The Rescue Boat Code)

The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 Metres in Length (The Rescue Boat Code) The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR OPEN RESCUE BOATS OF LESS THAN 15 METRES IN LENGTH CONTENTS 1. Foreword 2. Definitions 3. Application and Interpretation 3.1 Application 3.2 Applicability of other codes of practice, standards and legislation 3.3 Certification and Audit 3.4 Compliance 3.5 Areas of Operation 3.6 Management 3.7 Training 3.8 Standard Operating Procedures and Incident Action Plans 3.9 Emergency Procedures 3.10 Maintenance Requirements 3.11 Record of Services 4. Construction and Structural Strength 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Operational and Design Limits 4.3 General Requirements 4.4 Boat Construction and Structural Strength 4.5 Construction and Structural Strength: Rigid Hull Boats and boats fitted with a buoyant collar 4.6 Construction and Structural Strength: Inflatable boats and Rigid Inflatable Boats 4.7 Recesses 4.8 Fixings 5. Weathertight Integrity 5.1 Openings 5.2 Skin Fittings 5.3 Ventilation 6. Water Freeing Arrangements 2 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 7. Machinery 7.1 Propulsion: General Requirements 7.2 Engine Stop Cords 7.3 Inboard Engines 7.4 Outboard Engines 7.5 Emergency Propulsion 7.6 Engine Cooling Systems 7.7 Exhaust Systems 7.8 Fuel 8. Electrical Arrangements 8.1 General Requirements 8.2 Batteries 8.3 Cables 8.4 Electrical Protection 8.5 Switches 8.6 Earthing and Lightning Protection 8.7 Electrical Spaces 8.8 Lighting 9. Steering and Propeller Systems 9.1 Propeller Bather Guards 9.2 Waterjets 9.3 Steering 10. Bilge Pumping 11. Stability 11.1 Intact Stability 11.1.1 Intact Stability: All boats 11.1.2 Intact Stability: Rigid Hull boats 11.1.3 Intact Stability: Inflatable Boats, RIBs and Boats with a Buoyant Collar 11.1.4 Intact Stability: Survivor Recovery – All boat types 11.1.5 Maximum Personnel Capacities 11.1.6 Crew and Survivor Weight Definitions 11.2 Swamping and Drainage 11.2.1 Swamping 11.2.2 Drainage 11.3 Damage Stability 3 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 11.3.1 General Requirements 11.3.2 Damage Stability: Rigid Hull Boats 11.3.3 Damage Stability: Inflatable Boats 11.3.4 Damage Stability: RIBs and Boats with a Buoyant Collar 11.3.5 Buoyancy Tube Sub-division for Inflatable Boats, RIBs and Boats with a Hollow Buoyant Collar 11.3.6 Sub- division of RIBs and Boats with a Buoyant Collar 11.3.7 Damage Stability: Survivor Recovery 11.4 Dynamic Stability 11.5 Boat Righting Systems 11.6 Stability When Using Onboard Lifting Devices. 11.7 Ice Accretion 11.8 Stability Trials 11.9 Capacity Plate 12. Freeboard 12.1 All boats 12.2 Rigid Hull boats 12.3 Inflatable and Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) 13. Life Saving Appliances including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 13.1 General Requirements 13.2 Lifejackets 13.3 Operationally Specific PPE 13.4 Use of Retro-Reflective Materials on Life Saving Appliances 13.5 Pyrotechnics 13.6 Training Manual 13.7 Instruction Manual (on board maintenance) 13.8 Additional Equipment Requirements 14. Fire Safety 15. Fire Appliances 16. Radio Communications Equipment 17 Launch and Recovery Equipment 18. Navigational Equipment and Navigation Lights 19. Boat Storage 4 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 20. Anchors and Towing 21. Equipment Stowage 22. Protection of Personnel by Design 23. Medical Care 24. Owner’s Manual 25. Maintenance 26. Manning 27 Procedures, Certification, Examination, Maintenance and Reporting of Accidents 27.1 Introduction 27.2 Requirements and Procedures for Vessels to be Examined and Certificated 27.3 Compliance Examination and Issue of a Certificate under the Code 27.4 Renewal Examination 27.5 Intermediate Examination 27.6 Annual Examination 27.7 Additional Requirements for Inflatable and Rigid Inflatable Boats 27.8 Appeal Against the Findings of an Examination 27.9 Maintaining and Operating the Vessel 27.10 Accident Reporting 27.11 Other Conditions Applying to Certificates – Validity and Cancellation of Certificates 27.12 Vessels other than UK Vessels Operating in UK waters 28. Safety Procedures 28.1 Applicability of other Codes of Practice 28.2 General Requirements 28.3 Launch of Rescue Boat on Service 28.3.1 Pre-launch Requirements 28.3.2 Transit to Launch Site 28.3.3 Launching 28.4 Rescue Boat Under Way 28.4.1 Communications 28.4.2 Boat Handling 28.4.3 Navigation 5 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 28.4.4 Search 28.4.5 Rescue 28.4.6 Towing 28.4.7 Operation in surf 28.4.8 Helicopter Operations 28.4.9 Cliff / Cave Rescue 28.4.10 Carriage of Passengers 28.4.11 Fuel Management Afloat 28.4.12 Battery Management Afloat 28.4.13 Maintenance Afloat 28.4.14 Pyrotechnics 28.4.15 Ballasting 28.4.16 Anchoring and Veering 28.4.17 Operation of Equipment 28.5 Emergencies onboard the Rescue Boat 28.5.1 Capsize 28.5.2 Engine Failure 28.5.3 Man Overboard 28.5.4 Fire 28.5.5 Crew Disablement 28.5.6 Collision and Damage 28.5.7 Operating in Shallow Water and Grounding 28.5.8 Operation During Pollution Incidents 28.5.9 Alarms 28.6 Boat Recovery 28.7 Restoring the Boat to a Ready State 29. Clean Seas 30. Testing APPENDIX 1: Inflatable Boat Stability Trials APPENDIX 2: Training Requirements APPENDIX 3: Risk Assessment Guidelines APPENDIX 4: Guidance on Safety Management System and Documentation APPENDIX 5: Compliance Check List APPENDIX 6: Example Garbage Placard 6 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 APPENDIX 7: Bibliography and References APPENDIX 8: Compliance Examination and Declaration Report For a Less Than 15 metres Rescue Boat (RB2 Form) APPENDIX 9: Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats Less Than 15 metres in Length, Rescue Boat Organisation Declaration APPENDIX 10: Standard Rescue Boat Certificate of Compliance APPENDIX 11: General Exemption 7 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 1 FOREWORD 1.1 The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and a number of Rescue Boat operators providing rescue facilities around the United Kingdom recognised that the role of the Rescue Boat operator was not specifically covered by any formally recognised national standard, given that the MCA’s existing Codes for safety of small vessels were not applicable as these rescue boats did not operate on a commercial basis, and their exposure to risk was limited by both the short distances over which they operated, and the limited time over which they were in operation. 1.2 The original draft of this Code was completed in 2005 under the lead of the RNLI and a working group comprising representatives of: • British Marine Federation (BMF) • Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) • Royal Lifesaving Society UK (RLSS UK) • Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) • Royal Yachting Association (RYA) • Surf Life Saving Great Britain (SLSGB) • The boat manufacturing industry • Independent Rescue Boat operators. 1.3 The working group identified the benefits in developing the Code as: • Improved Rescue Boat safety; • Harmonisation of operations and standards across the Rescue Boat field; • MCA validation of Rescue Boat operations; and • Clarification of legal standing of Rescue Boat operations. 1.4 In 2011 the MCA re-drafted the Code, taking into account updates to technical standards, and clarifying the requirements and responsibilities for initial and renewal surveys and MCA audits. There has been no change to the technical requirements for rescue boats other than those that are consequential to other regulatory changes. The opportunity has been taken to remove operational guidance which does not relate to the rescue boat itself, as well as restructure the Code so that it follows the chapter headings of other MCA small vessel codes. The principal change has been to implement the government commitment to reduce costs for the voluntary sector; reflecting the philosophy that the “Big Society” should take a more proactive role in managing provision of services to the public; and recognizing that those best able to manage the safety of a boat are those who run it on a regular basis. As a result, the requirement for independent surveys of the rescue boat has been removed, and replaced by self 8 The Code of Practice for Open Rescue Boats of Less than 15 metres in Length Rev 0712 certification by a Responsible Person of the Rescue Boat Organisation, on the advice of a Competent Person. 1.5 The safety of Rescue Boat Organisations and those they assist is dependent upon the successful integration of many factors, not simply the design of the equipment. Therefore this Code also includes sections on Equipment, Safety Procedures, Training and Maintenance. 1.6 The level of safety that this Code sets out to achieve is considered to be commensurate with the current expectations of Rescue Boat Organisations, those to whom they give assistance, and of the MCA that tasks those operators that are Declared Facilities for UK SAR. It is recognised that a Rescue Boat is intended to provide a rapid response platform for persons in distress and to render assistance in the most practical and appropriate fashion. It is also recognised that this may compromise survivor comfort in the need for expeditious action, however the safety and welfare of survivors is to be considered at all times.

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