Section: BSMT 1-Y1-5

Topics:
1. Working Aloft
2. Personal Safety Equipment
Group Members:
Santiago, Jon Brylle
Gayatin, Jeremie
Cleofas, Mark
Quiambao, Isaiah Patrick

TOPIC #1
What is Working Aloft ?
Working aloft or working at a height. Work should be carried out only if there
is no other alternative. Supervision or assistance from a fellow crew member alone
may not improve height safety, when working aloft focus on your task but also
your safety.
Working aloft crew members must pay attention to the job at hand as well as
their personal safety. A supervisor should be appointed to act as a lookout for the
crew member working aloft.

Here are some things you need to remember when working aloft:
® Equipment to be used by the personnel working aloft, should be
securely housed in tool belts / bags. Tools / equipment that cannot be
carried on a person should be hoisted to the place of work in secure
containers.

® Prioritise collective protection measures, such as guard rails, proper

lighting, marking of trip hazards, over personal protection measures.
® Consider each individual person’s experience.

® Maintain high standards of safety also when the ship is at a yard. The
ship’s crew should follow the shipyard’s safety procedures as far as
practicably possible but continue to apply normal seafaring practices and
comply with their company’s safety standards.

® Take into account the possibility of emergencies occurring when

planning a task.

Risks of Working Aloft:

° Falling off the ladder while climbing.

° Falling from heights while working.

° Hit by radar antenna.

TOPIC #2 : Personal Safety Equipment

What is the Personal Safety Equipment ?

Personal protective equipment is protective clothing, helmets,

goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's
body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective
equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and
airborne particulate.

Personal safety on board a vessel is of utmost priority for everyone on

the ship. Numerous times, as can be seen from the increase in naval
mishaps these days, vessels lacking the required safety measures meet
with accidents. To minimise this loss of life and property, it is
imperative for the shipping companies to take the proper
measures to ensure onboard safety of all seafarers.
List of Safety Equipment and their use:

Fire extinguisher

-It is mandatory for all ships to have all the various types of fire extinguishers for
efficient handling of different cases of fires that may arise on the ship. In such
cases, portable fire extinguishers can be tremendously helpful and can be used to
put out small-scale fires aboard the ship. Fire extinguishers should be placed in the
areas of ships that are easily accessible and close to potential fire sources on board.

Fire Suits

-Fire suits, also known as fire proximity suits, are used by seafarers while
diffusing large fires. The material used to make these suits is heat-resistant and
hence protects the bodies of the people wearing it. In case of large fires aboard
ships, it is important for the people in charge of diffusing the fire to be wearing
these suits. All ships are required to carry at least two of these suits.

Breathing Equipment

-In case of a fire onboard, it becomes hard for people to breathe due to the smoke.
In such cases, breathing equipment such as oxygen cylinders and masks can be of
help. The oxygen masks provide a short supply of oxygen in case of emergencies,
while oxygen cylinders provide a much larger and reserved source of oxygen.

Escape Smoke Hood

-During fires, it is not only the flames that cause injuries. The gases and
smoke that result from the fire are also fatal for the people. Here, escape smoke
hoods come in handy. Escape smoke hoods are lightweight hoods made of flame-
retardant fabric and block a number of toxic gases. In case of a fire, these escape
hoods can be of help during the evacuation, giving the wearers a wide window of
time.

Personal Locator
-Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are small devices that send out electronic
transmission signals in case of emergencies. These signals pinpoint the exact
location of the beacon and alert authorities about the emergency thus deploying a
rescue team to assist those in need. These devices work in remote locations where
a cell phone network is not accessible. The personal locator beacons are usually
used with other personal protection equipment like survival suits or life jackets.
Pyrotechnics
-These are the distress signals that are used in case of extreme emergencies.
Pyrotechnics onboard ships are provided to grab the attention of people and other
ships in the immediate vicinity, so that they can offer immediate help in case of
emergencies. Pyrotechnics are basically the visual forms of SOS signals. Hand
Flares, Smoke signals, Rocket Parachute flares are pyrotechnics that are used on
ships. These pyrotechnics must be kept in accessible places away from fuel and
combustibles. They must be disposed properly in case of expiration.
Search and Rescue Transponder
-The Search and Rescure Transponder or SART is a transponder that is to be
used in case of emergencies at the sea. There are two types of SART, the radar-
SART and AIS-SART. The radar-SART locates lifeboats or distressed vessels by
marking the route on the rescue ship’s radar display. The AIS-SART uses an
automatic identification system to locate the distressed vessel. It also sends to the
rescue ship updated and more accurate locations of the distressed vessel using a
built-in GPS.
First Aid Kit
-First Aid Kits are perhaps the most important components of the personal
safety equipment. They include all the medicines and remedies for emergencies.
Having a properly stocked first aid kit can be of tremendous help on board ships
providing immediate medical help and sometimes even saving a life. In a case of
emergency, it is important to first radio for professional help and then try to assist
using a first aid kit.