Annex 2
DRAFT GOAL-BASED GUIDELINES ON FRAMEWORK OF REQUIREMENTS FOR
SHIPS' LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
1
PREAMBLE
1.1
The requirements for life-saving appliances, which are prescribed in Chapter III of the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and International Life-saving
Appliance (LSA) Code, have been amended repeatedly and have a lack of consistency on
required performances and on anticipated environmental conditions. Furthermore, the
purpose of the requirements is not always clear.
1.2
The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-second session in 2006, agreed to the
proposal that the requirements for life-saving appliances should be reviewed and
restructured systematically after clarification of the classifications and functional requirements
of life-saving appliances (MSC 82/21/7) and instructed the Sub-Committee on Ship Design
and Equipment to consider this issue (MSC 82/24, paragraph 21.49).
1.3
Noting that the Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-ninth session in 2011,
approved the Generic guidelines for developing IMO goal-based standards and circulated
them as MSC.1/Circ.1394, the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, [at its
fifty-seven session in 2013], completed the framework of requirements for ships' life-saving
appliances through discussion since its fifty-second session in 2009.
1.4
This framework of requirements for ships' life-saving appliances is aimed to be
utilized to form the basis for safety objectives and functional requirements for SOLAS
chapter III and developing or amending regulations of life-saving appliances at IMO in the
future, and it should be the basis for the development or revision of requirements for
life-saving appliances only. The framework acknowledges that other means, tools and
relevant IMO instruments are read in conjunction with other provisions of SOLAS that govern
the evacuation from ships. (Modified by the Co-ordimnator)
1.5
This framework has the structure provided in the Generic guidelines for developing
IMO goal-based standards (MSC.1/Circ.1394).
2
PURPOSE
The purpose of this framework is to clarify the goals and functional requirements for ships'
life-saving appliances in order to provide the basis for developing or amending the relevant
provisions in SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code.
Member Governments and
international organizations are encouraged to use this framework as the basis for relevant
work.
3
STRUCTURE
This framework, following the provisions of MSC.1/Circ.1394, consists of the following three tiers:
Tier I – Goals;
Tier II – Functional requirements; and
Tier III – Verification of conformity.
TIER I – GOALS
4
The goals of requirements for life-saving appliances are to enable persons on board ships to
safely escape on board from affected area(s) to designated safety area(s) and safely
evacuate, if necessary, from the ships in case of emergency and, when evacuated, to survive
at sea for the specified period, and to provide means of rescue for persons in the water,
under the specified operating and environmental conditions, when the required appliances
are properly operated and maintained, designed with standardized methods of operation and
the ship's personnel are familiar with them, and are well trained for the safe and effective use
of them.
5
TIER II – FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1
Structure
5.1.1 In order to achieve the goals set out in Tier I, ships should be fitted with life-saving
appliances. Life-saving systems of all types of ships will be grouped to the following six
subsystems and each subsystem should comply with functional requirements of the following
six categories.
5.1.2
The six subsystems will be as follows:
.1
Emergency support subsystem: It supports the decision of the master and/or
navigation officers by foreseeing any danger for the ship and alerting it to
them. It provides necessary information of conditions within and surrounding
the ship during an emergency. Examples of present appliances of this
category are decision support system for masters, IBS, INS, navigational
equipment, fire detectors and safety centre;
.2
Communication subsystem: It ensures necessary means of communication
and provides means of alerting distress signal, communication to SAR
organizations and indication of the ship's position. Examples of present
appliances of this category are public address system, GMDSS equipment
and visual distress signals;
.3
Means of escape subsystem: It provides means of safe escape to the
assembly stations. Examples of present appliances of this category are
means of escape, low location lighting (LLL), emergency lights and evacuation
guidance systems;
.4
Personal life-saving subsystem: It ensures safety of wearers in water or in
survival craft. Examples of present appliances of this category are immersion
suits, lifejackets and thermal protective aids;
.5
Evacuation from ships subsystem: It provides means of evacuation for
passengers and/or crew from the assembly stations to sea and ensures safety
of their lives at sea. Examples of present appliances of this category are
embarkation systems, survival craft and associated support systems (rescue
boats may be used for supporting evacuation); and
.6
Search and rescue subsystem: It provides means of searching, rescuing and
recovering people in water or people in survival craft. Examples of present
appliances of this category are line throwing appliances, rescue boats, SART,
EPIRB and means of rescue.
5.1.3
The six categories for functional requirements will be as follows:
.1
Accessibility includes the following factors:
-
.2
providing necessary means when users need it;
appropriate and accessible place of installation of the system;
sufficient quantity of the system;
compatibility
with
other
life-saving
appliances
and
structure/equipment; and
satisfactory access to the system in an emergency.
ship's
Usability includes the following factors:
-
easy to use and operation in emergency;
user-friendliness including fool proof;
easy to understand how to operate;
provisions of clear instructions; and
standardized methods of operation
.3
Performance means required functions for respective systems under adverse
environmental conditions expected to be encountered by the ship at sea;
.4
Reliability includes the following factors:
-
.5
Management/Maintenance includes the following factors:
-
.6
simple and robust structure;
appropriate durability for the anticipated lifetime or expiration date under
environmental conditions expected to encounter at sea;
fail safe and safety factor; and
preventing single-point failure leading to catastrophic incidents
appropriate allocation of human resource;
training, familiarization and drill; and
inspection and maintenance for the appliances;
Consideration on environmental conditions includes the following factors:
-
-
appropriate arrangement and/or design in order for life-saving appliances
to withstand in envisaged environmental conditions while they are stored
on board; and
appropriate arrangement and/or design in order for life-saving appliances
to secure their required functions in envisaged environmental conditions
when they are used.
5.2
General requirements
5.2.1
Reliability
All subsystems should:
.1
be robust;
.2
provide correct function/performance throughout its lifetime; and
.3
have enough capacity and redundancy including back-up.
.3
have enough capacity including back-up. Note: clarify 'back-up', i.e. power
backup?, redundancy? accessibility? etc.
Remark by the Co-ordinator: As the starting point of discussion, I propose the above
text.
5.2.2
Management/maintenance
All subsystems should:
.1
assign appropriate human resources for each life-saving appliance;
.2
provide sufficient training and drill for each life-saving appliance;
.3
ensure that appropriate inspection and maintenance of each life-saving
appliance is provided;
.4
ensure that the maintenance of each life-saving appliance is straightforward
and easy; and
.5
Standardization of operation.
5.2.3
Environmental conditions
5.2.3.1 Environmental conditions for storage and operation should be determined for each
life-saving appliance. Environmental conditions are conditions expected to encounter at sea
including wave, wind, ship movement, temperature, humidity, salinity, oil, sunlight and so on.
5.2.3.2 Each life-saving appliance should have sufficient performance and reliability under
the environmental conditions when it is used.
5.3
Emergency support subsystem
5.3.1
Basic requirement
5.3.1.1 The basic requirement for this subsystem is to provide an emergency support for
emergency management. For this purpose, crew should have the necessary knowledge and
skills to handle emergency cases, including passenger care.
5.3.1.2 Emergency support system should provide following information on conditions within
and surrounding the ship during an emergency to support the decisions of master of the ship
and should ensure the safety of persons by means of proper instructions for training and
drills of persons on board in correct procedures under emergency conditions:
.1
call points;
.2
fire alarms;
.3
water ingress alarms;
.4
open/closure of doors;
.5
wind and wave conditions;
.6
radar information;
.7
electric instruments;
.8
engines and generators;
.9
ventilation systems; and
.10
others.
5.3.2
Functional requirements
5.3.2.1
Accessibility
Emergency support subsystem should be readily available to the master.
5.3.2.2
Usability
Emergency support subsystem should:
.1
ensure that assigned crew easily recognize and understand the information
provided by the subsystem; and
.2
be easily operable/usable in emergency.
5.3.2.3
Performance
5.3.2.3.1
Emergency support subsystem should provide the information as mentioned in
5.3.1. Furthermore, all foreseeable emergency situations, including availability of power
sources, should be identified in the emergency plan or plans involving – or resulting in –
escape, evacuation, survival or rescue, examples of which are:
.1
fire and toxicity;
.2
damage to ship;
.3
unlawful acts threatening the safety of the ship and the security of its
passengers and/or crew;
.4
personnel accidents;
.5
cargo-related accidents; and
.6
emergency assistance to other ships.
5.3.2.3.2
The plan or plans should be updated as necessary following the evaluation of
exercises and drills executed for the purpose of determining their effectiveness and
identifying the improvements of the subsystem.
5.4
Communication subsystem
5.4.1
Basic requirement
The basic requirement for this subsystem is to provide the following means for
communication in emergency:
.1
means of alarming and addressing to notify passengers and/or crew of
emergency for safe evacuation;
.2
means of alerting distress signal, communication to SAR organization and
indication of the ships' and persons' positions;
.3
means of communication among crew on board a ship; and
.4
means of communication between ships and survival crafts/SAR assets.
5.4.2
Functional requirements
5.4.2.1
Accessibility
Communication subsystem should:
.1
ensure that the master or officers on watch can notify the passengers and/or
crew of emergency situation as appropriate;
.2
ensure that assigned crew on board can use necessary number of radio
communication appliances of appropriate performance;
.3
ensure that appropriate number of distress signals can be used on board the
ship and on survival craft; and
.4
ensure that survival craft is equipped with appropriate position indicating
apparatus.
5.4.2.2
Usability
Communication subsystem should:
.1
ensure that the means of communication are easily operable/usable in
emergency;
.2
ensure that assigned crew understand how to use means of communication;
and
.3
ensure that instructions of operation are located at appropriate positions and
easy to be understood by assigned crew.
5.4.2.3
Performance
Communication subsystem should ensure that the individual means of communication have
adequate performance for respective purposes under the following conditions:
.1
situations for the use of means of communication (ship's emergency);
.2
distance for the communication;
.3
duration of the communication;
.4
number of times for the communication; and
.5
quality and quantity of information communicated.
5.5
Means of escape subsystem
5.5.1
Basic requirement
The basic requirement for this subsystem is to provide safe escape routes and escape
guidance systems.
5.5.2
Functional requirements
5.5.2.1
Accessibility
Means of escape subsystem should:
.1
ensure that all persons on board can use the means of escape easily when
necessary;
.2
be
compatible
with
structure/equipment; and
.3
ensure that appropriate guidance for all types of persons including disabled
persons and persons of reduced mobility is provided, as necessary.
5.5.2.2
other
life-saving
appliances
and
ship's
Usability
Means of escape subsystem should:
.1
ensure that all persons, including disabled persons and persons of reduced
mobility as necessary, easily recognize and understand escape routes; and
.2
ensure that escape routes are easily used by all persons, including disabled
persons and persons of reduced mobility as necessary, in case of emergency;
and
.3
ensure standardization of signs and operation.
5.5.2.3
Performance
Means of evacuation subsystem should:
.1
ensure that all persons can safely arrive at the assembly stations;
.2
have sufficient capacity to be used by all persons safely; and
.3
ensure that all passengers, including disabled persons and persons of
reduced mobility as necessary, are instructed to use appropriate escape route
in case of emergency.
5.6
Personal life-saving subsystem
5.6.1
Basic requirement
The basic requirement for this subsystem is to enable all persons to use personal life-saving
appliances which ensure safety of wearers in water or in survival craft.
5.6.2
Functional requirements
5.6.2.1
Accessibility
Personal life-saving subsystem should:
.1
ensure that all persons on board can use the appliances of appropriate sizes
at necessary occasions; and
.2
be compatible with other life-saving appliances and ship's structure/equipment.
5.6.2.2
Usability
Personal life-saving subsystem should:
.1
ensure that personal life saving appliances are easily used in emergency;
.2
be foolproof;
.3
ensure that all persons understand how to use personal life-saving
appliances; and
.4
ensure that easily understood instructions are located at positions for easy
recognition.
5.6.2.3
Performance
Personal life-saving subsystem should:
.1
ensure that the wearers are able to float on water and keep their face above
water for breathing;
.2
ensure that the wearers are protected from heat loss in cold water until
recovered from water as necessary;
.3
ensure that the positions of the wearers are indicated to facilitate search and
rescue; and
.4
ensure that the design of personal life-saving appliances is suitable to recover
the wearers by pulling them from water/survival craft.
5.7
Evacuation from ships subsystem
5.7.1
Basic requirement
The basic requirement for this subsystem is to provide:
.1
survival craft which enable persons to survive in water for the specified period;
and
.2
means for the rapid transfer of passengers and/or crew from the assembly
stations to survival craft in water.
5.7.2
Functional requirements
5.7.2.1
Accessibility
Evacuation from ships subsystem should:
.1
ensure that sufficient number and capacity of survival craft and launching
systems/evacuation systems are located at easily accessible positions for all
persons on board;
.2
ensure that survival craft and launching systems/evacuation systems are
accessible to all persons on board in emergency; and
.3
be compatible with other life-saving appliances and ship's structure/equipment.
5.7.2.2
Usability
Evacuation from ships subsystem should:
.1
be easily operable in emergency;
.2
be foolproof;
.3
ensure that assigned crew understand the how to operate the subsystem;
.4
ensure that easily understood operational instructions are located at positions
for easy recognition by assigned crew;
.5
be usable in emergency for all persons including disabled persons and
persons of reduced mobility; and
.6
ensure standardization of operation.
5.7.2.3
Performance
Evacuation from ships subsystem should:
.1
ensure that all persons safely embark the survival craft without entering into
water within the specified time;
.2
ensure that the survival craft, in case of an abandon ship operation, are safely
launched and distanced from the ship abandoned;
ensure that all persons in the survival craft are kept safe until recovered from
the craft;
.3
.4
ensure that the positions of the survival craft are indicated to facilitate search
and rescue; and
.5
ensure that the structure of the survival craft is suitable for operations to
recover persons from the survival craft.
5.8
Search and rescue subsystem
5.8.1
Basic requirement
The basic requirement for this subsystem is to provide means of searching, rescuing and
recovering people in water or in survival craft.
5.8.2
Functional requirements
5.8.2.1
Accessibility
Search and rescue subsystem should:
.1
ensure that sufficient number and capacity of search and rescue equipment is
located at appropriate positions;
.2
ensure that search and rescue equipment is accessible to assigned crew in
emergency; and
.3
be compatible with other life-saving appliances and ship's structure/equipment.
5.8.2.2
Usability
Search and rescue subsystem should:
.1
be operable/usable in emergency;
.2
be foolproof; and
.3
ensure that assigned crew understand how to operate search and rescue
equipment.
5.8.2.3
Performance
Search and rescue subsystem should:
6
.1
ensure safe launching and recovery;
.2
ensure safe retrieval of persons from water or survival craft; and
.3
ensure sufficient manoeuvrability and stability of rescue boats in the sea.
TIER III – Verification of conformity
It is anticipated that Tier IV rules would be SOLAS Convention and LSA Code, FSS Code or
other IMO mandatory instruments as well as national regulations and rules developed by
classification societies. In these cases, verification of conformity would be carried out by
relevant IMO bodies (e.g. Committees and Sub-Committees), and finally by the adoption of
these mandatory instruments according to the rule of procedures for the amendments of
these mandatory instruments.