Today we are going to talk about the safety appliances used in a ship.
Safety is not just a rule; it is a culture to live by. Ship and marine safety have always been an integral part of a seaman's life. It is the primary concern for all shipbuilders, manufacturers, and service providers, as adhering to safety compliances is a must for preserving human life on open seas. To this end, there are several personal life-saving appliances that are used on ships to protect the lives of all sailors on board. These include:
Safety helmet
A safety helmet is one of the most imperative personal life-saving equipment used on the ship. It is generally made of hard plastic and can be fastened under the chin. It can protect the sailors from cranial injuries during storms or rough weather.
Safety Shoes
Trading and merchant ships have large amounts of machinery and tools, which make navigating through the ship a difficult task. Although ship discipline is mandatory, it pays to prevent accidents by using safety shoes which protect the feet from being injured.
Safety Hand Gloves
Various types of safety gloves are used while maintaining machinery and handling cargo on ships. The crew has to protect their hands from hot and rough surfaces, chemicals, abrasive
Goggles
Ship maintenance includes various processes such as welding, machining, etc. In addition, the constant reflective glare from the sea can also damage the eyes. Hence, different types of goggles are used to protect the crew members' eyes from being damaged.
Ear Muffs/Plugs
The numerous mechanisms driving the engine of large ships and cargo carriers produce an inordinate amount of sound, sometimes as high as 110-120 db. Constant exposure to this kind of noise levels can permanently damage the hearing capabilities of sailors. As a result, seamen are advised to wear ear muffs or ear plugs to protect from auditory damage.
Safety harness
The safety harness is used to strap the crew member in safely, as routine ship inspection and maintenance measures are carried out at elevated heights. The harness is tied to a fixed point at one end and is used in conjunction with shock absorbers to reduce the impact if necessary.
Fire and Immersion Suit
As the name suggests, fire and immersion suits are used to protect the wearer in care of fires at sea. Immersion suits are generally made completely of rubber, specifically neoprene, and help the person stay afloat without exposing any part of the person's body to the sea. They are also bright in colour, fluorescent reds and oranges being preferred, which makes them easy to spot from a distance.
Life rafts
Life rafts are one of the primary life-saving devices that are mandatory on ships. There are generally expected to be enough life rafts to carry 120% of the ship's population. These are used in case the ship capsizes in an accident, or for short journeys away from ships. Life rafts are generally self-inflatable and can be easily launched in case of an emergency.
Lifebuoys
A lifebuoy is usually a ring-shaped personal safety device, used to protect a person from drowning at sea. Made of rubber, the personal flotation device is brightly coloured and available in different sizes for different age groups.
Life jackets
Life jackets are an important personal life-saving device that has been used by seafarers since ages. The design of lifejackets has developed over the years, with the current design being polyester stuffed with foam cubes. Life jackets fit the wearer snugly and prevent him/her from drowning when inflated, based on the principle of buoyancy,
Marine Distress Signals
Marine distress signals include line throwers, man-overboard light and smoke signals, parachute rockets, and other buoyant smoke signals. These are used to indicate that the person or the ship requires external aid.
These are 11 principal personal life-saving appliances that are essential for ships. Ship and lifejacket manufacturers and life raft service providers in India, like SHM Ship care, provide quality life-saving devices, to make safe seas and safe shores a reality.
Lifeboats
There are three types of lifeboats that are generally mandatory on ships, free-fall boats, partially-covered lifeboats, and totally-covered lifeboats. Per the SOLAS convention, every ship is expected to have enough lifeboats to secure 1.5 times the number of people present on the ship
Totally covered lifeboats are watertight, with access through hatches that can be opened from both sides. The advantage of totally-covered boats is that they safeguard occupants from extreme temperatures while allowing people to navigate from within.
Rescue boats
As the name suggests, rescue boats are used to rescue people from drowning, near the shore, or in the deep sea. Rescue boats can have a rigid, inflatable, or hybrid structure, with a minimum length of 3.8m and minimum capacity of 6 people, 5 seated and one lying down. They are designed to ensure faster speeds than conventional boats, with higher power capacity. In addition, they are equipped with all the material required to provide first-aid to the person in distress.
Technically speaking, rescue boats are expected to have a consistent speed of up to 6 knots for 4 hours straight and be able to tow life rafts and lifeboats of a ship, even when filled to complete capacity.
Thermal Suits
Thermal suits are waterproof suits, designed to have a conductivity of less than 0.25 W/mk. They are used to conserve body heat in extreme temperatures, up to -30 degrees Celsius. Thermal protective aids generally cover the entire body of the wearer, except for the face.
A sailor must have these tools as well as his own self-defense and vigilance.
Stay tuned until we meet you with an important article like this.Leave your comments below.stay safe...!!!
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