Chapter 13 - Life-Saving Appliances

13.1 General Requirements

(1) Life-Saving Appliances shall be provided in accordance with Table 13.1 - Life-Saving Appliances.

(2) All equipment fitted shall be of a type which has been accepted by the Administration as complying with LSA Code and IMO Resolution MSC.81(70).

(3) Additional life-saving equipment which is provided shall meet the requirements of 13.1(2).

(4) When personal safety equipment is provided for use in water sports activities, arrangements for its stowage shall ensure that it shall not be used mistakenly as lifesaving equipment in an emergency situation.

(5) All life-saving equipment carried shall be fitted with retro-reflective material in accordance with the recommendations of IMO Resolution A.658(16) as amended.

(6) Liferaft embarkation arrangements shall comply with the following:

• (a) Where the distance between the embarkation deck and the top of the liferaft buoyancy tube exceeds 1 metre with the vessel in its lightest condition, an embarkation ladder shall be provided. A means for fastening shall be provided and ladders shall be readily available for use at all times.

• (b) Where the distance between the embarkation deck and the top of the liferaft buoyancy tube exceeds 4.5 metres with the vessel in its lightest condition, davit launched liferafts and at least one launching appliance for launching shall be provided on each side of the vessel.

(7) Falls for launching devices are to comply with the LSA Code. When falls are of stainless steel, they shall be renewed at intervals not exceeding the service life recommended by the manufacturer, or where no service life is stated be treated as galvanised steel falls. Falls of alternative materials may be considered by the Administration on a case by case basis.

(8) Every inflatable lifejacket, inflatable liferaft, marine evacuation system and hydrostatic release unit other than a disposable hydrostatic release unit shall be serviced, at intervals not exceeding 12 months unless extended service intervals have been approved by the Administration; at a manufacturer’s approved service station.

(9) All repairs and maintenance of permanently inflated rescue boats shall be carried out in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions; emergency repairs may be carried out onboard; however, permanent repairs shall be effected at an approved servicing station.

(10) Maintenance of equipment shall be carried out in accordance with the instructions for onboard maintenance.

(11) The stowage and installation of all life-saving appliances shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.

(12) All life-saving appliances shall be in working order and be ready for immediate use at the commencement of, and at all times during, the voyage.

(13) For a vessel equipped with stabiliser fins or having other projections at the sides of the hull, special consideration shall be given, and provisions made, as necessary to avoid possible interference with the safe evacuation of the vessel in an emergency.

(14) Means shall be provided to prevent overboard discharge of water into survival craft.

(15) In addition to or in conjunction with the servicing intervals of marine evacuation systems required by Section 13.1(8), each marine evacuation system shall be deployed^footnote from the ship on a rotational basis at intervals to be agreed by the Administration, provided that each system shall be deployed at least once every six years.

(16) All survival craft required to provide for abandonment by the total number of persons onboard shall be capable of being launched with their full complement of persons and equipment within a period of 30 minutes from the time the abandon ship signal is given and after all persons have been assembled, with lifejackets donned.

Table 13.1 - LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES

*The number of Lifebuoys to be provided for Yachts of 100m and over is to be in accordance with SOLAS III/32.1 Stowage arrangements and attachments shall be in accordance with SOLAS III/7.1.

13.2 Lifeboats (Required for Vessels over 85m in Length)

(1) When lifeboats are required to be carried their acceptance is conditional upon the provision of suitable stowage and launching arrangements.

(2) When lifeboats are provided on each side of the vessel, the lifeboat(s) on each side shall be of capacity to accommodate the total number of persons onboard.

(3) Alternative arrangements to the carriage of lifeboats may be considered as indicated below:

• (a) substitution of lifeboats by liferafts where the vessel complies with a SOLAS two compartment subdivision standard; or

• (b) substitution of lifeboats by a sufficient number of davit launched liferafts such that in the event of any one liferaft being lost or rendered unserviceable, sufficient aggregate capacity remains on either side of the vessel for all persons onboard. Additionally, one approved rescue boat shall be provided on each side of the vessel.

• (c) substitution of lifeboats by a sufficient number of marine evacuation systems (MES) in accordance with 13.15, such that in the event of any one MES being lost or rendered unserviceable:

  • (i) Sufficient aggregate capacity of liferafts remains on either side of the vessel for all persons onboard;

  • (ii) An alternative means of evacuating passengers and crew into survival craft on the same side of the craft in conditions up to and including those in 13.15(3)(b) shall be provided, such as an embarkation ladder; and

  • (iii) Additionally, one approved rescue boat shall be provided on each side of the vessel capable of marshaling liferafts and towing the largest liferaft carried onboard.

(4) A lifeboat shall also be acceptable as a rescue boat provided it also meets the requirements of the LSA Code as a rescue boat.

13.3 Liferafts

(1) The liferafts carried shall be stowed in GRP containers and shall contain the necessary "emergency pack". For Short Range Yachts, or vessels operating within 60 miles from a safehaven, liferafts provided may be equipped with a "SOLAS B PACK". For all other vessels, liferafts shall be equipped with a "SOLAS A PACK".

(2) Liferaft approval includes approval of their stowage, launching and float-free arrangements.

(3) Every liferaft shall be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the ship following the original equipment manufacturers instructions.

(4) For vessels of less than 85m in length, or those complying with 13.2(3), a sufficient number of liferafts shall be provided so that in the event of any one liferaft being lost or rendered unserviceable, sufficient aggregate capacity remains on either side of the vessel for all persons onboard. This may be achieved by transferring liferafts from one side to the other. Where liferafts are transferable, this requirement may be met by the ability of the liferafts to be transferred within 5 minutes, as below:-

• (a) Liferafts of 6 - 15 persons capacity to be carried by 2 persons

• (b) Liferafts of more than 15 persons capacity to be carried by 4 persons.

(5) Liferafts, other than davit launched liferafts, shall be capable of launching from their stowed location and upon release, fall clear of any obstructions, superstructures or hull with the vessel in an upright condition.

(6) When lifeboats are provided in accordance with 13.2(2), sufficient liferafts shall be provided such that in the event of any one lifeboat being lost or rendered unserviceable, sufficient aggregate liferaft capacity remains on either side of the vessel for all persons onboard. Where liferafts are transferable, this requirement may be met by the ability of the liferafts to be transferred within 5 minutes, as detailed in 13.3(4).

(7) GRP containers containing liferafts shall be stowed on the weather deck or in an open space and fitted with hydrostatic release units so that the liferafts shall float free of the vessel and automatically inflate. Where rafts are stowed under covers or hatches, such arrangements shall:

• (a) not impair the liferafts floating free;

• (b) provide access for inspection and launching;

• (c) allow for the crew to undertake safety drills; and

• (d) ensure the free flooding of all liferaft storage compartments.

(8) For vessels operating with reduced personnel aboard, attention is drawn to the dangers associated with the use of large capacity liferafts with small numbers of persons embarked.

(9) For vessels of 500GT and over, the Muster Station(s) shall be accessible via the open deck or a continuous fire shelter

(10) If for any reason, any or all Davit Launched Liferafts and / or Liferafts which form part of a Marine Evacuation System are located such that they may be unable to float-free, additional Liferafts shall be provided. The final arrangement is to ensure that the number and capacity of unobstructed float-free Liferafts is sufficient to accommodate 100% of the maximum Number of Persons onboard in the event that one float-free liferaft is lost or rendered unserviceable

13.4 Rescue Boats

(1) General Requirements:

• (a) Means shall be provided for the recovery of a person from the sea to the vessel and it shall be assumed that the person is unconscious or unable to assist in the rescue. This requirement is satisfied by the following sections as appropriate to the size of the vessel. If an overside boarding ladder or scrambling net is provided the ladder or net shall extend from the weather deck to at least 600 millimetres below the lowest operational waterline.

• (b) Rescue boats need not be capable of being launched on both sides of the vessel. Rescue Boats provided on Yachts of 500GT and over, shall be capable of being launched under unfavorable conditions of trim of up to 10º and list of up to 20º either way. and means to lower the boat from within the boat is not required

• (c) Launching stations shall be in such positions as to ensure safe launching having particular regard to clearance from the propeller and steeply overhanging portions of the hull and so that, as far as possible, the rescue boat can be launched down the straight side of the ship whilst maintaining minimum speed to keep a course.

• (d) If stowed forward the launching appliance and rescue boat shall be entirely located in a sheltered position abaft the vertical extension of the aft most portion of the collision bulkhead.

• (e) Rescue boats shall be stowed in a state of continuous readiness for launching in not more than 5 minutes, and if the inflated type, in a fully inflated condition at all times.

• (f) Rescue boats shall have sufficient mobility and manoeuvrability in a seaway to enable persons to be retrieved from the water, marshal Liferafts and tow the largest liferaft carried on the ship when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment or its equivalent at a speed of at least 2 knots.

• (g) All rescue boats covered within this section shall be equipped to the requirements of the LSA Code Chapter V/5.1.2.

(2) Vessels of 500GT and over

• (a) All vessels of 500GT and over shall be provided with a rescue boat approved in accordance with the LSA Code in all respects, except for the colour. If the rescue boat or boats are not a highly visible colour^footnote, covers or patches of a highly visible colour equaling at least 1m² in area, divided up into no more than 2 parts, shall be able to be displayed on the rescue boat. If a patch(es) is used, it shall be capable of being attached to the top of the rescue boat (e.g. on the tubes).

• (b) The launching appliances shall comply and be approved in accordance with the LSA Code except that when a power operated crane is fitted, it shall be capable of operation either by hand or by an emergency source of power in the event of a main power failure. The routing of the emergency source of power shall be considered in respect of damaged waterlines and fire. Furthermore, a means to lower the boat from within the boat is not required.

• (c) The launching appliances shall be sized for the maximum approved launching weight of the rescue boat loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment.

(3) Vessels under 500GT

• (a) Vessels under 500GT shall be provided with a rescue boat either:

  • (i) meeting the requirements of 13.4(2); or

  • (ii) a boat which is not approved in accordance with the LSA Code but which is suitable for rescue purposes. The boat may be rigid, rigid inflated, or inflated, and shall have a capacity for not less than 4 persons, one of which shall be assumed to be lying down. Tubes of rigid inflatable or inflatable boats shall have a minimum of 3 buoyancy compartments. The boat shall be capable of displaying a highly visible colour. If the equipment as required is stowed in a grab bag, it may be stowed in the boat or in an easily accessible location close to the rescue boat.

• (b) Launching appliances shall be approved in accordance with LSA Code, approved to a recognised national or international standard acceptable to the Administration, or comply with the following requirements:

  • (i) When a power operated device is fitted, it shall be capable of operation either by hand or by an emergency source of power in the event of a main power failure. The routing of the emergency source of power shall be considered in respect of damaged waterlines and fire;

  • (ii) The launching appliance and its attachments shall be constructed to withstand a static proof load on test of not less than 2.2 times the maximum working load. Acceptable factors of safety are 6 for wires, hooks and sheaves, and 4.5 for the remainder of the launching appliance. The appliance and its attachments shall also be tested dynamically to 1.1 times the working load. It shall be noted that there is no requirement to recover the rescue boat provided that the casualty and the boat’s crew can be recovered onboard from the boat in the water;

  • (iii) The design of the falls and winch system shall take account of the principles of LSA Code Ch VI/6.1.2.

  • (iv) A means to lower the boat from within the boat is not required.

• (c) In the case of an existing vessel, launching appliances, shall be marked as “NOT SUITABLE FOR MAN-RIDING”, unless they comply with the following:

  • (i) Have an automatic brake such that it shall not lower without continuous positive intervention from the crew;

  • (ii) Be provided with original approved manufacturers certification or that from a Recognised Organisation stating that it is suitable for man-riding with a fully loaded rescue boat of persons and equipment;

  • (iii) The use be risk assessed in accordance with Chapter 23A.

• (d) Where it is proposed to use the running rigging on sailing vessels as a launching appliance, the above requirements shall also be met.

• (e) With the exception of tender poles and davits of similarly simple design (such as slot-in portable davits), man-riding launching appliances shall be serviced in accordance with IMO MSC.402(96), except that the Service Providers carrying out the thorough examination and operational testing may be one of the following;

  • (i) a manufacturer (or their approved agents) of similar SOLAS approved equipment;

  • (ii) a manufacturer (or their approved agents) of approved marine lifting appliances; or

  • (iii) a recognised lifting appliance testing company. Such companies shall be approved by a Recognised Organisation or a National Government acceptable to the Administration.

  • (iv) tests conducted by (i) to (iii) need not be witnessed by a third party.

• (f) Tender poles and davits of similarly simple design (such as slot-in portable davits) used for man-riding, shall be inspected annually by a competent person. Five-yearly load testing (dynamic at 1.1 x MWL) shall be completed by a competent shore-based organisation as far as is reasonable and practical.

• (g) Launching appliances not used for man-riding shall be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and Administration requirements.

(4) Vessels operating as Short Range Yachts shall either comply with requirements of 13.4(2) or 13.4(3) or the following:

• (i) The vessel shall have sufficient mobility and manoeuvrability in a seaway to enable persons to be retrieved from the water. For assessing this ability, it is not considered acceptable to retrieve persons over the stern of the vessel or adjacent to the propeller(s). The recovery location shall be visible from the conning position at all times during the recovery, although this may be achieved by the use of remote controls where necessary; and

• (ii) The vessel shall be provided with suitable equipment and/or arrangements to enable the person(s) to be recovered without further persons entering the water.

13.5 Lifejackets

(1) One adult lifejacket shall be provided for each person onboard plus spare adult lifejackets sufficient for at least 10% of the total number of persons onboard or two, whichever is the greater. Each lifejacket shall be fitted with a light and whistle.

(2) If the adult lifejackets provided are not designed to fit persons weighing up to 140kg and with a chest girth of up to 1,750 millimetres, a sufficient number of suitable accessories as may be required to provide a lifejacket for each such person shall be available onboard to allow them to be secured to such persons.

(3) Included in the above number of lifejackets, there shall be at least two inflatable lifejackets for use of the crew of any rescue boat or inflatable boat carried onboard.

(4) One suitably sized lifejacket shall be provided for each child and infant when carried onboard. Furthermore, spare lifejackets sufficient for at least 10% of the children (or one) and 10% of the infants (or one) shall be provided, whichever is the greater. Each lifejacket shall be fitted with an automatic light and whistle. The maximum number of children and infants for which lifejackets (and immersion / thermal protection in accordance with 13.6 (2)) has been provided shall be clearly stated on the Life Saving Appliances / Safety Plan

13.6 Immersion Suits

(1) One approved immersion suit of an appropriate size shall be provided for each person onboard, these may be of the non-insulated type. These immersion suits need not be required if the ship is constantly engaged on voyages in warm climates^footnote where, in the opinion of the Administration, immersion suits are unnecessary.

(2) Due consideration shall be given to the provision of appropriate immersion/thermal protection for children and infants carried onboard.

(3) For cold water areas of operation, the insulated type shall be carried. Reference to Resolution IMO MSC/Circ.1046 shall be made for assessment of thermal protection.

13.7 Lifebuoys

(1) Lifebuoys port and starboard provided with combined self-igniting light and self-activating smoke signals shall be capable of quick deployment from the navigating bridge.

(2) The attached buoyant lifeline required on each of two of the lifebuoys is to have a minimum length of 30 metres.

(3) Each lifebuoy shall be marked with the vessel’s name and Port of Registry.

13.8 EPIRB

(1) An approved EPIRB shall be installed in an easily accessible position ready to be manually released, capable of being placed in a survival craft and floating free if the vessel sinks. All EPIRBs shall be registered with the Administration. EPIRBs shall be tested annually and serviced at not more than five yearly intervals by an approved shore based maintainer.

13.9 Radar Transponders (SART)

(1) The SART shall be stowed in an easily accessible position so that it can rapidly be placed in any survival craft. Means shall be provided in order that it can be mounted in the survival craft at a height of at least 1 metre above sea level.

13.10 General Alarm

(1) For a vessel of less than 500GT this alarm may consist of the ship's whistle or siren providing it can be heard in all parts of the vessel.

(2) For a vessel of 500GT and above the requirement of 13.10(1) shall be supplemented by an electrically operated bell or Klaxon system, which shall be powered from the vessel's main supply and also the emergency source of power (see Chapter 8B).

(3) For a vessel of 85 metres in length and above, in addition to the requirements of 13.10(2) a public address system or other suitable means of communication shall be provided.

13.11 Lighting

(1) Alleyways, internal and external stairways, and exits giving access to, and including, the muster and embarkation stations shall be adequately lit. (See also Chapter 8A or 8B).

(2) Adequate lighting shall be provided in the vicinity of survival craft, launching appliance(s) (when provided) and the overside area of sea in way of the launching position(s). The lighting shall be supplied from the emergency source of power.

13.12 Life-saving Signals and Rescue Poster

(1) When display space in the wheelhouse is restricted, the 2 sides of a SOLAS No.2 poster (as contained in liferaft equipment packs) may be displayed in lieu of a SOLAS No. 1 poster.

13.13 Launching Appliances for Vessels Complying with 13.2(3)(b)

(1) Davit launched liferafts shall be capable of being launched under unfavourable conditions of trim of up to 10° and list of up to 20° either way.

(2) The launching appliances shall comply and be approved in accordance with the LSA Code except, it shall be capable of operation either by hand or by an emergency source of power in the event of a main power failure. The routing of the emergency source of power shall be considered in respect of damaged waterlines and fire.

13.14 Recovery of Persons From the Water

(1) All ships shall have ship-specific plans and procedures for recovery of persons from the water, taking into account the guidelines developed by the IMO^footnote. The plans and procedures shall identify the equipment intended to be used for recovery purposes and measures to be taken to minimise the risk to shipboard personnel involved in recovery operations.

13.15 Marine Evacuation Systems

(1) Where Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) are intended to be utilised as either the sole or supplementary means of abandonment in accordance with 13.2(3)(c), all such systems shall be of an approved type in compliance with the LSA Code and comply with the following requirements:

• (a) Due consideration shall be given to the location and protection of MES stowage arrangements with respect to protection against fire. Such locations shall be treated as Category (5) Spaces for the purpose of Structural Fire Protection, Detection and Extinction.

• (b) The MES embarkation station shall not be higher than the bulkhead deck.

• (c) Powered hatches and doors that are required to be opened prior to MES deployment shall:

  • (i) be provided with both main and a local source of emergency power and capable of manual operation; and

  • (ii) have the time to operate included in the timed evacuation analysis as described under IMO Resolution MSC.81 (70) Part 1 Section 12.6.1 and in accordance with 13.1(16).

• (d) At least one suitably sized inflatable slide or chute as applicable shall be provided on either side of the vessel. Where the installation results in the slide or chute coming into direct contact with the hull shell under any of the conditions listed section 13.15(3)(b) below, the side shell shall be locally insulated to A-60. The extent of insulation to be provided shall be sufficient to cover at least +/- 10 degrees of longitudinal trim in way of the applicable areas.

(2) Stowage of Marine Evacuation Systems

• (a) The ship's side shall not have any openings (including scuppers and overboard discharges) between the Embarkation Station of the Marine Evacuation System and the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition. Means shall be provided to protect the system from any projections including but not limited to fin stabilisers.

• (b) Where glazed openings are located in the ship's side between the Embarkation Station of the Marine Evacuation System and the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition, they shall be A-0, unless the side shell in which they are located is required to be of a higher fire rating in accordance with 13.15(1)(d).

• (c) Marine Evacuation Systems shall be in such positions as to ensure safe launching having particular regard to clearance from the propeller and steeply overhanging portions of the hull and so that, as far as practicable, the system can be launched down the straight side of the Yacht.

• (d) Each Marine Evacuation System shall be stowed so that neither the passage nor platform nor its stowage or operational arrangements shall interfere with the operation of any other life-saving appliance at any other launching station.

• (e) Where appropriate, the Yacht shall be so arranged that the Marine Evacuation Systems in their stowed positions are protected from damage by heavy seas.

(3) Functional Requirements for Marine Evacuation Systems

• (a) MES shall be arranged such that liferafts shall be securely attached to the platform and released from the platform by a person either in the liferaft or on the platform;

• (b) MES shall be capable of being deployed from the ship under unfavourable conditions of trim of up to 10° and list of up to 20° either way

• (c) in the case of being fitted with an inclined slide, operate such that the angle of the slide to the horizontal is:

  • (i) within a range of 30° to 35° when the ship is upright and in the lightest sea-going condition; and

  • (ii) a maximum of 55° in the final stage of flooding set by the applicable requirements in Section 11.3.

• (d) Any part requiring maintenance by the ship's crews shall be readily accessible and easily maintained.

• (e) So constructed and installed that where one or more Marine Evacuation Systems are provided, at least 50% of such systems shall be subjected to a trial deployment after installation. Subject to these deployments being satisfactory, the untried systems shall be deployed within 12 months of installation.

• (f) Any inflatable liferaft used in conjunction with the marine evacuation system shall:

  • (i) be sited close to the system container but be capable of dropping clear of the deployed system and boarding platform.

  • (ii) be capable of release one at a time from its stowage rack with arrangements which shall enable it to be moored alongside the platform.

  • (iii) be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the ship.

  • (iv) stowed with a float-free arrangement complying with the requirements of paragraph 4.1.6 of the LSA Code so that each floats free and, if inflatable, inflates automatically when the ship sinks.

  • (v) be so stowed as to permit manual release of one raft or container at a time from their securing arrangements.

  • (vi) be provided with pre-connected or easily connected retrieving lines to the platform.

  • (vii) Shall be self-righting or canopied reversible type where the rafts are too large to be righted by the crew.

13.16 Emergency Training and Drills:

(1) See Annex C for requirements

13.17 Additional Equivalence Considerations

(1) None

13.18 Alternative Design and Arrangements

(1) Vessels may follow Section 1.9 on Alternative Design and Arrangements for this chapter as allowed by SOLAS III/38.

(2) The engineering analysis required by 1.9(3) shall be prepared and submitted to the Administration, based on the guidelines^footnote and shall include, as a minimum, the following engineering analysis elements:

• (a) determination of the ship type and the life-saving appliance and arrangements concerned;

• (b) identification of the prescriptive requirement(s) with which the life-saving appliance and arrangements will not comply;

• (c) identification of the reason the proposed design will not meet the prescriptive requirements supported by compliance with other recognized engineering or industry standards;

• (d) determination of the performance criteria for the ship and the life-saving appliance and arrangements concerned addressed by the relevant prescriptive requirement(s):

  • (i) performance criteria shall provide a level of safety not inferior to the relevant prescriptive requirements contained in this chapter; and

  • (ii) performance criteria shall be quantifiable and measurable;

• (e) detailed description of the alternative design and arrangements, including a list of the assumptions used in the design and any proposed operational restrictions or conditions;

• (f) technical justification demonstrating that the alternative design and arrangements meet the safety performance criteria; and

• (g) risk assessment based on identification of the potential faults and hazards associated with the proposal.