Regulation 32 - Launching and embarkation appliances
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Conventions - SFV - International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels (The Torremolinos Convention)Regulations for the Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels - Chapter VII - Life-Saving Appliances and Arrangements - Part C - Life-Saving Appliances Requirements - Regulation 32 - Launching and embarkation appliances

Regulation 32 - Launching and embarkation appliances

  (1) General requirements

  • (a) Each launching appliance together with all its lowering and recovery gear shall be so arranged that the fully equipped survival craft or rescue boat it serves can be safely lowered against a trim of up to 10° and a list of up to 20° either way:

    • (i) when boarded by its full complement of persons;

    • (ii) without persons in the survival craft or rescue boat.

  • (b) A launching appliance shall not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power which is independent of the vessel's power supplies to launch the survival craft or rescue boat it serves in the fully loaded and equipped condition and also in the light condition.

  • (c) A launching mechanism shall be so arranged that it may be actuated by one person from a position on the vessel's deck, and from a position within the survival craft or rescue boat; the survival craft shall be visible to the person on deck operating the launching mechanism.

  • (d) Each launching appliance shall be so constructed that a minimum amount of routine maintenance is necessary. All parts requiring regular maintenance by the vessel's crew shall be readily accessible and easily maintained.

  • (e) The winch brakes of a launching appliance shall be of sufficient strength to withstand:

    • (i) a static test with a proof load of not less than 1.5 times the maximum working load; and

    • (ii) a dynamic test with a proof load of not less than 1.1 times the maximum working load at maximum lowering speed.

  • (f) The launching appliance and its attachments other than winch brakes shall be of sufficient strength to withstand a static proof load on test of not less than 2.2 times the maximum working load.

  • (g) Structural members and all blocks, falls, padeyes, links, fastenings and all other fittings used in connection with launching equipment shall be designed with not less than a minimum factor of safety on the basis of the maximum working load assigned and the ultimate strength of the material used for construction. A minimum factor of safety of 4.5 shall be applied to all davit and winch structural members, and a minimum factor of safety of 6 shall be applied to falls, suspension chains, links and blocks.

  • (h) Each launching appliance shall, as far as practicable, remain effective under conditions of icing.

  • (i) A lifeboat launching appliance shall be capable of recovering the lifeboat with its crew.

  • (j) The arrangements of the launching appliance shall be such as to enable safe boarding of the survival craft in accordance with the requirements of regulations 20(4)(b) and 17(3)(a).

  (2) Launching appliances using falls and a winch

  • (a) Falls shall be of rotation-resistant and corrosion-resistant steel wire rope.

  • (b) In the case of a multiple drum winch, unless an efficient compensatory device is fitted, the falls shall be so arranged as to wind off the drums at the same rate when lowering, and to wind on to the drums evenly at the same rate when hoisting.

  • (c) Every rescue boat launching appliance shall be fitted with a powered winch motor of such capacity that the rescue boat can be raised from the water with its full complement of persons and equipment.

  • (d) An efficient hand gear shall be provided for recovery of each survival craft and rescue boat. Hand gear handles or wheels shall not be rotated by moving parts of the winch when the survival craft or rescue boat is being lowered or when it is being hoisted by power.

  • (e) Where davit arms are recovered by power, safety devices shall be fitted which will automatically cut off the power before the davit arms reach the stops in order to avoid overstressing the falls or davits, unless the motor is designed to prevent such overstressing.

  • (f) The speed at which the survival craft or rescue boat is lowered into the water shall be not less than that obtained from the formula:

    S = 0.4 + 0.02H

    where:
    S = = speed of lowering in metres per second, and
    H = = height in metres from davit head to the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition.

  • (g) The maximum lowering speed shall be established by the Administration having regard to the design of the survival craft or rescue boat, the protection of its occupants from excessive forces, and the strength of the launching arrangements taking into account inertia forces during an emergency stop. Means shall be incorporated in the appliance to ensure that this speed is not exceeded.

  • (h) Every rescue boat launching appliance shall be capable of hoisting the rescue boat when loaded with its full rescue boat complement of persons and equipment at a rate of not less than 0.3 m/s.

  • (i) Every launching appliance shall be fitted with brakes capable of stopping the descent of the survival craft or rescue boat and holding it securely when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment; brake pads shall, where necessary, be protected from water and oil.

  • (j) Manual brakes shall be so arranged that the brake is always applied unless the operator, or a mechanism activated by the operator, holds the brake control in the “off” position.

  (3) Float-free launching

 Where a survival craft requires a launching appliance and is also designed to float free, the float-free release of the survival craft from its stowed position shall be automatic.

  (4) Free-fall launching

Every free-fall launching appliance using an inclined plane shall, in addition to complying with the applicable requirements of paragraph (1), also comply with the following requirements:

  • (i) the launching appliance shall be so arranged that excessive forces are not experienced by the occupants of the survival craft during launching;

  • (ii) the launching appliance shall be a rigid structure with a ramp angle and length sufficient to ensure that the survival craft effectively clears the vessel;

  • (iii) the launching appliance shall be efficiently protected against corrosion and be so constructed as to prevent incendive friction or impact sparking duing the launching of the survival craft.

  (5) Evacuation-slide launching and embarkation

 Every evacuation-slide launching appliance shall, in addition to complying with the applicable requirements of paragraph (1), also comply with the following requirements:

  • (i) the evacuation slide shall be capable of being deployed by one person at the embarkation station;

  • (ii) the evacuation slide shall be capable of being used in high winds and in a seaway.

  (6) Liferaft launching appliances

 Every liferaft launching appliance shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), except with regard to use of gravity for turning out the appliance, embarkation in the stowed position and recovery of the loaded liferaft. The launching appliance shall be so arranged as to prevent premature release during lowering and shall release the liferaft when waterborne.

  (7) Embarkation ladders

  • (a) Handholds shall be provided to ensure a safe passage from the deck to the head of the ladder and vice versa.

  • (b) The steps of the ladder shall be:

    • (i) made of hardwood, free from knots or other irregularities, smoothly machined and free from sharp edges and splinters, or if suitable material of equivalent properties;

    • (ii) provided with an efficient non-slip surface either by longitudinal grooving or by the application of an approved non-slip coating;

    • (iii) not less than 480 mm long, 115 mm wide and 25 mm in depth, excluding any non-slip surface or coating;

    • (iv) equally spaced not less than 300 mm or more than 380 mm apart and secured in such a manner that they will remain horizontal.

  • (c) The side ropes of the ladder shall consist of two uncovered manila ropes not less than 65 mm in circumference on each side. Each rope shall be continuous with no joints below the top step. Other materials may be used provided the dimensions, breaking strain, weathering, stretching and gripping properties are at least equivalent to those of manila rope. All rope ends shall be secured to prevent unravelling.

Parent topic: Part C - Life-Saving Appliances Requirements
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