AUGUST 2016 SAFETY MESSAGE
There are a number of items that need to be kept in mind while you are in an
engine room. There are checklists and maintenance information to help but
here are some pointers to help you keep the engine and machinery spaces on
your boats in good order and to mitigate potential or real hazards. It’s all
about your safety and the safety of those on board.
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Hatches, ladders, and emergency escape scuttles: Do the hatches operate and
are they tight? Do the ladders have good treads and are handrails are in
place/secure? Are emergency escape scuttles are functioning and clear to open?
(Don’t forget to check above them).
Lights: Do they all work? Bad things lurk in the shadows. Are there proper
covers or guards on the lights? Are the emergency lights in the engine room,
machinery spaces and throughout the boat working in case of power loss?
Main Engines and Generators: Are they clean and wiped down of oil? Are
alarms and gauges in working order? Is there proper insulation and are heat
shields installed to prevent hot spots and burns? Are the pipes, connections,
flanges, unions, and hoses tight and not leaking or weeping any fluid? Are the
electrical connections in good shape and insulated? Are rotating machinery
guards in place? Are the exhaust connections tight? Are exhaust flanges and
exhausts wrapped with high-temperature insulated blankets?
Fire Extinguishers and Firefighting Gear: Are all the proper type fire
extinguishers tagged, secured in place for use? Is the fixed extinguishing system
tagged and ready to use when needed? Fire hoses ready for use with proper
nozzles? Will the hose(s) reach all corners of the engine room with a stream of
water? Are the fire pump(s) operational and ready for immediate use?
Emergency Fuel Cut-offs and Powered Ventilation Stops: Are they working
properly?
Deckplates and Grating: Are they all there? Are there areas that need plates or
grating? Are these screwed down or otherwise fastened securely? Are they
clean of oil and grease? Slip and tripping hazards present?
Electrical: Are the switchboards and switchgear all closed up with electrocution
hazard signs affixed? Are distribution boxes tight, secure, and labeled? Are
there proper fuses / breakers in place? Are there any exposed electrical hazards?
Are there rubber mats where needed?
Wiring: Is it the right type and size wire? Is it a rat’s nest? Wire connectors
mechanically sound and taped with electrical tape? Is the visible wiring
insulation in good shape, especially at any chafe points and where passing
through bulkhead penetrations and other penetrations?
Batteries: Are they secure in their boxes with the covers in place? Are their
connections clean and tight? Is battery water sufficient? Holding a charge?
AUGUST 2016 SAFETY MESSAGE
10. Piping and Hoses: Are the pipes properly color coded and labeled? Are the pipe
runs supported correctly? Are there any leaks—especially at joints and flanges?
Is their penetration through the bulkhead secure? Piping includes fuel, lube oil,
potable water, sea water, sewage, and even air. Check them all out, especially
the hard ones to get at running under the deckplates and bilges. Are the hoses
serviceable (not old, cracked, stiff, or leaking?).
11. Valves: Do all valves have handwheels or handles? Are the stems and packing
in good order? Check for leaks. Check the manifolds such as the bilge pumping
and fueling systems manifolds. All valves should be labeled. Is there a correct
schematic diagram mounted next to or near the fuel manifold? Other
manifolds?
12. Ventilation: Is it working and is the ducting secure and clean? Are the on/off
control switches working so you can set vent boundaries in the engine room to
starve fires of combustion air? Vent covers ready for use?
13. Pumps: Are they solidly mounted and labeled? Does rotating machinery have
guards in place? Are pipe and electrical connections tight?
14. MSD/Sewage Plant: Is it working properly and not illegally discharging
improperly treated effluent? Is there a positive lock and chain on the overboard
valve(s)?
15. Bench Grinders: Do they have their protective eye guards in place? Mounted
securely in safe locations?
16. Bilges: Are they clean and dry? Keep oil out of the bilge. Only a small amount
of oil and oily water should ever be present because they feed fire and can
pollute if not handled properly. Do bilge high level alarms work?
17. Alarms and Safety and Pollution Placards: Is the oil pollution placard mounted
and visible? Same for hearing and eye protection required labels. Is the General
Alarm rotating red light functioning in engine room?
18. Communications: Sound powered phones work? PA system work?
19. Housekeeping: Is the engine room and machinery spaces secured for sea when
underway? Is it clean and organized? Is there overstocked items you can
offload? Are flammables stowed away from heat sources like engines in metal
cabinets? Are there buckets of waste oil or used filters that need to be disposed
of properly? Are there oily rags present that need to be discarded or properly
stored until discarded?
The items listed here are certainly not all of the hazardous conditions that you
might find, but it’s a start. If you find a hazardous condition, report it to the
Master and take steps to reduce or eliminate the hazards. If you need help to
do this, ask for help. If you cannot get help, report it to the Designated Person
Ashore and any senior manager immediately.