Measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats
1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-first session
10 to 19 May 2006, recalled that at its seventy-fifth session (15 to
24 May 2002), it had considered the issue of the unacceptably high
number of accidents with lifeboats in which crew were being injured,
sometimes fatally, while participating in lifeboat drills and/or
inspections, and noted that most accidents fell under the following
categories:
- failure of on-load release mechanism;
- inadvertent operation of on-load release mechanism;
- inadequate maintenance of lifeboats, davits and
launching equipment;
- communication failures;
- lack of familiarity with lifeboats, davits, equipment
and associated controls;
- unsafe practices during
lifeboat drills and inspections; and
- design faults
other than on-load release mechanisms.
2 Pending further consideration of the problem,
the Committee approved MSC/Circ.1049 on Accidents with lifeboats, to
draw the attention of manufacturers, shipowners, crews and
classification societies to the personal injury and loss of life that
may follow inadequate attention to the design, construction, maintenance
and operation of lifeboats, davits and associated equipment and urged
all concerned to take necessary action to prevent further accidents with
lifeboats. It invited Member Governments to:
- bring
the circular to the attention of their maritime Administrations,
relevant industry organizations, manufacturers, shipowners,
crews and classification societies;
- take the necessary
action to prevent further accidents with lifeboats pending the
development of appropriate IMO guidance;
- ensure that:
.3.1 on-load release equipment used on ships
flying their flag is in full compliance with the requirements of
paragraphs 4.4.7.6.2.2 to 4.4.7.6.5 of the LSA Code;
.3.2 all appropriate documentation for
the maintenance and adjustment of lifeboats, launching
appliances and associated equipment is available on board;
.3.3 personnel undertaking inspections,
maintenance and adjustment of lifeboats, launching appliances
and associated equipment are fully trained and familiar with
these duties;
.3.4 maintenance of
lifeboats, launching appliances and associated equipment is
carried out in accordance with approved established procedures;
.3.5 lifeboat drills are conducted
in accordance with SOLAS regulation III/19.3.3 for the purpose
of ensuring that ship's personnel will be able to safely embark
and launch the lifeboats in an emergency;
.3.6 the principles of safety and health at work
apply to drills as well;
.3.7 personnel
undertaking maintenance and repair activities are appropriately
qualified;
.3.8 hanging-off pennants
should only be used for maintenance purposes and not during
training exercises;
.3.9 all tests
required for the design and approval of life-saving appliances
are conducted rigorously, according to the guidelines developed
by the Organization, in order to identify and rectify any design
faults at an early stage;
.3.10 the
equipment is easily accessible for inspections and maintenance
and is proven durable in harsh operational conditions, in
addition to withstanding prototype tests; and
.3.11 the approving authorities or bodies pay close
attention to proper workmanship and state-of-the-art
possibilities when assessing equipment for approval; and
- encourage shipowners, when undertaking maintenance and
repair activities, to employ qualified personnel, preferably
certified by the manufacturer.
3 Member Governments were further invited, while enforcing
the provisions of SOLAS regulation IX/4.3, to ensure that the above
issues are addressed through the Safety Management System of the
company, as appropriate.
4
The Committee further recalled that, at its seventy-seventh session (28
May to 6 June 2003), recognizing the experience gained since the
approval of the Guidelines on inspection and maintenance of lifeboat
on-load release gear (MSC/Circ.614) at its sixty-second session (24 to
28 May 1993), and that the implementation of expanded and improved
guidelines could contribute towards a reduction of the incidence of
accidents with lifeboats, it had approved the Guidelines for periodic
servicing and maintenance of lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load
release gear (MSC/Circ.1093), superseding MSC/Circ.614. Taking into
account subsequent amendments to SOLAS chapter III and the LSA Code, and
having considered proposals by the fiftieth session of the Sub-Committee
on Fire Protection, the Committee approved amendments to the Guidelines
as set out in annex 1. The Committee further noted that the guidance
developed for lifeboats could also apply to the periodic servicing and
maintenance of liferafts, rescue boats and fast rescue boats and their
launching appliances and on-load release gear.
5 The Committee further recalled that, at its
seventy-ninth session (1 to 10 December 2004), it had endorsed the
intention of the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, in
co-operation with the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and
Watchkeeping, to develop further IMO guidance as envisioned in
MSC/Circ.1049, and accordingly, approved the Guidance on safety during
abandon ship drills using lifeboats (MSC/Circ.1136), as set out in annex
2. The Committee further recalled that the Guidance developed for
lifeboats has relevance, in general, for emergency drills with other
life-saving systems and should be taken into account when such drills
are conducted. In connection with MSC/Circ.1136, and recognizing the
need to provide a basic outline of essential steps to safely carry out
simulated launching of free-fall lifeboats in accordance with SOLAS
regulation III/19.3.3.4, and having considered proposals by the
forty-seventh session of the Sub-Committee on Design and Equipment, the
Committee further approved the Guidelines for simulated launching of
free-fall lifeboats (MSC/Circ.1137), as set out in the appendix to annex
2.
6 Having considered the
need to update several of the circulars discussed above, and having
considered proposals by the fiftieth session of the Sub-Committee on
Fire Protection to consolidate the numerous circulars on the subject of
measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats in order to better serve
the mariner, the Committee approved the annexed Guidelines for periodic
servicing and maintenance of lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load
release gear (annex 1) and Guidelines on safety during abandon ship
drills using lifeboats (annex 2).
7 Member Governments are invited to give effect to the
annexed Guidelines as soon as possible and to bring them to the
attention of shipowners, ship operators, ship-vetting organizations,
ship personnel, surveyors, manufacturers and all others concerned with
the inspection and maintenance of lifeboats, liferafts, rescue boats and
fast rescue boats and their launching appliances and on-load release
gear.
8 This circular
supersedes MSC/Circ.1049, MSC/Circ.1093, MSC/Circ.1136 and
MSC/Circ.1137.