Ship Safety Bulletins (SSB)
Date (Y-M-D): 2002-01-24
Subject: Defective Hydrostatic Release
Transport Canada Marine Safety ( TCMS ) has recently received notification from the United States Coast Guard of defective hydrostatic releases being found in use on vessels, in North America.
Subsequent investigation found that these defective units had not been tested and approved to the internationally accepted standard.
Approved units are identifiable by markings indicating that they meet the requirements of Chapter III of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention ( SOLAS ), as amended by IMO Resolution MSC 81 (70).
Owners and operators are reminded that hydrostatic release units that are fitted on Canadian vessels as float free devices must be approved by Transport Canada. Transport Canada encourages the use of hydrostatic releases on all vessels carrying life rafts, and a list of approved units may be found in the Approved Products Catalogue Index under Lifesaving Equipment at:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-inspection-fsc-apci-2079.htm
Photographs of the non-approved units, which have been found on board vessels, are available on TCMS ' Construction and Equipment web-site:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/CES/HRU/menu.htm
The following document is available for downloading or viewing:
Subject: Defective Hydrostatic Release (12 KB)
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Keywords: Questions concerning this bulletin should be addressed to:
2. float free
John Murray
613-998-0604
Marine Safety
Tower C, Place de Ville
11th Floor, 330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8
To add or change your address, contact us at: marinesafety@tc.gc.ca
Owners of commercial vessels, registered and licensed, automatically receive Bulletins.