2.2 Strops or slings
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1327 – Guidelines for the Fitting and Use of Fall Preventer Devices (FPDs) – (11 June 2009) - Annex – Guidelines for the Fitting and use of Fall Preventer Devices (FPDs) - 2 Design and operation of FPDs - 2.2 Strops or slings

2.2 Strops or slings

 Wires or chains should not be used as FPDs, as they do not absorb shock loads. The following points should be considered when synthetic strops or slings are used as FPDs:

  • .1 where FPDs are synthetic strops or slings and no modifications are required to the lifeboat, the on-load release hook or launching equipment, a functional test should be carried out. The functional test should demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Administration, that the equipment performs without interfering in the operation of the lifeboat or launching equipment. Strops or slings should be of resilient fibre in construction;

  • .2 the strops or slings should be issued with an appropriate certificate documenting a tensile strength which provides for a factor of safety of at least six, based on the total weight of the lifeboat when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment. The strops or slings should be inspected before use and thoroughly inspected by ship’s crew every six months. The material of the strop or sling should be rot-proof, corrosion-resistant, not be unduly affected by seawater, oil or fungal attack, and UV resistant. The strops or slings should be permanently marked with the date of entry into service;

  • .3 strict procedures, including a warning notice at the release handle, should be in place to ensure that the strops or slings are removed before the release mechanism is activated;

  • .4 the attachment point of the strop or sling to the on-load release hook and the davit falls block should be clearly marked and designed so that any connection device such as shackles cannot be connected to either the wrong part of the block or the wrong part of the on-load release hook;

  • .5 the release of the strops or slings should be achievable quickly and easily without posing any risk to the operating crew designated to carry out the task once the lifeboat has reached the water. If the release of the strops or slings requires opening of the lifeboat hatch it should be readily achievable by the operating crew at each device from within the craft. Once detached, the strops or slings should not interfere with the operation of the on-load release gear or the propeller;

  • .6 once the on-load release hooks have been connected to recover the lifeboat, the strops or slings should be reattached to the lifeboat before the boat is hoisted clear of the water. The strops or slings should be designed so that they do not interfere with either the lifting or re-stowing of the lifeboat into the davits;

  • .7 a strop or sling used as an FPD should be sized and arranged to allow the transfer of load from the hook mechanism to the strop with minimal movement (drop) of the boat in the event of a release mechanism failure. Should a fall preventer strop or sling be subject to an unintentional dynamic shock loading, then the strop or sling should be replaced and the associated attachment points inspected. In such cases, the Administration should be informed as soon as possible and the master should provide a full report of the circumstances of the incident; and

  • .8 where provided, fall preventer strops or slings should not be used for any other purpose and should be fitted to the lifeboat at all times.

Parent topic: 2 Design and operation of FPDs
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