3.1 In addition to the provisions identified as
core provisions, additional guidance may be provided in the Plan.
The topics of such guidance include provision of diagrams and drawings;
ship-carried response equipment, including radiological monitoring
equipment; public affairs; record-keeping; product response information;
and reference materials.
3.2 In addition to the plans required by 2.25
above, other details concerning the ship’s design and construction
may be appended to the Plan or their location identified.
3.3 Ships may carry on board equipment to assist
in response. The type and quantity of this equipment may vary depending
on the type of INF Code materials carried.
The Plan should indicate an inventory of such equipment. It should
also provide directions for safe use and guidelines to assist the
master in determining when such use is warranted. Care should be exercised
to ensure that the use of such equipment by the crew is practical
and consistent with safety considerations. The Plan should establish
personnel responsibilities for the deployment of the equipment, its
oversight, and maintenance. In order to ensure its safe and effective
use, the Plan should also provide for crew training in the use of
it.
Shore-side response co-ordinator or qualified individual
3.4 The Plan should provide guidance, if applicable,
for the master for requesting and co-ordinating initial response actions
with the person responsible for mobilizing shore-side response personnel
and equipment.
3.5 To facilitate consideration of the amount
of response resources which should be requested, possible scenarios
should be analysed and accordingly planned for.
3.6 The shipowners may want to include in the
Plan guidance for the master in dealing with the distribution of information
to the news media. Such guidance should be fashioned to reduce the
burden on ship’s personnel already busy with the emergency at
hand.
3.7 As with any other incident that may eventually
involve liability, compensation, and reimbursement issues, the owner
may want to include in the Plan guidance for the keeping of appropriate
records of the INF Code material incident.
Apart from detailing all actions taken on board, records might include
communications with outside authorities, owners, and other parties,
and decisions and information passed and received. Details on the
radiological monitoring undertaken should also be recorded.
3.8 Regular review of the Plan by the owner, operator,
or master is recommended to ensure that the specific information contained
therein is current. A feedback system should be employed which will
allow quick capture of changing information and incorporation of it
into the Plan. This feedback system should incorporate the following
two means:
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.1 Periodic review: the Plan should be reviewed
by the owner or operator at least yearly to capture changes in local
law or policy, contact names and numbers, ship characteristics, or
company policy; and
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.2 Event review: after any use of the Plan in
response to an incident, its effectiveness should be evaluated by
the owner or operator and modifications made accordingly.
3.9 The Plan will be of little value if it is
not made familiar to the personnel who use it. Training and regular
exercises will ensure that the Plan functions as expected and that
the contacts and communications specified are accurate. Such training
and exercises may be held in conjunction with other shipboard training
and exercises and appropriately logged. Where ships carry response
equipment, hands-on experience with it by crew members will greatly
enhance safety and effectiveness in an emergency situation. After
the performance of such exercises, the Plan may need to be modified.
3.10 The Plan may address the training procedures
and programmes of the shipowner or operator to assure an acceptable
level of knowledge and professionalism in the crew. The consignors
and carriers involved in the transport of INF Code materials
should provide training related to their emergency instructions and
the potential hazards of the types of materials involved. Training
programmes should be geared to the roles that personnel should play
in responding to an incident. Provisions should be made for periodic
brief refresher training in order to maintain the proficiency of all
personnel in the emergency response organization and to review incident
experience and practical problems. Guidance on the use of radiological
monitoring equipment carried on board should also be provided.
3.1 The purpose of training is to provide basic
information to the ships’ crew. The training should cover in
brief the subjects clearly applicable to such incidents. The information
should include the fundamentals of first aid, radiological hazards,
protective measures, and transport regulations (especially those aspects
concerning transport documents, markings, labels and placards and
fire control). Basic principles to protect people from radiation exposure
and radioactive contamination and to control the spread of contamination
should be included in the training. The preparation of standard training
material is recommended to facilitate the success of such a training
project.
3.12 A more extensive training programme is necessary
to maintain the skills of the master and ships’ officers. Training
for these persons should include, at a minimum, incident assessment
techniques using radiological monitoring instruments, implementation
of protective measures, use of protective clothing and equipment,
basic meteorology, and further detailed instructions on the transport
regulations and on the packaging of radioactive materials.
Exercise and drill procedures
3.13 The Plan may also address the exercise and
drill programme to be carried out by the vessel owner or operator
to maintain an appropriate level of preparedness. Exercise scenarios
could be developed and used to test the response capabilities and
skills of the master and the crew. Exercises could be based upon realistic
accident exercise scenarios designed to test all major aspects of
the plans. Exercises should aim at testing the effectiveness of communication
links, the mobilization of emergency resources and specialized teams,
and of the co-operation between agencies and services involved. Another
objective of the exercises is to strengthen the confidence of the
personnel that they can adequately handle an incident. Equipment and
instruments specified in the emergency plans could be used in exercises.
Exercises should be clearly identified as such in communications or
messages related thereto.
3.14 Drills, which are more limited in scope than
exercises, are designed to develop, test and maintain special skills
of individuals. For example, a communications and notification drill
might test the proficiency of personnel in giving notification of
an incident, alerting various organizations, and in operating communications
equipment. A fire-fighting drill could be limited to the operation
of fire-fighting equipment. Thus, drills can be considered as subsets
of exercises, i.e., many drills conducted at the same time, in a coordinated
fashion, constitute an exercise.
3.15 Provision may be made for the critique of
drills and exercises by qualified observers. The results of drills
and exercises should be used as a basis for improving the emergency
plans, as appropriate. Recording of communications and videotaping
the exercises are valuable aids for learning by the participants.
Reports and critiques of actual emergencies should also be used as
training aids.
3.16 Provision should be made for testing radiological
instruments, communications and other equipment. The condition of
equipment should be checked periodically, in conjunction with drills
or exercises, and at other times, as warranted. A record of all drills
and exercises should be maintained on board the ship showing date
and results of the event. Additionally, any faults or deficiencies
identified should be documented and corrected quickly.
3.17 The Plan should contain information on the
crew’s responsibilities in an incident where a ship is partially
or fully disabled, and what constitutes dangerous conditions. A decision
process should be outlined in the Plan that will aid the master in
determining when salvage assistance should be obtained. The decision
process should include, but not be limited, to the following:
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.1 Nearest land or hazard to navigation;
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.2 Ship’s set and drift;
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.3 Location and time of impact with hazard based
on ship’s set and drift;
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.4 Estimated time of incident repair; and
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.5 Determination of nearest capable assistance
and response time (i.e., for tug assistance, the time it will take
to get on scene and secure the tow). When an incident occurs to a
ship under way that reduces its manoeuvrability, the master needs
to determine the window of opportunity considering the response time
of assistance, regardless of estimated time of repair. It would not
be prudent to hesitate in calling for assistance when the time needed
to repair something goes beyond the window of opportunity.
3.18 Plans should contain lists and means of contacting
and securing salvage assistance.