2.1 Operational readiness
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.520(13) – Code of practice for the evaluation, testing and acceptance of prototype novel life-saving appliances and arrangements – (Adopted in 1983) - Annex - Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances - 2 General Criteria - 2.1 Operational readiness

2.1 Operational readiness

  2.1.1 The life-saving appliances on every ship should, either individually or collectively:

  • .1 be safely stowed and in a state of readiness for immediate use;

  • .2 provide means of abandonment of all persons on board in the shortest possible time, in the case of:

    • .2.1 passenger ships, within a period of 30 min; and

    • .2.2 any other ship, within a period of 10 min;

  • .3 include portable buoyancy equipment for the support and detection of persons in the water. Such equipment should be:

    • .3.1 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 should be placed in the vicinity of the stern;

    • .3.2 stowed in conspicuous places and so that they can be readily cast loose; they should not be permanently secured; and

    • .3.3 fitted with suitable aids to assist detection;

  • .4 include sufficient individual buoyancy equipment for every person on board and, in addition, sufficient additional equipment to replace equipment which may become inaccessible;

  • .5 provide for the rescue and retrieval of persons in the water from survival craft or distressed ships;

  • .6 not be rendered inoperable by the effects of the marine atmosphere, seawater, fresh water, oil or fungus; in addition, where exposed to sunlight, they should be resistant to deterioration;

  • .7 not be damaged in stowage throughout an air temperature range from -30°C to +65°C and, if they are likely to be immersed in seawater during their use, be capable of operating throughout a seawater temperature range from -1°C to +30°C, unless other temperature ranges are relevant;

  • .8 on ships carrying hazardous cargo, provide protection for the crew from the effects of cargo hazards or fire during and after abandonment;

  • .9 where practicable, be constructed of fire-retardant materials; however, their attachments, fittings or equipment need not be of fire-retardant material provided they do not affect the efficient functioning of the appliance;

  • .10 be maintained and tested to ascertain that they meet the requirements of this Code.

  2.1.2 Descriptions and instructions for operation, inspection, maintenance and functional testing should be provided for all the life-saving appliances, covering as appropriate the:

  • .1 purpose;

  • .2 operating description;

  • .3 physical description;

  • .4 operating instructions;

  • .5 requirements for inspection, maintenance, replacements and specialist servicing;

  • .6 requirements for operational testing, standards of performance, methods of adjustment; and

  • .7 fault-finding procedures.

  2.1.3 Posters and signs in the vicinity of appliances and controls should:

  • .1 indicate the purpose of controls and procedures for operating the appliances or controls and give relevant instructions and warnings;

  • .2 be easily seen under emergency lighting conditions.

  2.1.4 Instructions should be provided for each crew member which include the operations to be performed in relation to life-saving appliances in emergencies.

  2.1.5 Spares and repair equipment should be provided for life-saving appliances or parts of life-saving appliances which are subject to excessive wear or consumption.

  2.1.6 Life-saving appliances should be easy to inspect, maintain and test and, where applicable, be serviced at an approved servicing station.

  2.1.7 Life-saving appliances should be simple to operate and should be so constructed that crew members can be easily familiarized with their use during practice musters and drills and require minimum prior training or experience.

  2.1.8 Survival craft with launching arrangements should be stowed or located so that:

  • .1 neither the survival craft nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any other survival craft or any other launching station;

  • .2 they are as near sea level as is safe and practicable and the embarkation position is at least 2 m above the waterline with the ship trimmed up to 10° and listed up to 20° either way, in the fully loaded condition, or to the angle at which the ship's weather deck edge becomes submerged, whichever is the least;

  • .3 boarding and launching can take place:

    • .3.1 in cargo ships, directly from the stowed position and in the case of passive survival craft provided with launching devices, from a position immediately adjacent to the stowed position or from a position to which the survival craft is transferred prior to launching;

    • .3.2 in passenger ships, either directly from the stowed position or from an embarkation deck but not both and, in the case of passive survival craft provided with launching devices, from a position immediately adjacent to the stowed position or from a position to which the survival craft is transferred prior to launching;

  • .4 they are kept in a state of continuous readiness and so that two crew members can carry out preparations for boarding and for launching in less than 5 min;

  • .5 after being prepared for boarding, they may be boarded in the case of:

    • .5.1 passenger ships, rapidly;

    • .5.2 cargo ships, in not more than 3 min;

  • .6 with the exception of that equipment which may be stowed in another location to protect it from pilferage or deterioration, they are fully equipped with all systems and components required for safe operation;

  • .7 when the survival craft are launched by falls or a fall and are not the additional survival craft provided on passenger ships, they are attached to their launching devices or within reach of the lifting hooks unless rapid and efficient means of transfer are provided which will not:

    • .7.1 be rendered inoperable under the conditions prescribed in paragraph 2.2.1 or by ship motion;

    • .7.2 reduce the time for preparing and boarding the survival craft prescribed in paragraphs 2.1.8.4 and 2.1.8.5;

  • .8 if arranged for throw-over launching, unless an adequate capacity of survival craft is available on both sides, the survival craft can readily be transferred for launching on either side of the ship;

  • .9 they are, as far as practicable, in a secure and sheltered position and protected from damage by fire and explosions.

  2.1.9 Survival craft embarkation and launching arrangements should be provided except for those survival craft which are portable and are:

  • .1 boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 m above the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition; or

  • .2 carried in excess of 200% of the number of persons on board.

  2.1.10 Rescue craft should be stowed in such a way that:

  • .1 they are kept in a state of continuous readiness and can be launched within 5 min;

  • .2 neither the rescue craft nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any survival craft at any other launching station.

  2.1.11 Means for individual abandonment should:

  • .1 enable unassisted descent from deck to the water surface;

  • .2 be stowed in conspicuous and accessible locations ready for use:

    • .2.1 in the vicinity of survival craft launching areas; and

    • .2.2 in areas where persons may be isolated from survival craft due to fire or explosions.

  2.1.12 Facilities should be provided for alerting all persons on board.

Parent topic: 2 General Criteria
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