Step 4 of 5•4 minutes read
Safety During Work
Some work onboard can be more hazardous than others. You need a work permit before starting these tasks to minimise the hazards. A permit-to-work system is a formal written system used to control certain types of work. It delivers a risk-based approach to safety management and requires personnel to undertake and record risk assessments in developing a safe work system.
There are several tasks when you should have a Permit to Work. It can be hot work, diving, lifting, or entering an enclosed or confined space. It can also be when you work aloft or over the side,on electrical equipment or a pressurized system.
There are several tasks when you should have a Permit to Work. Image Courtesy: Super Yachting South Africa.
For specific instructions on what kind of work onboard your vessel requires a work permit, consult your company's safety management system (SMS). Copies of all permits to work should be posted at the place of work. Copies should also be retained by the person in charge of the operation. All personnel involved should be made fully aware of the requirements for and benefits of the work permit system. All involved should be advised to wait to start any tasks until the appropriate permit has been issued.
A Permit to Work should include several steps. Firstly, you should identify the task and its location, identify possible hazards, and assess the risks. If you are the one documenting the work permit, you must be assured that the personnel who will carry out the work possess appropriate competency. You must also define the risk control measures, state the precautions, and ensure that the crew has the necessary personal protective equipment.
You should also determine communication procedures, initiate a work permit, and obtain formal approval to perform the task. Make sure to carry out a pre-work briefing. Only when all these steps are completed can you move on to the task the work permit is needed for. Prepare the work, carry out the work to completion, and return the worksite to a safe condition. Complete the process, close the permit to work and keep records for audit purposes.
Work Planning Meetings
Work planning meetings are a sort of meeting that should be held before any job is performed. It is strongly suggested that all persons participating in any job, procedures or tasks join the work planning meeting, also known as the Tool-Box meeting. These meetings aim to ensure that operations and maintenance tasks are correctly planned and managed to complete all tasks safely and efficiently.
These meetings may include risk assessments, work permits, isolation, and tagging requirements. During the meetings, you can also discuss the need for safety briefings, 'toolbox' talks, and correct procedures. The format and frequency of such meetings should meet the requirements of the company's SMS and will be determined by the ship's activities.
Familiarisation
When boarding your vessel for the first time, you shall be given a familiarisation. This is to familiarise you with all safety and emergency equipment provided and available onboard and to learn safety routines. It is also to make sure that you, as a recruit, understand your responsibilities thoroughly before commencing your duties. The Master is responsible for the familiarisation but can designate the duty to a qualified person onboard.
The person performing the familiarisation should be well familiar with the vessel, and most of the time, this duty is delegated to a deck or engine officer. The familiarisation should include a thorough presentation of the new personnel's duties onboard and a tour of the vessel to show where emergency exits, firefighting equipment, life-saving equipment, etc. can be found.
Remember, it is your responsibility to find out more and to ask for clarification if needed.
Muster Lists
The Muster list lists the functions each crew member is required to perform in case of an emergency. This list must be available onboard in English and the language of the country of the vessel's registration. Everyone onboard must acquaint themselves with the muster lists and emergency instructions.
Everyone is responsible for knowing their duties in an emergency, the different alarm signals, and the muster stations. To prepare for an emergency, it is essential to practice all emergency procedures. This is done through emergency drills. In your SMS, you will find the frequency of the drills. The drills could be a fire drill, abandon ship drill, oil spill drill or MOB - Man overboard drill.
An important thing to remember and learn upon joining the vessel is how the procedures and alarms might vary depending on whether guests are onboard or not.