Introduction
The main function of PPE for the Marine Pilot is to enhance safety during pilot transfer at sea and to aid survival and recovery in a man overboard emergency.
A secondary function is to meet high visibility (HV) and other safety requirements in docks and marine terminals while travelling on foot to and from ship.
Outer clothing and footwear may incorporate all of the necessary safety features, and provide protection from the elements and an acceptable standard of comfort to the wearer engaged on pilotage duties. Alternatively, lifejackets and associated safety equipment may be worn externally. Should lifejackets be worn externally they must not compromise the High Visibility characteristics of the clothing.
The Pilot Coat or Jacket
The coat should be weather proof and fitted with a hood. The fabric of the coat should be durable and preferably breathable. Detachable linings will increase the range of ambient temperatures through which the wearer will remain comfortable.
External and Internal pockets should be secure and of generous proportions. Hand warmer pockets lined with a good insulating material may be useful. Zip closures should be oversized, corrosion proof and capable of two-way operation. Any Velcro fastenings should not have the potential to abrade the webbing material of safety harnesses. If the coat incorporates a lifejacket it should be fitted with a belt and a crotch strap to prevent it riding up in the water.The upper part of the coat should be of a suitable High Visibility colour with retro-reflective tape around the cuffs, arms and shoulders. For practical reasons the lower part of the jacket may be of a dark, non-HV material.
Lifejackets
Lifejackets may be incorporated into the pilot coat or worn externally. In either case they should be capable of both automatic and manual CO2 gas inflation, with an easily accessible oral top-up inflation tube. Lifejackets and lifejacket/coat combination should comply in all respects with the appropriate EN Standards.
Lifejackets or Lifejacket/Coat Combinations should additionally be equipped with:
Other Garments
Waterproof overtrousers, either hi-fit or waist high, fitted with zips at the ankles to facilitate the donning or removal over normal footwear.
Shoes or boots with non-slip soles providing a secure foothold on decks, pilot ladder and accommodation ladder steps. Some types of safety footwear incorporating toe protection may be also suitable.
Gloves, if worn, should not interfere with a secure grip on deck rails or the side ropes of pilot ladders.
Headgear to individual requirements. (Note that objections to standard safety helmets in the pilotage environment include the possible danger of neck injury during a fall into the water with a chinstrap secured and possible interference with lifejacket splashguards).
Immersion Suits. These may be worn in some circumstances but are not a substitute for lifejackets and must not interfere with the lifejacket function of turning the wearer into the correct face-up attitude in the water.
Note that accident investigations have identified the wearing of a closely buttoned collar, with a tie, as a potentially dangerous restriction on the ability of a man overboard to breathe freely.
Standards and Requirements
Suppliers
By law a manufacturer can only sell Lifejackets, Buoyancy Aids and Safety Harnesses that have been tested to the latest European specifications and carry the CE Mark of Approval. The CE approval certificate replaces all the National approval certificates of European committee member states.
High Visibility Clothing
To be effective High Visibility clothing should be of a colour that will allow the wearer to stand out against the ambient background found in the working environment.
In practice the best colours for this purpose are likely to be day-glo, or fluorescent yellow. The clothing should also incorporate retroreflective material to make the wearer visible when seen in headlights or a searchlight in poor lighting conditions or during darkness.
HV clothing should be manufactured to a recognised standard.
The first number on the label indicates the class of conspicuity. This depends on the minimum area of conspicuous materials that are incorporated into the clothing, with Class 3 being the best and Class 1 the lowest; the second number indicates the retroreflection performance with Class 2 being more visible than Class 1 when seen in headlights or a searchlight during darkness. The standard gives specifications for jackets, trousers, harnesses and other garments and equipment.
From July 1995, new clothing must be ‘CE’ marked to show it meets European rules on the manufacture of PPE. The CE mark only means that the clothing meets the standard. It does not mean it can be used in all situations. HV clothing must be suitable for the actual conditions of use.
Safety Harnesses
EN 1095: The CEN Standard is based on three main reasons for wearing a deck safety harness, i.e. to secure the wearers on deck; prevent them from falling into the water and to assist their recovery back onto the deck. They are not intended to prevent falls from a height. The Standard also states that in the case of the combined lifejacket and safety harness, both elements must be tested and have separate CE Approval.
Buoyancy Equipment
European Standards (EN’s) exist for buoyancy equipment. Each Standard is intended to be suitable for different activities in various risk situations. Those applicable for Pilots' PPE include:
Buoyancy can be provided in a variety of ways, ranging from permanently buoyant material to inflatable chambers or combinations of both.
Automatically inflated lifejackets are suitable for those likely to fall into the water unexpectedly. Manually inflated lifejackets should only be used if it is certain that the wearer will have enough time to produce full buoyancy before entering the water.
Note, however, that automatic inflation mechanisms must normally be disabled during helicopter transfer operations.
It is vital that the lifejacket/buoyancy aid is the correct type for the water conditions where the work is to be carried out. Even if a lifejacket/buoyancy aid complies with an EN Standard, it does not mean that it is suitable for use in all water or work conditions.
*10 Newtons is equivalent to 1kg force
Using and maintaining personal buoyancy equipment
There is a risk of any design of personal buoyancy equipment failing to operate correctly, or at all, if it is not properly used and maintained. To minimise this risk a policy is needed to ensure proper use, inspection, maintenance and storage of the equipment. The maintenance needs of the equipment are largely dictated by the method of achieving buoyancy and the environment to which it is exposed.
The greatest requirements are on equipment that relies entirely on manual or automatic gas inflation as damage to the inflation chamber(s), inflation mechanism or gas cylinder could result in total failure to provide buoyancy.
Operating automatic inflation mechanisms
There are a number of different automatic inflation mechanisms in use. However, they work on similar principles. The automatic inflation mechanism consists of an automatic firing capsule, a carbon dioxide gas cylinder and a fitting attached to the lifejacket that holds these two parts in place. A substance that breaks down on contact with water, eg 'salt' or 'paper ring' is used within the automatic firing capsule to hold back a spring loaded piston which acts on a sharp pin. If the mechanism comes into contact with the water, the 'salt' or 'paper ring' breaks down and releases the spring. Alternatively, a mechanism relying on hydrostatic pressure may be employed. This is designed to operate upon shallow, total immersion and is unaffected by rain or spray. In either type the piston is forced forward by the spring and a sharp pin pierces the cap of the gas cylinder and the lifejacket is inflated.
Management
A clear policy should be in place on the use, inspection, maintenance and storage of automatically inflated lifejackets. This policy should also address the training needs of lifejacket users.
Training
Pilots who use automatically inflated lifejackets should be trained and competent in their care and use including pre-wear checks and inspection procedures. Training should cover:
Pre-wear checks
A pre-wear check needs to be carried out each day the lifejacket is used. This should be carried out in accordance with manufacturers' instructions and will normally include visual checks to ensure:
Inspection and maintenance
Together with pre-wear checks, a more thorough inspection and testing programme needs to be carried out in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. Where lifejackets are used heavily the periods between inspections may need to be shorter than the quarterly inspection recommended by some manufacturers. As a general guide where lifejackets are used daily, inspections on at least a monthly basis may be necessary.
Inspection and testing should be carried out by those competent in recognising defects, and the remedial action to be taken. Records must be kept of all inspections and repairs made.
Testing the air tightness of the lifejacket will involve orally inflating the lifejacket and leaving it overnight (or submerging it in water) to check for leaks. The automatic inflation mechanism should be dismantled to make a detailed examination of its condition. Make sure:
Once the inspection is complete the lifejacket should be reassembled according to the manufacturer's instructions. Manufacturers generally recommend lifejackets to be serviced every two years by people they appoint. However, where lifejackets are used very regularly, an annual or more frequent service may be needed. If any defects are found with either the gas cylinder or the automatic inflation mechanism, these parts must be replaced. If the lifejacket is in need of repair, return it to the manufacturer. Persons approved by the manufacturer should only carry out repairs
Storage
Exposure to damp, humid conditions could lead to deterioration in the automatic inflation mechanism known as 'creepage'. This has the potential to lead to failure of the pin to pierce the carbon dioxide gas cylinder.
Lifejackets need to be stored in suitable dry conditions. The following advice should be followed when storing lifejackets:
Further information
European and ISO Standards are available from the British Standards Institution, Sales Department, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 9AL. Tel: 0044 (0)20 8996 9000.
Further information on ISO standards can also be obtained from ISO website at www.iso.ch
Further information on CEN standards can be obtained from the European Committee for Standardization at www.cenorm.be
References
IMO LSA Code 1997
1974 SOLAS Chapter III amended 1988
Adopted by the GM May 2001