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Small Passenger-carrying Vessel Safety (MED A2)

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6.1 Equipment Requirements

  1. One portable lifeboat or rescue craft;
  2. One inflatable life raft (Minimum 4 persons) with equipment, including an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB);
  3. An approved lifejacket for each participant;
  4. A complete firefighter’s suit for each participant;
  5. A variety of immersion suits for 100% of the participants;
  6. Two approved life buoys, one with a line and the other with an approved light;
  7. One rescue sling;
  8. One rescue blanket;
  9. Portable extinguishers:;
    1. 6 dry chemical,
    2. 4 CO2,
    3. 6 water pressure,
    4. 6 foam;
  10. One fire hose with sufficient water pressure;
  11. Steel trays for containing fires;
  12. Training models of luffing, gravity and single arm davits and marine escape systems (may be replaced by an audio-visual presentation);
  13. A variety of hand flares;
  14. Visual or audio-visual presentation of the following:
    1. Totally enclosed motor propelled survival craft (TEMPSC),
    2. Partially enclosed lifeboat,
    3. Open lifeboat,
    4. Fast rescue craft (FRC),
    5. Emergency multiple person rescue apparatus (EMPRA),
    6. Hypothermia, its effects and ways of overcoming it;
  15. Access to open water or to pool facilities suitable for teaching the use of the equipment.

6.2 Duration

26 hours.

6.3 Specific Instructor Qualifications

The main course instructor must hold a Master certificate not lower than a Master 500 Gross Tonnage, Domestic certificate, a Fishing Master, Second Class certificate or a Fourth-Class Engineer certificate. If the course is under the supervision of more than one instructor, the assistant instructors must hold qualifications related to the marine industry or have related skills and be approved in accordance with the Quality Management Manual – Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage, referred to in Chapter 3.

6.4 Goals

  1. Provide seafarers with basic understanding of the hazards associated with the marine environment and their own vessel, and of how to prevent shipboard incidents including fire.
  2. Provide seafarers with the knowledge necessary to raise and react to alarms and deal with emergencies.
  3. Ensure that seafarers are able to provide assistance in fire and abandonment situations.
  4. Provide seafarers with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to assist in their own survival and rescue.
  5. Provide seafarers with instruction on the proper procedures for maintaining emergency equipment, according to manufacturer’s guidelines.
  6. Provide seafarers with the knowledge to maintain the appropriate record-keeping procedures for safety equipment.
  7. Ensure that crew members of passenger-carrying vessels have the knowledge and skills necessary to keep passengers safe and give them the assistance needed to survive an emergency.
  8. Enable crew members of passenger-carrying vessels to plan, organize and carry out safety drills with the passengers, in order that the passengers will be aware of safety equipment and procedures.

6.5 Outline

1. Introduction and Safety

  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Principles of safety

Lecture: 0.5 hours

2. Hazards and Emergencies

  • 2.1 Types of emergencies
  • 2.2 Problems and affects

Lecture: 1.0 hour

3. Firefighting

  • 3.1 Nature of fire
  • 3.2 Fire Tetrahedron
  • 3.3 Principles of extinguishment
  • 3.4 Classes of fire and their symbols
  • 3.5 Extinguishing agents
  • 3.6 Safety rules
  • 3.7 Practical exercises

Lecture: 3.0 hours
Practical: 3.0 hours

4. Emergency Response

  • 4.1 Signals and alarms
  • 4.2 Muster lists
  • 4.3 Drills and training
  • 4.4 Action upon discovering emergency
  • 4.5 Action when called to an emergency

Lecture: 2.0 hours

5. Lifesaving Appliances and Abandonment

  • 5.1 Lifejackets
  • 5.2 Immersion suits
  • 5.3 Life buoys
  • 5.4 Life raft and equipment
  • 5.5 Survival craft and launching devices

Lecture: 2.5 hours
Practical: 2.5 hours

6. Survival

  • 6.1 Factors relating to survival
  • 6.2 Actions to increase chances of survival and rescue
  • 6.3 Actions taken after abandoning in a survival craft

Lecture: 2.0 hours
Practical: 1.0 hour

7. Rescue

  • 7.1 Rescue by civilian or military personnel
  • 7.2 Rescue equipment
  • 7.3 Recognition and operation of signalling devices
  • 7.4 EPIRBs
  • 7.5 Pyrotechnics
  • 7.6 Helicopter rescue

Lecture: 1.5 hours
Practical: 0.5 hours

8. Maintenance and Inspection of Emergency Equipment

  • 8.1 Manufacturer’s guidelines
  • 8.2 Periodic inspections
  • 8.3 Servicing
  • 8.4 Firefighting equipment
  • 8.5 Fixed systems
  • 8.6 Communication equipment
  • 8.7 Survival craft, launching systems, personal lifesaving equipment
  • 8.8 Record-keeping

Lecture: 3.0 hours
Practical: 1.5 hours

9. Passenger Control

  • 9.1 Planning
  • 9.2 Conducting drills
  • 9.3 Awareness of life-saving appliances and control plans
  • 9.4 Assisting passengers en route to muster and embarking stations
  • 9.5 Mustering procedures
  • 9.6 The human factor

Lecture: 2.0 hours

Total Lecture Hours: 17.5 hours
Total Practical Hours: 8.5 hours
Total Hours: 26 hours

6.6 Syllabus

1. Introduction and Safety (0.5 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration
1.1 Introduction      
1.2 Principles of safety      
.1 safety rules laid down by the instructor must be followed at all times X    
.2 when we are handling actual equipment, such as pyrotechnics, all safety precautions must be adhered to X    
.3 because we are simulating incidents in the actual environment, particular care must be exercised at all times X    

 

2. Hazards and Emergencies (1 hour)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

2.1 Types of emergencies

  • .1 emergencies associated with the marine environment:
    • fire
    • collision
    • stranding
    • explosion
    • icing
    • equipment failure
    • capsizing
    • weather conditions
    • flooding
    • person overboard
X    
2.2 particular problems associated with various emergencies X    

 

3. Firefighting (6 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

3.1 Nature of fire

  • .1 conditions required for fire to occur:
    • fuel, such as wood, clothes, furniture, gas or oil
    • source of ignition
    • oxygen; fire requires 16% oxygen in order to burn
  • .2 flash point
  • .3 ignition temperature
  • .4 three ways fire is spread:
    • conduction
    • convection
    • radiation
X    

3.2 Fire Tetrahedron

  • .1 the three sides of the fire triangle:
    • fuel
    • heat
    • oxygen
  • .2 the fourth side of the tetrahedron - the chemical chain reaction
  X  

3.3 Principles of extinguishment

  • .1 cooling - water as the easiest method
  • .2 smothering - removing the oxygen
  • .3 starving - removing the fuel, shut-off valves, etc.
  • .4 breaking the chain reaction
  X  

3.4 Classes of fires and their symbols

  • .1 Class A - wood, clothing, paper, etc.
  • .2 Class B - flammable liquids
  • .3 Class C - Class A and B with added electricity, e.g. electronics
  • .4 Class D - flammable metals (magnesium, lithium, zirconium, sodium, potassium), e.g. flares
X    

3.5 Extinguishing agents

  • .1 water - best for Class A fires
  • .2 foam - Class A and Class B
  • .3 carbon dioxide - Class B and Class C
  • .4 dry chemical - Class B and Class C
  • .5 Dry Powder - Class D
  X  

3.6 Safety rules

  • .1 after discovering fire, raise alarm before attacking fire
  • .2 never pass near the fire to obtain an extinguisher
  • .3 test the fire extinguisher first
  • .4 keep low to the ground
  • .5 aim at the base of the fire and use a sweeping motion
  • .6 never turn your back on a fire even after it is out
  • .7 never use water or foam on an electrical fire; water is a conductor of electrical currents and the result may be electrocution
  • .8 water is usually ineffective for flammable liquids and may even make the fire worse or spread it around; the oxygen in the water may feed the fire
  • .9 beware of flashbacks
  • .10 back up an attack as soon as possible, using a portable fireextinguisher with a hose
  • .11 report the use of a portable extinguisher to your supervisor and do not return it to its station
  X X

3.7 Practical firefighting exercises

  • .1 demonstrate the correct use of portable fire extinguishers to extinguish Class A, B and C fires; basic work with fire hoses and nozzles
    X

 

4. Emergency Response (2 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

4.1 Signals and alarms

  • .1 emergency alarm signal
  • .2 other alarm signals
  • .3 who is responsible for the call to abandon vessel
  X  

4.2 Muster lists

  • .1 when is a muster list required
  • .2 where is the list placed on the vessel
  • .3 what information is to be found on a muster list
  X  

4.3 Drills and training

  • .1 purpose and importance of regular drills and training
  • .2 need to be ready for an emergency
  • .3 frequency of drills
  X  

4.4 Action upon discovering emergency situation

  • .1 fire
  • .2 person overboard
  • .3 unconscious casualty
  • .4 injured person
  • .5 flooding
  X  

4.5 Action when called to an emergency

  • .1 suitable clothing
  • .2 bring a lifejacket/ immersion suit
  X  

 

5. Lifesaving Appliances and Abandonment (5 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

5.1 Lifejackets

  • .1 what is a standard approved lifejacket
  • .2 number of lifejackets required on a vessel
  • .3 proper method of donning a lifejacket and use of attachments
  • .4 entering water from a height and swimming while wearing a lifejacket
  • .5 care and stowage
    X

5.2 Immersion suits

  • .1 qualities of an immersion suit
  • .2 proper donning procedure, in darkness, and with necessary speed and use of attachments
  • .3 entering water from a height and swimming while wearing an immersion suit
  • .4 care and stowage
    X

5.3 Life buoys

  • .1 number required on a vessel
  • .2 markings, colour, vessel name, retro-reflective tape
  • .3 lights and smoke signals
  • .4 how to correctly use a buoy (throwing, entering and securing in it while in the water and waiting for rescue)
  • .5 care and stowage
    X

5.4 Life raft and equipment

  • .1 the basic types and features of a life raft
  • .2 stowage and releasing mechanism
  • .3 how to correctly launch an inflatable life raft
  • .4 boarding a life raft from the water
  • .5 the survival pack and how to use it
  • .6 proper righting procedure
  • .7 care and stowage
  • .8 manoeuvring a life raft and setting the anchor to reduce drift
    X

5.5 Survival craft and launching devices

  • .1 characteristics and operation of luffing, gravity and single arm davits
  • .2 marine evacuation systems
  • .3 characteristics and operations of T.E.M.P.S.C., enclosed lifeboat, open lifeboat and inflatable life raft
  X  

 

6. Survival (3 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

6.1 Factors relating to survival

  • .1 how each factor affects human response and performance in a survival situation
  • .2 medical aspects of survival including thermal balance, water balance and energy balance
  X  

6.2 Actions to increase chances of survival and rescue

  • .1 need to stay together in the water
  • .2 the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (HELP)
  • .3 how to swim as a group in a chain
  • .4 how to form a huddle in the water
  • .5 hypothermia, prevention, recognition and treatment
  • .6 stay near spot where vessel went down; stream the sea anchor
  X X

6.3 Action to take after abandoning a vessel in survival craft

  • .1 action to take after leaving the vessel in an enclosed lifeboat
  • .2 action to take after leaving the vessel in an open lifeboat
  • .3 action to take after leaving the vessel in an inflatable life raft
X    

 

7. Rescue (2 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

7.1 Rescue by civilian or military personnel

  • .1 description and use of:
    • sling
    • basket
    • net
    • litter
X    

7.2 Rescue equipment

  • .1 use of rescue sling
  • .2 use of rescue basket
    X

7.3 Recognition and operation of signalling devices

  • .1 types of hand flare and their use
  • .2 daylight signaling mirror (heliograph)
  • .3 signaling flashlight
  • .4 types of parachute rocket and their use
    X

7.4 Emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB)

  • .1 classes of EPIRB
  • .2 frequency specific to EPIRBs
  • .3 mounting on the vessel - float free, hydrostatic release, etc.
  • .4 registration of the 406 and identification of the signal
  X  

7.5 Pyrotechnics

  • .1 classes of flare and their characteristics
  • .2 circumstances in which each is to be used
  • .3 markings on flares
  • .4 expiry dates
  • .5 care and stowage
  X X

7.6 Helicopter rescue

  • .1 action to be taken aboard a vessel
  • .2 action to be taken aboard a raft
  • .3 lifting appliances
  • .4 safety procedures aboard the helicopter
  X  

 

Maintenance and Inspection of Emergency Equipment (4.5 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration
8.1 Manufacturer's guidelines   X  
8.2 Periodic Inspections   X  
8.3 Servicing   X  

8.4 Firefighting equipment

  • .1 fire extinguishers:
    • check gauges on pressurized extinguishers
    • turn over to loosen dry powders
    • be sure that partially used or empty extinguishers are set aside for servicing
  • .2 alarm systems
  • .3 fire mains and equipment:
    • relief valves
    • leaks and corrosion
    • keep system free of ice
  X X

8.5 Fixed systems

  • .1 all sprinkler heads are unobstructed
  • .2 checks for air pressure and water levels
  • .3 specific checks according to the type of system
  X X
8.6 Communications equipment   X  

8.7 Survival craft, launching systems and personal lifesaving equipment

  • .1 check that painter is kept dry in raft
  • .2 check launching and release systems for corrosion
  • .3 keep all lifesaving and launching system moving parts lubricated
  • .4 keep covers on lifeboats, seals on rafts
  • .5 replace outdated equipment in lifeboats
  X X

8.8 Record-keeping

  • .1 ensure that written records are kept on all maintenance checks
  • .2 keep records of repairs and updates
  • .3 keep records of any incidents that concern safety equipment and its use
  • .4 ensure that there is easy access to any manuals or written instructions
  X  

 

9. Passenger Control (2 hours)
Topics and learning objectives Examined
in writing orally by practical demonstration

9.1 Planning

  • .1 provide adequate lighting
  • .2 have exits clearly marked
  • .3 provide easy access to lifejackets and gear
  • .4 provide clear signage system:
    • life rafts and lifeboats
    • lifejackets and buoys
    • muster lists, emergency instructions
X X  

9.2 Conducting drills

  • .1 assists passengers in an emergency
  • .2 familiarity with drills lessens panic in an actual situation
  • .3 notify passengers that a drill is being held to reduce fright
  • .4 encourage everyone to take part
X X  

9.3 Lifesaving appliances and control plans

  • 1 knowledge of muster lists and emergency instructions
  • .2 knowledge of emergency exits
X X  

9.4 Assisting passengers en route to muster and embarkation stations

  • .1 give clear reassuring orders
  • .2 control of passengers in corridors, staircases and passageways
  • .3 keeping escape routes clear of obstructions
  • .4 methods for evacuating disabled persons and persons needing special assistance
  • .5 search of accommodation spaces
 X X  

9.5 Mustering procedures

  • 1 importance of keeping order
  • .2 ability to use procedures for reducing and avoiding panic
  • .3 ability to use, where appropriate, passenger lists for evacuation counts
  • .4 ability to ensure that passengers are suitably clothed and have donned their lifejackets correctly
X X  

9.6 The human factor

  • .1 identify those who may cause problems - fear, panic, aggression
  • .2 for those who may be a problem, find something to keep them busy
  • .3 try to keep families and travelling companions together
  • .4 make use of anyone who can help - some may have
    special abilities (medical etc.)
X X  

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Date modified:
2010-01-19