Safety

The traditional thinking about safety has reached some notable landmarks, but the constantly renewed list of unexpected incidents at sea comes to underline a need for a change in safety perception, unveiling there could be more than the traditional ways of ‘doing safety’.

Reviewing the guidance, there are two issues that may require more clarification for the operators: The first issue refers to the maximum breaking load that a line should have in order to be purchased. The second issue refers to the retirement of a line (or supportive equipment as tails)

Drills have always been considered as an effective way of training personnel on board to respond during emergencies. Safety Management Systems need to also include clear instructions regarding rescue from enclosed space drill.

It has been 20 years since the ISM code became mandatory. Widely known as the ‘International Safety Management Code’, its implementation was a landmark for shipping industry given that for the first time, each shipping organization was obliged to develop an effective safety management.

Britannia P&I Club issued Health Watch Volume 2, Issue 3 December 2013 including accident prevention. If you fall from a height, whether overboard or onto the deck, this could be fatal or you could be seriously injured. If you dont follow proper procedures, or if you use faulty or old equipment, this could result in a fall. You could also put yourself and people working below you at risk if tools or other objects are not secured properly and are dropped from a height.

The UK MCA has issued Marine Guidance Note to provide information on Life-saving appliances and immersion suits

The US Coast Guard uses specific terms on understanding the port conditions based on the weather characteristics. The terms used help ship operators know how to respond to a tropical weather.

Capt. Yves Vandenborn, Director of Loss Prevention at the Standard P&I Club, addresses the ISM Code. 20 years after the Code came into effect in 1998, Mr. Vandenborn examines the course of it and what needs to be done in order to become more effective.

EMSA explains Long Range Identification and Tracking The long range identification and tracking (LRIT) system for ships aims to enhance security for government authorities. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has produced a leaflet in order to understand LRIT and its potential benefits for maritime safety, marine environment protection, as well as search and rescue operations.Thelong-range identification and tracking(LRIT) of ships was established as an international system on 19 May 2006 by theInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) as resolution MSC.202(81).This resolution amends chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), regulation 19-1 and binds all governments which have contracted to the IMO. The LRIT regulation will apply to the following ship types engaged on international voyages:All passenger ships including high-speed craft,Cargo ships, including high-speed craft of 300 gross tonnage and above, andMobile offshore drilling units.(Source: Wikipedia)International LRIT SystemLRIT provides ship identity and current location information in sufficient time for a government to evaluate the security risk posed by a ship off its coast and to respond to reduce the risk if necessary.An active and accurate long range identification and tracking system also has potential benefits in terms of maritime safety, marine environment protection, and maritime...

Bureau Veritas focuses on SOLAS Chapter III amendments, which will be applied on January 1, 2020, including requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.