The safety of crew and passengers aboard ships is paramount, especially during emergency situations. Ships, especially those engaged in international voyages or carrying passengers, are required to adhere to strict regulations regarding muster lists and emergency procedures. These guidelines ensure that all personnel aboard know their roles in the event of an emergency and that the ship is prepared for any situation. This article outlines the requirements and procedures related to muster lists, emergency instructions, and emergency signals on ships.
Muster lists serve as a vital component of a ship’s safety strategy, outlining the specific responsibilities of each crew member during an emergency. The ship’s master is responsible for compiling and maintaining the muster list. The list must be displayed in conspicuous areas, such as the navigating bridge, engine room, and crew accommodation spaces. The format of these muster lists requires approval from relevant authorities.
Ships often have diverse crews with many members who may not speak English. In such cases, it is imperative to have muster lists translated into appropriate languages to ensure clear communication during emergencies. This is crucial for minimizing confusion and ensuring the safety of all crew members.
A muster list must contain specific details, including:
Emergency Alarms and Signals: The muster list should provide clear instructions on what actions to take when different emergency signals are sounded. It should also specify how the order to abandon ship is communicated.
Duties of the Crew: Each crew member must be assigned a role during an emergency, which includes preparing and launching survival craft, closing watertight doors, fighting fires, and operating communication equipment. Special attention is given to fire-fighting and life-saving appliances.
In passenger ships, the crew is responsible for warning and assembling passengers during an emergency, ensuring they are wearing lifejackets correctly, and controlling their movement to safety. The crew must also distribute lifejackets, if necessary, and take additional items like blankets to survival craft. When assigning duties, ship masters must ensure that personnel responsible for assisting passengers are trained in crowd management.
Ideally, crew members should be assigned only one duty during an emergency. Key personnel, who are last to abandon ship, should not be allocated to survival craft expected to be launched first. The muster list must consider the possibility that key personnel may be injured or otherwise unable to fulfill their duties, and it should include provisions for substitutes. For instance, a general statement like "Should key persons become disabled, those next in line should take their place" ensures emergency parties are never without leadership.
The muster list must also indicate which survival craft each crew member is assigned to. Special attention must be paid to the distribution of tasks to ensure smooth operations during the launching and manning of survival craft.
Command of Survival Craft: Each survival craft should have a designated officer or certified person in charge. Lifeboats must have a second-in-command, and a designated individual must be assigned to operate lifeboat engines. Additionally, those in charge of survival craft equipped with emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), radar transponders (SARTs), or two-way radio-telephone sets must be trained to operate these devices.
Certain officers are tasked with ensuring that all life-saving and fire-fighting equipment is in working condition at all times. This includes routine checks and maintenance to guarantee that equipment will be ready for immediate use during an emergency.
Passenger ships have specific requirements for the placement of assembly or muster stations. These stations should be located in sheltered areas, such as public rooms, to protect passengers from the elements while waiting to board survival craft. Moreover, the master of the ship must ensure an equitable distribution of passengers across survival craft.
Every crew member on a ship engaged in international voyages or on a passenger ship must be given clear emergency instructions. These instructions, which may be provided on a card or similar document, include details about:
Muster Station and Emergency Duty: Each crew member’s muster station and assigned emergency duty should be clearly outlined, along with the survival craft or lifeboat to which they are allocated.
Emergency Signals: The card should describe the general emergency alarm signal, the abandonment signal, and any other emergency signals. In ships with non-English speaking crew, translations must be provided in the appropriate languages.
Passengers must also be provided with clear and concise emergency instructions. These instructions should be prominently displayed in passenger cabins, muster stations, and public areas. Key information should include the location of assembly or muster stations, the general emergency alarm signal, and the proper procedure for donning lifejackets. Ideally, these instructions should be as detailed as possible and illustrated when appropriate.
The general emergency alarm signal is used to summon the crew and passengers to their assigned muster stations. This signal consists of seven or more short blasts followed by one long blast on the ship’s whistle, bell, or siren. On ships equipped with additional alarm systems, the general emergency alarm signal may also be accompanied by other alarms activated by fire or smoke detection systems.
Cargo ships often have specialized alarm systems for emergencies. For example, the fire alarm system, which may be manually activated from within the accommodation areas, can also be used to summon the crew to their muster stations. Additionally, a specific signal may be used to summon the crew to survival craft embarkation stations for drills or in emergency situations.
The decision to abandon ship is at the discretion of the master. This decision may be communicated by a signal or by word of mouth, depending on the circumstances. The communication method must be such that all crew members, including those stationed in remote areas, are aware of the order.
Regular musters and drills are critical to ensuring that the crew and passengers are prepared in case of an emergency. The muster list must describe the signals to be used during these drills. It is essential to notify all persons on board before a drill to ensure participation and to clarify that the signal is for practice.
The muster list and associated emergency procedures must comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). SOLAS establishes minimum standards for the construction, equipment, and operation of ships, and it includes detailed requirements for muster lists and emergency procedures.
Muster lists and emergency procedures are vital components of maritime safety. The master of the ship holds the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the muster list is accurate, up-to-date, and properly displayed throughout the vessel. Each crew member must be aware of their specific duties in an emergency, and passengers must be provided with clear instructions for their safety. Regular drills and musters further ensure that everyone aboard is prepared for emergencies, enhancing the overall safety of maritime operations. Through careful planning and strict adherence to regulations, the risk to life in maritime emergencies can be significantly reduced.
