The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances For Ships Other Than Ships Of Classes III To VI(A)) Regulations 1999

STOWAGE AND HANDLING OF LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES

General provisions relating to the stowage and handling of life-saving appliances

27.—(1) The arrangement of each lifeboat, Class C boat, inflated boat, other boat, liferaft and article of buoyant apparatus shall be such that it will not interfere with the operation of other life-saving appliances or impede in any way their prompt handling or the marshalling of persons at the launching stations or their embarkation.

(2) Lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats, other boats, liferaft and buoyant apparatus shall be so stowed that they can all be launched safely in the shortest possible time, and the overall launching period shall not exceed 30 minutes in the case of:

(a) ships of Classes I, II and II(A); and

(b) ships of Class VII(A) which carry liferafts under launching appliances.

Stowage and handling of lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats and other boats

28.—(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) every lifeboat attached to a set of davits, other than a lifeboat which is carried as an alternative to a Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat, shall be so arranged that, even under unfavourable conditions of trim and of up to 15 degrees of list either way, it can be put into the water when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment required by these Regulations.

(2) Any lifeboat which is carried as an alternative to a Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat, and any Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat which is attached to a davit or set of davits other than a mechanically controlled single arm davit, shall be so arranged that when loaded with its equipment required by these Regulations and a launching crew of two persons it can be put into the water on one side of the ship when the ship is upright or is listed to 15 degrees towards that side.

(3) Every lifeboat, Class C boat, inflated boat, or other boat attached to a mechanically controlled single-arm davit shall be so arranged that when loaded with its equipment required by these Regulations and a launching crew of two persons, it can be put into the water on one side of the ship when the ship is upright or is listed up to 15 degrees towards that side.

(4) Every lifeboat or Class C boat carried in compliance with regulation 10(5)(b) or (7)(b), 15(2), 17(3)(a), 20(2)(b) or 21(2), and every boat carried in compliance with regulation 18(2), if not attached to a davit or set of davits, shall be attached to a device which shall be provided primarily for the purpose of launching the boat, and which shall be capable of putting the boat into the water on one side of the ship when it is loaded with its equipment required by these Regulations and a launching crew of two persons, and when the ship is upright or is listed up to 15 degrees towards that side.

(5) Every inflated boat carried in compliance with regulation 10(5)(b) or (7)(b), 15(2), 17(3)(a), 20(2)(b) or 21(2) shall be attached to a launching appliance, which shall be capable of launching and recovering the inflated boat when the ship is upright or listed to 15 degrees towards the side on which the appliance is fitted: provided that the boat shall be so stowed that it is capable of being manhandled overboard without the use of the launching device.

(6) Not more than one lifeboat, Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat shall be attached to any davit, set of davits or other means of launching.

(7) Lifeboats may be stowed on more than one deck on condition that proper measures are taken to prevent lifeboats on lower decks being fouled by those stowed on the decks above.

(8) Lifeboats shall be positioned as close to accommodation and service spaces as possible. They shall be stowed in such positions as to ensure safe launching, having particular regard to clearance from the propeller, steeply overhanging portions of the hull, and the ability, so far as practicable, to be launched down the straight side of the ship. If positioned forward they shall be stowed abaft the collision bulkhead in a sheltered position and the strength of the davits shall be adequate for the location.

(9) Davits shall be suitablye placed on the ship.

(10) Davits, winches, falls, blocks and all other launching gear provided in accordance with these Regulations shall comply with the requirements of Schedule 10 or 11.

(11) (a) All lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats or other boats attached to davits shall be served by wire rope falls and winches in the following cases:

(i) when they are attached to gravity davits;

(ii) when they are attached to mechanically controlled single-arm davits;

(iii) when they are fitted in any ship of Classes I or II, or in any ship of Class VII(A) in compliance with regulation 11(2);

(iv) when they are fitted in any ship of Classes VII, VII(T), VIII, VIII(T) or IX in compliance with regulation 10(2), (5) or (7) (including those paragraphs as applied to such Classes); or

(v) when the weight of the attached lifeboat, Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat in the lowering condition exceeds 2,300 kgs:

provided that the Secretary of State may permit other types of falls to be fitted, with or without winches, in cases other than emergency lifeboats, where he is satisfied that such falls are adequate.

(b) In every ship in which lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats or other boats are served by wire rope falls, winches shall be provided for handling such falls.

(c) Emergency lifeboats carried in compliance with regulations 7(3), 8(4) or 11(3) shall be served by winches which are capable of recovering them at a speed of not less than 0.3 metres per second when the lifeboat is loaded with its equipment required by these Regulations and a distributed load equal to 1,000 kgs.

(12) Efficient hand gear shall be provided for the recovery of all lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats or other boats which are served by winches.

(13) Where davits or other launching devices are recovered by action of the falls by power, safety devices shall be fitted which will automatically cut off the power, if necessary, before the davits come against the stops to ensure that the wire rope falls or davits are not over-stressed.

(14) Except in the case of lifeboats required by regulations 7(2), 8(4) and 11(2), to facilitate the launching of lifeboats against a list of 15 degrees, skates or other suitable means shall be provided for any lifeboat stowed under davits which are of such strength that the lifeboat can be lowered with its full complement of persons and its equipment required by these Regulations.

(15) Means shall be provided for bringing the lifeboats, which are required to be capable of being lowered in the fully loaded condition, against the ship’s side and for holding them there for the safe embarkation of persons.

(16) In ships other than ships in which the lifeboat, Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat is attached to a mechanically controlled single-arm davit, the davits shall be fitted with a wire rope span so positioned that when the boat is in the lowering position the span is as near as practicable over the centre line of the boat. There shall be at least two lifelines fitted to the span long enough to reach water with the ship at her lightest seagoing draught and listed to 15 degrees either way.

(17) (a) Lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats and other boats attached to davits shall have the falls ready for service, and the falls shall be at least long enough to reach the water with the ship at her lightest sea-going draught and listed to 15 degrees either way.

(b) Means shall be provided for detaching the lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats or other boats from the falls.

(c) Lower fall blocks, if provided, shall be fitted with a suitable ring or long link for attaching to the sling hooks, unless disengaging gear complying with Schedule 2, Part 6 is fitted.

(d) The points of attachment of the Lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats and other boats to the falls shall be at such height above the gunwale as to ensure stability when lowering the lifeboats, Class C boats, inflated boats or other boats.

(18) Every emergency lifeboat carried in compliance with regulation 7(3), 8(4) and regulation 11(3) shall be provided with means for facilitating the attachment of the lower fall blocks to the lifting arrangements of the boat when the boat is recovered from the sea in adverse weather conditions. For this purpose a pendant of adequate strength and suitable length shall be provided for each davit and one end of the pendant shall be attached to the lower fall block and the other end to the lifting arrangement on the boat. Additionally, means shall be provided for hanging off the boat after hoisting to enable the lower fall block to be attached directly to the lifting hook.

(19) When—

(a) a lifeboat is attached to a davit, set of davits or other launching device which is not of sufficient strength for the lifeboat to be safely lowered into the water loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment required by this Part of these Regulations under the conditions of trim and specified in this Part of these Regulations for the Class of ship, or

(b) a Class C boat, inflated boat or other boat is not of sufficient strength to be safely lowered into the water loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment required by this Part of these Regulations,

the davit or the launching device shall be conspicuously marked with a red band 150 millimetres wide painted on a white background.

Stowage and handling of liferafts, buoyant apparatus, lifebuoys and lifejackets

29.—(1) Liferafts and buoyant apparatus shall be so stowed that they can be put into the water safely even under unfavourable conditions of trim and of up to 15 degrees of list either way.

(2) (a) Launching appliances shall be provided in every ship of Classes I, II, II(A) and VII(A) which carry liferafts in accordance with regulations 7(2)(b), 8(8)(c) or 11(2)(b).

(b) Every liferaft launching appliance shall be so arranged that even under unfavourable conditions of trim and of up to 15 degrees of list either way each liferaft which is designed for use with such an appliance can be launched when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment.

(c) The requirements of regulation 28(8) shall apply to liferafts for which approved launching devices are required to be carried, as they apply to lifeboats.

(d) Means shall be provided for bringing liferafts for which launching appliances are provided against the ship’s side and for holding them there for the safe embarkation of persons.

(3) (a) Lifebuoys shall be so distributed as to be readily available on both sides of the ship and as far as practicable on all open decks extending to the ship’s side. At least one lifebuoy shall be placed in the vicinity of the stern.

(b) Lifebuoys shall be so stowed as to be capable of being rapidly cast loose, and shall not be permanently secured in any way.

(c) Except as otherwise provided, lifebuoys with lights and those with lights and smoke signals shall be equally distributed on both sides of the ship.

(4) Lifejackets shall be so stowed as to be readily accessible to all persons on board. Their position shall be clearly and permanently indicated.