The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for Passenger Ships of Classes III to VI (A)) Regulations 1992

3.1

Grab Lines

• (3.1.1) Buoyant grablines shall be securely fitted all around the apparatus so as to provide an equal number of loops corresponding to the number of persons the apparatus is fit to support.

• (3.1.2) Each loop shall have a depth of not less than 150 millimetres and not more than 200 millimetres. On apparatus exceeeding 300 millimetres in overall depth two rows of grablines shall be fitted, one having its points of attachment below the top of the air cases and the other above the bottom of the air cases and as close to the sides of the air cases as practical. On apparatus of 300 millimetres or less in overall depth, one row of grab lines are to be attached along the line of the mid depth.

• (3.1.3) Grab lines shall be of buoyant rope of not less than 14 millimetres in diameter. They may be attached to the apparatus by being passed through holes in the framing and being interlaced to prevent movement, or attached by means of wrought iron or steel fastenings. Whichever method is adopted the attachment is to be of sufficient strength to permit the apparatus to be lifted by the grab lines.

3.2

The buoyant apparatus shall be fitted with an efficient painter of length at least equal to the height from its stowed position to the lightest sea going condition plus 5 metres.

3.3

Retro-reflective material required in accordance with regulation 22 is to be fitted on all surfaces of the buoyant apparatus.

Marking of Buoyant Apparatus

4

4.1

Each apparatus should be marked as follows;

• (4.1.1) maker’s name or trademark;

• (4.1.2) serial number; 4.1.3 “DOT (UK) APPROVED” and the number of persons it is permitted to support; and

• (4.1.4) maximum permitted height of stowage above waterline.

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Caithness — Minister of State, — Department of Transport — 1st October 1992\

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations apply from 31st October 1992 to a new United Kingdom passenger ships of Classes III, IV, V, VI and VI(A) constructed after that date and to existing United Kingdom passenger ships of these Classes as indicated in regulation 1(1) and they revise the carriage requirements for life-saving appliances of these passenger ships. They revoke the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) Regulations 1980 to the extent that they apply to new United Kingdom Class III, IV, V, VI and VI(A) passenger ships. This revocation will also apply to “existing” ships of the above Classes that is ships built or constructed before the 31st October 1992.

These Regulations harmonize the requirements for life-saving appliances for passenger ships of Classes III, IV, V, VI and VI(A) with those for passenger ships of the Classes included in the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) Regulations 1986 while taking into account the restricted service in which these Classes of passenger ships are engaged. In particular for new ships they introduce the provision of out of water support for all persons on board in the form of open reversible liferafts except for certain Class V and VI ships where buoyant apparatus is generally provided. For existing ships generally a combination of liferafts and buoyant apparatus is provided the percentage of which is dependent upon the ships standard of survivability. The provision of personal buoyancy equipment in the form of various types of lifejackets or buoyancy aids except in the case of certain ships of Class V operating solely within Category “A” and “B” waters are required.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1979 c. 39; section 21(6) was amended by section 49 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48).

[^f00002]: S.I. 1980/538; to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00003]: S.I. 1984/1216; these tables were inserted by the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2358).

[^f00004]: 1894 c. 60.