Safety - Module 3

In any emergency or survival situation, the most important factor is the attitude of the people involved.  A positive attitude can make a tremendous difference for survival.  Having the appropriate life-saving equipment in good working order is important.  Every seaman should know the ship, including location and operation of safety devices, hatches and exits from compartments, as well as the ship’s emergency procedures.  Safety drills and safety training should be conducted on a regular basis and noted in the ship’s log.  Emergency equipment needs to be checked and serviced regularly and replaced when necessary. 
 
Everyone on a vessel needs to be involved with safety.  The consequences for neglecting safety measures can be tragic.  The old saying “one hand for you, the other for the ship” is a good rule to follow, even in calm weather.  All passengers as well as crew on a vessel should be apprised of safety procedures.  “The Captain goes down with the ship” really means that you are ultimately responsible to make sure that all crew members and passengers are familiar with safety procedures and techniques.  You should always consider the safety of your own crew and passengers when assisting another vessel in distress.  Don’t endanger yourself or your crew.
Log all injuries and administer proper first aid.  Any injury requiring more than standard first aid must be reported to the Coast Guard.  Your log is a legal document.   State and Federal law requires that the operator of a vessel must report an accident involving any of the following:  the death of a person, an injury requiring more than standard first aid, the disappearance of a person from the vessel that would indicate death or injury, total property damage to boats, docks, etc. involved in the accident that exceeds $500.

A float plan should always be filed with someone that knows the boat information and the estimated time of return.  This person would be responsible to notify the Coast Guard of an overdue vessel.  The essential elements of a float plan includes the intended destination and estimated time of arrival at that location, a description of the vessel and its state registration number or documentation number, the vessel’s radio call sign, the names of all crew onboard, and alternative plans in case of bad weather.

Every vessel needs to have a Safety Plan.  This should include contingency plans for every type of emergency, including fires, grounding, criminal acts, collisions, etc.  Information should include instructions for the crew to stop or minimize the damage or effects of the emergency.  Methods for providing timely instructions to passengers and moving passengers to other spaces should also be included.  After any drill, debriefing of the crew should occur and the safety plan should be updated, if needed.   Unplanned drills can test the ability of the crew to work through unexpected situations.  Crewmembers that have specific duties during an emergency situation need to be familiar with their station and responsibilities.   A station bill or muster list should be prepared for each type of emergency.  This is a document that lists the names of all crew members and their duties connected with emergencies.  The preparation and signing of the station bill is the responsibility of the master of the vessel.  The master is also responsible for seeing that all crew members are familiar with their duties. Alarm signals are part of the station bill, and these signals should become second nature to the crew. Station bills and muster lists must be posted in a conspicuous location in the crew’s quarters prior to the start of the trip. As a seaman on a vessel, it is your responsibility to know your duties and stations, as well as how to operate all equipment for those duties and stations.  All drills and trainings, as well as injuries, need to be noted in the ship’s log.  If a seaman dies during a voyage, the following must be noted in the Official Ship’s Log:  an inventory of money and property, statement of wages due and a statement as to deductions that need to be made from the wages.  The Official Ship’s Log should be signed by the master and chief mate.

A vessel’s ability to contain flooding and fire and to withstand damage depends largely on watertight doors, hatches, and other closures.  Doors and hatches should be in good working order, but the crew must be trained to secure them during fire or emergency drills. 

The Captain must make sure he and the crew complies with drug prevention policies and screening.  Have each crew member sign a drug and alcohol policy.