Life saving appliances

Lifeboat
SOLAS Regulation for life raft
Equipment contain in Life Raft as per SOLAS
Regulatory requirements of life buoy and life jacket
Anti-exposure suit and thermal protective aid regulatory requirements
Immersion suit regulatory requirements
List of Personal life Saving appliances




Lifeboat Releasing mechanisms


Releasing mechanisms:

ON load Mechanism:
On load mechanism can release the life boat form the wire, above the water level and with all crew members inside the boat.
The load will be still on the falls as the boat would not have touched the water. Normally the height of about 1m is kept for the on load release, so that the fall is smooth without damaging the boat and harming the crew inside.
A lever is provided inside the boat to operate this mechanism. as the lever is operated from inside, it is safe to free the boat without going of the out of life boat, when there is a fire on the ship.

OFF load Mechanism:-
The off load mechanism releases the boat after the load of the boat is transferred to water or the boat has been lowered fully into the sea.
When the boat touches the surface of the water, the load of the fall and hence the hook releases and due to this mechanism the hook detaches from the fall. If the detachment does not takes place, any of the crew member can remove the hook from the fall.




Life boat


Launching procedure
                  
                 
               
                 

1. Initial preparation
(i) Ensure harbour securing pins are remove.
(ii) Disconnect electric charge cable.
(iii) Close drain plugs.
(iv) Board when instructed, sit & fasten seat belt.

2. Launching action
(i) Release grips/securing wires.
(ii) Secure hatches.
(iii) In a safe atmosphere open vents.
(iv) If dangerous atmosphere close vents.
(v) Suitable jackets (inflatable) are to worn by the boat crew.

3. Lower to water:-
(i) Check clear below.
(ii) Operate brake release.
(iii) Boat may swing during release.
(iv) keep lowering boat at steady rate.

4. Entering water:-
(i) Allow boat to settle in the water.
(ii) Keep brake off.
(iii) Release falls.
(iv) If the falls do not disengage operate emergency release as follows:
      - Break glass
      - Move lever to green zone.
      - Release falls.

5. Letting go:-
(i) Start engine
(ii) If in a dangerous atmosphere, open air supply and water spray valves.
(iii) Release painter when ready.
(iv)  Steer away from ship

6. Final actions:-
(i) Rescue any swimming survivors if able to do so.
(ii) When clear of the vessel, stream sea anchor.

(iii) Operate EPIRB & SART

Safeties on life raft

(1) Pressure relief valve
(2) Stabilizing pocket
(3) Insulated canopy have Two layer.



Launching life raft manually

(a) First of all take out painter from life raft almost 80% of the total length.
(b) Now fasten it to ship side on deck and make sure it should not be loose.
(c) Now remove railing and clear the way for launch.
(d) Unfasten the ship hook from cradle,
(e) Two person will lift raft container from its cradle and thrown it to overboard ( make sure painter point will be ship side)
(f) Now after thrown take out remaining painter from raft and after that give sharp pull, but until the raft inflate ( Regulation says that it will inflate within 1 to 3 min depend on ambient temp )
(g) Now with the help of same painter pull it to ship side,
(h) Now lower the embarkation ladder or if height will low than jump into water, you can direct jump into raft if the height will not be more than 4.5 m from water line, and also by using embarkation ladder you can go down and jump it inside, or swim some distance and climb up in raft.( but if you are in cold weather try not to get wet, keep dry as possible as you can.)
(i) You must have to sit in order wise means face by face, to not be unbalance of raft,
(j) Have to take SART and EPIRB along with you.
(k) After all person get inside head count must be taken,
(l) Now immediately cut the painter by using knife, and using paddle or sea anchor get clear the ship because as ship will start to sink there will be low pressure create in water near by area of ship.


Launching of life raft automatically

(a) Once ship started to sink, and when it will sink upto 4 meter the water pressure will activate sharp knife in H.R.U
(b) It will cut the securing rope around the canister or container of the raft, and now raft will float free.
(c) Now ship will further sink, the painter line will stretched and it will inflate the raft.
(d) Now due to increase in buoyancy will break the Red weak link around 2.2 KN± 0.4 and life raft will be on surface of water now.
NOTE: life raft located in forward will be only inflate manually, it don’t have H.R.U and its person carrying capacity also 6 person, and life raft located in midship means at embarkation station it have maximum capacity and can be launched by manually, by davit and by H.R.U. So these are the main difference between fwd and aft life raft.

Launching life raft by davit

(a) Launching life raft by davit make sure always you keep maintaining davit mechanism.
(b) First you remove ship’s hand rail or gate.
(c) Unlash the container for launch, REMEMBER INBOARD mark should be ship side.
(d) Lower davit hook and make it lock with lifting shackle.
(e) Secure canister or container lines outboard.
(f) Secure bowsing line.
(g) Pull out approx 5-6 meter of painter line.
(h) Make sure before lifting that hook and brake lanyard are inboard.
(i) Secure painter line.
(j) Now pull full length of painter.
(k) Now lift the life raft canister upto some height.
(l) Now pull the painter and give sharp pull to inflate life raft.
(n) Make sure the opening of canopy means access should be ship side.
(o) Now secure the life raft.
(p) Now one person will go inside to make some check ( make sure you should not wear Sharpe edge shoes or heels ) 
(q) Collect SART and EPIRB.
(r) Now go inside life raft and seat evenly.
(s) Now release bowsing line and pass to raft.
(t) Check launching area is clear.
(u) Lower the raft using brake release.
(v) You can operate hook release 1 m above the water or allow the raft to touch the water and load will reduce from hook and it will release it self.
(w) Now cut painter and use sea anchor or paddle to clear the area immediately.


SOLAS Regulation for life raft

SOLAS Regulation for life raft

Equipment contain in Life Raft as per SOLAS

Equipment contain in Life Raft as per SOLAS

Regulatory requirements of life buoy and life jacket



A. Life Buoy
Numbers onboard:- Ship length under 100m - 8, 100 to150m-10, 150 to 200m-12 & Above 200m-14 no’s
size: I.D At least 400mm ,O.D Max 800mm.
weight: Not be less than 2.5 kg & Not be more than 6 kg
material: Inherently buoyant material
colour: internationally ORANGE in colour, highly visible.
ACCESSORIES:
1)Retro reflective taps 
2)Grab line of min length 4 times of O.D with min dia 9.5mm, secured at 4 equidistant spaces 
3)Self igniting light: White in colour, Capable of burning continues, min luminous intensity to be 2 cd, min 50 and max 70 flashes per min for a period of 2 hour, operated battery type.
4)Buoyant life line: Non-kinking type, dia at least 8 mm & Breaking strength not be less than 5 KN
5)Self- activating smoke signal: Orange colour of smoke, Capable of quick release from the height of 30 m, Burning period at least 15 minute. 
Marking is “ PORT OF REGISTRY” of ship.
Capable of supporting at least 14.5 kg of iron in fresh water for a period of 24 hour. It shall not sustain burning or continues melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 sec. Should withstand a drop into the water from the height at which it is stowed above the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition or 30 m, whichever is the greater, without impairing either its operating capability or that of its attached components.


Life jacket:-
Numbers on board:- Each person onboard must have its personal life jacket + extra life jacket for the watch keeper + 5% extra life jacket at Muster station or Embarkation station
material: Non Flammable material or synthetic buoyant material
colour: internationally ORANGE in colour, highly visible.
worn: it should be donning within 1 min without any help from assistance. (at least 75% person),
and it should be comfortable to wear
jump: it is capable to allow jump from a height of at least 4.5 m into water without injury of life jacket and personal.
buoyancy: it should not be reduced by more than 5% after 24 hour submersion in fresh water.
It shall not sustain burning or continues melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 sec.
ACCESSORIES:
1) Retro reflective taps.
2) Non conducting whistle secure with lanyard
3) Manual igniting light: White in colour, Capable of burning continues & its luminous intensity not be less than 0.75cd , having min 50 and max 70 flashes per minute for a period of 8 hour.
MARKING:
a. Manufacture name
b. Serial number
c. Date of manufacture
d. Weight capacity
e. “FRONT” word printed

Anti-exposure suit and thermal protective aid regulatory requirements

Anti exposure suit:-
made: Non Flammable and water proof material.
colour: internationally orange in colour, highly visible.
worn: it should be Unpacked and donning within 2 min without any help from assistance.
jump: it is capable to allow jump from a height of at least 4.5 m into water without injury of life jacket and personal.
covers the whole body with the exception of the head and hands and, where the Administration so permits, feet; gloves and a hood shall be provided in such a manner as to remain available for use with the anti-exposure suits; is equipped with a pocket for a portable VHF telephone;
has a lateral field of vision of at least 120°.
It shall not sustain burning or continues melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 sec.
After wear it must be capable to normal work.
Climb up and down a vertical ladder at least 5 m in length.
to swim through the water at least 25 m and board a survival craft;
be so constructed, that when worn as marked, the suit continues to provide sufficient thermal protection following one jump into the water which totally submerges the wearer and shall ensure that when it is worn in calm circulating water at a temperature of 5°C, the wearer's body core temperature does not fall at a rate of more than 1.5°C per hour, after the first 0.5 hours.
A person in fresh water wearing either an immersion suit or an immersion suit with a lifejacket, shall be able to turn from a face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 seconds and be stable face- up.

Thermal protective aid
material: Non Flammable and water proof material.
having a thermal conductance of not more than 7800 W/(m2.K) and shall be so constructed that, when used to enclose a person,
it shall reduce both the convective and evaporative heat loss from the wearer’s body.
thermal protective aid shall function properly throughout an air temperature range -30°C to +20°C.
colour: internationally ORANGE in colour, highly visible.
worn: permit the wearer to remove it in the water in not more than 2 min, if it impairs ability to swim.
cover the whole body of persons of all sizes wearing a lifejacket with the exception of the face. Hands shall also be covered unless permanently attached gloves are provided;
be capable of being unpacked and easily donned without assistance in a survival craft or rescue boat.

Immersion suit regulatory requirements

Minimum number onboard:- Each person onboard must have its personal immersion suit + extra suit for the watch keeper.
Type: (1) insulated (2) Un-insulated (3) wearing with life jacket (4) have sufficient buoyancy.
Material: Non Flammable and water proof material.
Colour: internationally RED in colour, highly visible.
Worn: it should be Unpacked and donning within 2 min without any help from assistance.
Jump: it is capable to allow jump from a height of at least 4.5 m into water without injury of life jacket and personal.
It will cover whole body, exception with face. Hand shall be covered unless permanently attached gloves are provided.
It shall not sustain burning or continues melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 sec.
After wear it must be capable to normal work.
Climb up and down a vertical ladder at least 5 m in length.
To swim a short distance through the water and board a survival craft.
It is used in cold weather, where the temp is at below freezing point.
It will not allow to go down our body temp 2°C for a period of 6 hour immersion in calm circulating water at a temperature of between 0°C and 2°C.
 A person in fresh water wearing either an immersion suit or an immersion suit with a lifejacket, shall be able to turn from a face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 seconds.
ACCESSORIES: Retro reflective taps.


List of Personal life Saving appliances


Life buoy, Life jacket, Immersion suit, Anti-exposure, Thermal protective aids

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