10 Points To Consider When Preparing For Safety Equipment

Survey On Ships
Safety is of paramount importance onboard. The ship being a workplace prone to mishaps, no
tables should be left unturned to ensure that the vessel is safe to the maximum extent possible.

Adhering to the Planned Maintenance Schedule pretty much guarantees that the general culture of
safety is upheld. And although safety is an aspect regularly taken care of, it might be necessary to
overhaul and renew equipment before the scheduled survey.

Replacing expired edibles (in the liferaft), pyrotechnics, damaged labels/stickers etc. all require
immediate attention. Certificates are also examined and so are the logbooks; so that should be kept
in mind as well.

Generally speaking, the extent of stringency depends on the visual assessment of the ship, hence it
is important to keep every safety aspect, both visually and otherwise.

So what are some of the salient points to carry out before the survey? Read on:

1. Check Lifeboat: The lifeboat and its equipment (including edibles, pyrotechnics, non-
pyrotechnics) should be checked and renewed. The ship’s crew must be strictly instructed on the
operation of the lifeboat and purpose of every installation in the lifeboat. Repaint the written
information on the lifeboat. Lower the lifeboat and check its movement both ahead and astern.
Necessary overhauling and renewal must be done as per requirement.

Read: Common reasons for lifeboat engine starting failure and Measures to stop accidents on
lifeboat
Credits: Remi Jouan/wikipedia.org

2. Check Davits: Davits of lifeboats should be de-rusted, repainted, greased along with the winches
and the blocks. Check and then recheck so that they don’t jam at the crucial moment.

Read: Types of Lifeboat Release Mechanisms and Solas Requirements

3. Check Inflatable Liferafts: The inflatable liferafts should be checked if they’ve been serviced at
regular intervals. Check the equipment strictly and make any necessary replacements if required.
Stickers generally require to be replaced as they lose their sheen over time easily under the duress
of weather.

Watch: How to launch and board an inflatable life-raft? and Liferaft release system and launching
procedure

4. Check Handheld Radios, Smoke Signals and Lifebuoys: The survival craft’s portable
handheld radio should be checked and kept in optimum working order. The ship’s crew should
know all about the radio including battery backup, operation etc. (the GMDSS handbook would be
the right place to search for exact specifications with regard to the handheld radio) The life buoys
should be inspected and overhauled as required. Mark conspicuously the ones that are not to be
used anymore. The lights and batteries should be replaced if they’ve expired. Check the smoke
signals as well as the lifelines. As per the safety plan of the vessel, the lifebuoys should be aptly
placed at different locations. Their location should be clearly marked out for clarity.

Read: SOLAS requirements for GMDSS

5. Check Lifejackets: Check All the lifejackets onboard should be rigorously checked. Expired
lights and faulty lifejackets must be replaced. Also, the entire crew must be made to practice the
wearing and removal of the lifejacket in a stipulated time. Sometimes an oversized/undersized jacket
may be required in which case they should be ordered promptly. No surveyor will excuse lesser
number of life jackets.

Watch: How to Wear A Lifejacket?

6. Check Pyrotechnics: Pyrotechnics must be functional and those that aren’t must be replaced.
Check the LTA as well. The crew must know where the pyrotechnics are kept and how they are to
be used. Generally speaking, the instructions on the cover/front are enough to gather operational
information.

Read: Requirements Regarding Pyrotechniques

7. Check Fire Control Plans and Systems: The fire control plans must be checked for legibility.
Each of them must be checked and conformed to.

Read: 16 Firefighting Appliances and Preventive Measures onboard Ship and Basics of Fire
Prevention On Board Ships

8. Test Fire Detection Systems and Fire Fighting Equipment: Test the fire/smoke detection
systems if possible. The fire pumps, fire hoses, fire extinguishers, nozzles, couplings should all be
checked while at it. The information regarding the fire extinguishers must be promulgated to the
ship’s crew so they know which on to use for a specific kind of fire (Class A, B, C, D). Overhaul and
refill extinguishers (as well as any cartridges) as per the requirement. The fireman’s outfit should be
inspected for functionality. Again, the ship’s crew should practice wearing and removal of the kit
(during drills) in order that they know how to do so at the crucial times. All alarms must also be
tested.

9. Check Pilot Ladder: The pilot ladders along with all ancillary equipment must also be checked.
Ensure that they match up to the specifications laid down as per legalities.

Read: How Rigging and Maintenance of Pilot Ladder Done Onboard Ship

10. Check Other Important Systems According to the Type Of the Ship: The above-mentioned
points are general and apply to all ships. Tankers have additional checking points that are:

Note: It is important to remember that the navigation systems and equipment are inspected as well,
as part of the safety survey. Needless to say, all the navigation equipment must also be checked for
operation and efficiency. This includes the emergency machinery as well.

We all go through ample safety drills onboard. A correct sense of the urgency of a proper safety
system will only come when taking those drills seriously. Having a safety drill way too often reduces
it’s impact on the ship’s personnel. Of course, a few ones before a survey will automatically
prepare the crew for the surveyors interrogation, so to speak.

No amount of attention to safety is enough, for it is one such aspect onboard that has to be at its
highest level of possible perfection! Lives are at stake when at sea and any small ignorance might
lead to a massive disaster. A well maintained safety system onboard would obviously call for much
less work at the end moment.

Over to you..

Do you know any other important points regarding safety equipment survey that can be added to
this list?

Let’s know in the comments below.

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