufficient emergency instructions shall be posted to enable passengers to know what action to take in the event of an emergency.
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6.7 Sufficient instructions on how to don lifejackets shall be posted to enable passengers to undertake this action in the event of an emergency.
7 Emergency instructions
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7.1 The master and crew of a vessel shall be familiar with the content of emergency instructions containing the actions to be taken in the event of fire, heavy weather, or man overboard conditions. Such instructions shall be displayed at the operating station.
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7.2 Except when in the opinion of the Administration the operation of a vessel does not present any of the hazards listed, the emergency instruction placard shall contain at least the applicable portions of the “Emergency Instructions” listed in regulation VIII/8. The emergency instructions shall be designed to take account of the particular equipment, arrangement, and operation of each individual vessel.
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7.3 Where the Administration determines that there is no suitable mounting surface aboard the vessel, the emergency instructions need not be posted but shall be carried aboard the vessel and be available to the crew for familiarization.
8 Recommended Emergency Instructions Format
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An emergency instruction placard containing the following information will satisfy the requirements of regulation VIII/7.
EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS
Rough weather at sea, crossing hazardous bars or flooding
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1. Close all watertight and weathertight doors, hatches, and airports to prevent taking water aboard.
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2. Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven bilge pump, hand pump, and buckets to dewater.
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3. Arrange fire pumps to be use as bilge pumps where permitted.
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4. Check all intake and discharge lines, which penetrate the hull, for leakage.
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5. Passengers shall remain seated and evenly distributed as directed by the master.
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6. Passengers shall wear life jackets when instructed by the master.
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7. Where assistance is needed follow the procedures on the emergency broadcast placard posted by the radiotelephone.
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8. Prepare survival craft (life floats, (inflatable) rafts, (inflatable) buoyant apparatus, boats) for launching.
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9. Instructions to abandon the vessel shall not be given unless in the opinion of the master the risk of persons remaining on board exceeds the risk of evacuating the vessel.
Man overboard
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1. Throw a life buoy overboard as close to the person as possible.
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2. Post a lookout to keep the person overboard in sight.
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3. Launch the rescue boat and manoeuvre to pick up person in the water, or manoeuvre the vessel to pick up the person in the water.
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4. Have a crew member put on lifejacket, attach a safety line to him or her, and have him or her stand by ready to jump into the water to assist the person overboard if necessary.
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5. Where person is not immediately located, notify Coast Guard and other vessels in vicinity by radiotelephone.
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6. Continue search until released by Coast Guard or where the master considers it impracticable to continue the search
Fire
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1. Cut off air supply to fire – close items such as hatches, ports, doors, ventilators, and louvers, and shut off ventilation system.
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2. Cut off electrical system supplying affected compartment if possible.
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3. Where safe, immediately use portable fire extinguishers at base of flames for flammable liquid or grease fires or water for fires in ordinary combustible materials. Do not use water on electrical fire.
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4. Where fire is in machinery spaces, shut off fuel supply and ventilation and activate fixed extinguishing system if installed.
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5. Manoeuvre vessel to minimize effect of wind on fire.
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6. Where unable to control fire, immediately notify the Coast Guard and other craft in the vicinity by radiotelephone.
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7. Move passengers away from fire, have them put on lifejackets, and where necessary, prepare to abandon the vessel.
9 Emergency Station Bill
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9.1 On a vessel of more than 20m (65 feet) in length required to have more than four crew members at any one time, including the master, a station bill shall be posted by the master.
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9.2 The station bill required by VIII/9.1 shall set forth the special duties and duty station of each crew member for various emergencies. The duties shall, as far as possible, be consistent with the regular work of the individual. The duties shall include at least the following and any other duties necessary for the proper handling of a particular emergency—
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.1 the closing of hatches, airports, watertight doors, vents, scuppers, and valves for intake and discharge lines that penetrate the hull, the stopping of fans and ventilating systems, and the operating of all safety equipment;
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.2 the preparing and launching of survival craft and rescue boats;
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.3 the extinguishing of fire; and
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.4 the mustering of passengers including the following—
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.1 warning the passengers;
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.2 assembling the passengers and directing them to their appointed stations; and
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.3 keeping order in the passageways and stairways and generally controlling the movement of the passengers.
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9.3 The station bill shall be posted at the operating station and in a conspicuous location in each crew accommodation space.
10 Abandon Ship and Man Overboard Drills and Training
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10.1 The master shall conduct sufficient drills and give sufficient instructions to make sure that all crew members are familiar with their duties during emergencies that necessitate abandoning ship or the recovery of persons who have fallen overboard.
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10.2 Each abandon ship drill shall include—
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.1 summoning the crew to report to assigned stations and prepare for assigned duties;
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.2 summoning passengers on a vessel on an overnight voyage to muster stations or embarkation stations and ensuring that they are made aware of how the order to abandon ship will be given;
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.3 checking that lifejackets are correctly worn; and
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.4 instructions on the automatic and manual deployment of survival craft.
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10.3 Each abandon ship drill shall, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.
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10.4 Each rescue boat where provided, shall be launched with its assigned crew aboard and maneuvered in the water as if during an actual man overboard situation—
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.1 once each month, where reasonable and practicable; but
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.2 at least once within a 3 month period before the vessel gets underway with passengers.
11 Fire Fighting Drills and Training
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11.1 The master shall conduct sufficient fire drills to make sure that each crew member is familiar with his or her duties in case of a fire.
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11.2 Each fire drill shall include—
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.1 summoning the crew to report to assigned stations and to prepare for and demonstrate assigned duties;
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.2 summoning passengers on a vessel on an overnight voyage to muster or embarkation stations; and
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.3 instruction in the use and location of fire alarms, extinguishers, and any other fire fighting equipment on board.
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11.3 Each fire drill shall, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.
12 Nothing in the emergency instructions or a station bill required by this Chapter exempts any licensed individual from the exercise of good judgement in an emergency situation.
13 Markings Required
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13.1 The following marking is required—
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.1 all lifesaving and firefighting equipment shall be marked with the vessel's identity number;
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.2 all escape hatches and other emergency exits used as means of escape shall be marked on both sides in clearly legible letters at least 50mm (2 inches high): “EMERGENCY EXIT, KEEP CLEAR”, unless such markings are deemed unnecessary by the Administration;
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.3 remote fuel shutoff stations shall be marked in clearly legible letters at least 25mm (1 inch) high indicating purpose of the valve and direction of operation; and
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.4 watertight doors and watertight hatches shall be marked on both sides in clearly legible letters at least 25mm (1 inch) high: “ WATERTIGHT DOOR – KEEP CLOSED “ or “WATERTIGHT HATCH – KEEP CLOSED”, unless such markings are deemed unnecessary by the Administration.
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13.2 Complete but simple instructions for the operation of a fixed gas fire extinguishing system shall be located in a conspicuous place at or near each pull box and stop valve control and in the space where the extinguishing agent cylinders are stored. Emergency signs and warnings shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
14 Operational readiness, maintenance and inspection of lifesaving equipment
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Each launching appliance and each survival craft and rescue boat on a vessel shall be in good working order and ready for immediate use before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is underway. Each deck where survival craft or rescue boats are stowed or boarded shall be kept clear of obstructions that could interfere with the boarding and launching of the survival craft or rescue boat. All lifesaving equipment shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and to the satisfaction of the Administration.
15 Instruction manuals, documentation, signs/notices and language used
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15.1 The owner shall ensure that instruction manuals are available for all equipment and machinery onboard the ship as required by the Administration.
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15.2 All instruction manuals, signs, notices, plans and documents relating to the safety and operation of the ship and its machinery and equipment shall be in the official language of the flag State and, where applicable, the working language of the crew.