14.12.1 One abandon unit drill and one fire drill
should be conducted every week. Drills should be so arranged that
all personnel participate in a drill at least once a month. A drill
should take place within 24 hours after a personnel change if more
than 25% of the personnel have not participated in abandon unit and
fire drills on board that particular unit in the previous month. The
Administration may accept other arrangements that are at least equivalent
for those units for which this is impracticable.
14.12.2 Each abandon unit drill should include:
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.1 summoning of all on board to muster stations
with the general emergency signal and ensuring that they are aware
of how the order to abandon the unit will be given;
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.2 reporting to stations and preparing for the
duties described in the muster list;
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.3 checking that every person is suitably dressed;
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.4 checking that lifejackets and immersion suits
are correctly donned;
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.5 lowering of at least one lifeboat as far as
reasonably practicable, after any necessary preparation for launching;
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.6 starting and operating the lifeboat engine;
and
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.7 operation of davits used for launching liferafts.
14.12.3 Different lifeboats should, as far as
practicable, be lowered in compliance with the requirements of 14.12.2.5
at successive drills.
14.12.4 Drills should, as far as practicable,
be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.
14.12.5 Each lifeboat should, as far as reasonably
practicable, be launched with its assigned operating crew aboard and
manoeuvred in the water at least once every 3 months.
14.12.6 As far as is reasonably practicable, rescue
boats, including lifeboats which are also rescue boats, should be
launched each month with their assigned crew aboard and manoeuvred
in the water. In all cases this requirement should be complied with
at least once every 3 months.