Safety Maintenance
All ships must carry and maintain certain life-saving appliances, in accordance with international requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea – SOLAS for short – and the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code.
This equipment has to be maintained in a full state of readiness. This work is in addition to the Third Officer’s daily shift of eight hours of bridge watch-keeping. On British Trader, this job falls to Third Officer Claudine Piper. Here, she gives an outline of her job.
“As part of my duties onboard the British Trader in the rank of Third Officer I’m responsible for the maintenance of the LSA (lifesaving appliances). Under SOLAS requirements we are required to carry out weekly and monthly inspections of LSA gear which includes equipment such as lifeboats, pyrotechnics, lifebuoys, rescue boat, lightsticks, lifejackets and immersion suits.
We have 14 lifebuoys onboard in various locations around the ship; each one is stencilled with the ship’s name and port of registry, has 4 bands of retro-reflective ‘SOLAS tape’ and is fitted with a buoyant grabline. Also, where required, some lifebuoys are fitted with a self-igniting light, a 30m lifeline or MOB (man overboard) light and smoke signal. The details and requirements can be found in SOLAS chapter 3 and the LSA Code.
When inspecting the lifebuoys I look for any signs of damage or cracking and splitting, ensure that the stencilled markings are all in place and legible, and check that the lights or light and smoke signals if fitted are within their expiry date and in good condition. All grablines and 30m lifelines must be in good condition without signs of wear or damage. The SOLAS tape needs to be inspected to ensure it is still reflective and in good condition.
Claudine has to check the
rescue boat and its equipment
The rescue boat inspections involve checking all the equipment required for the boat is there and in the correct locations, and within date as appropriate. This equipment includes pyrotechnics, a first aid kit, a boot hook and oars to name a few. The general condition of the boat is checked, along with the condition of the release hook, the painter, the lowering davit and wires and associated equipment.
Upon my recent monthly checks of the ship’s lifebuoys and the rescue boat I noticed that the retro-reflective SOLAS tape was showing signs of wear and needed replacing.
Over the following few days I took each lifebuoy in turn and removed the existing SOLAS tape, cleaned the area, and applied new tape. Some stencilling also needed replacing so this was also done in black paint.