Marine Life-Saving Accessories

Marine Life Saving Equipment is those appliances that are specifically used to protect human life at sea as human life is considered as paramount.

So, every ship and every other watercraft carries life-saving equipment with them.

Marine Life Saving Accessories includes Lifebuoys and Life Jackets, Immersion Suits, Anti-exposure Suits, and Thermal Protective Aids.

It also includes Rescue Boats, Life Boats, Life Rafts, Rocket Parachute Flares, Buoyant Smoke Signals, Hand Flares, Launching and Embarkation Appliances.

Other equipment are Marine Evacuation Systems, General Emergency Alarm System, Line-throwing Appliances, Public Address System.

Figure: Marine Life Saving Accessories

As these accessories are used for the protection of human life near/at water bodies, it is very important for them to have very useful features and should provide maximum help.

Marine Life Saving Accessories do not fail in their usefulness.

Marine Life Saving Accessories are constructed with proper workmanship and materials.

They do not damage in stowage and can tolerate sir temperature ranging from -30˚C to +65˚C.

Other than that, if they are immersed in seawater during its use, they will adjust according to the seawater temperature range that ranges from -1˚C to +30˚C.

As Marine Life Saving Accessories are to be used near water and moisture, it is made sure that they are rot-free and corrosion-free and are definitely not affected by seawater, fungal attacks, or oils.

Yes, colors really matter in Marine Life Saving Accessories.

As they are to be used in daylight, so it is necessarily made with highly visible colors on every part, so they are easily detected in case so emergency.

They are fitted with retro-reflective material that, yet again, not only help in detection but also reduces glare so that it is not uncomfortable for your eyes.

This feature was added in with recommendations of Organization A.658 (16).

Two buoyant paddles in Marine Life Saving Accessories gear are majorly used for the maneuvering of the life raft.

Giving the directional force to a circular raft can be quite difficult only using the paddles, so in addition, seafarers can provide a lot of help.

Then, throw the raft in the direction in which it is required to travel and draw it through the water towards drogues.

Figure: Buoyant Paddles for moving Life Rafts

There are two types of Marine Life Saving Accessories, i.e., Personal lifesaving appliances and survival craft.

These accessories have three aspects of safety – protection against drowning, fires, and navigation errors.

Here are some safety accessories that are required to make sure the safeguard of mariners, adventurists, and even individuals at sea:

Lifeboat/rafts, Line Throwing Device, GMDSS Equipment, Intelligent Fire Alarm Systems, Portable Fire Extinguishers, Thermals Suits, Gas Detectors and Spares, Ladders, Jason Cradles (strong nets woven from cloth webbing that is used to rescue the person in distress and bring him overboard.

There are four main categories of Marine Life Saving Accessories according to LSA Code based on the technical specification for all ship-related lifesaving devices.

• Personal Lifesaving Appliances:  Life Jackets, Immersion Suits, Lifebuoys, Anti-exposure suits, and Thermal Protective Aids (TPS).
• Visual Signs:  Hand Flares, Rocket Parachute Flares, Buoyant Smoke Signals.
• Survival Equipment:  Rescue Boats, Life Rafts, Life Boats.

Launching and Embarkation Appliances. Other than these, there are a few more systems and appliances such as Line Throwing System, General Alarm, and Public Address System that can be put together to make another category, but this need is not felt important yet. In addition, they all are approved by LSA Code.

Figure: Categories of Marine Life Saving Accessories

It is the responsibility of the Chief Engineer on the ship to make sure that all the ship’s machinery and pieces of equipment are working efficiently and provides safe navigation of the ship.

He performs frequent inspections of the Marine Life Saving Accessories, dealing with the ship and personal safety.

But if you have personal Marine Life Saving Accessories, then you are responsible for its maintenance.

Don’t worry if you have no idea what to do about it, just take accessories to the manufacturing department or head office. They will guide and help you out with the maintenance.

They should be kept dry and in an open, airy place to avoid rust and corrosion.

They should be frequently checked and are tried out for proper operating conditions.

Routine Maintenance Schedule is laid by the Planned Maintenance System (PMS) that is usually prescribed by the manufacturers.

Whenever people are on a ship or boat, it has to be self-sustainable by all external aid, as it might take hours to complete the sail, and you never know any upcoming emergency situation.

It usually does not happen every time, but if there is an emergency situation, the safety of people becomes the primary area of concern immediately.

And this is why you need to have Marine Life Saving Accessories every time you are on board that allows you to save the lives of crew and people.

Figure: Marine Life Saving Accessories

Every type of machinery, equipment, and appliance needs to be serviced and inspected at regular times.

Few amendments have been made that how and when inspection intervals should be carried out:

• Weekly inspections should be carried out by authorized service providers or by borders under the supervision of a major shipping officer in accordance with the manual of repair letters.
• Complete annual inspections and performance appraisals should be performed by certified personnel from the manufacturer or authorized service provider. The service provider may be in charge of the vessel as long as they are authorized.
• A five-year thorough inspection, any repairs, over-performance inspections, and repairs must be performed by certified personnel from the authorized manufacturer or service provider.

Self-igniting Lights are the ones that cannot be quenched by water.

They are usually white in color and are able to burn bright with a lot of intensity.

They have less than 2cd in all the directions of the upper hemisphere and discharge flashing ranging from 50-70 flashes per minute.

Self-igniting lights are already supplied with a power source and can easily last for at least 2 hours.

In addition, they are able to withstand the test of abstraction from the height at which it is placed above the water line in the simplest sea level or 30 m which is greater, without interfering with its operation or the attachment of the components.

Figure: A Self-igniting Light

Yes, it is a part of Marine Life Saving Accessories.

It is very small, yet it plays a very important role in the signaling of an emergency situation.

On ignition, it emits smoke of highly visible color at a uniform rate for a period of at least 15 minutes.

It does not ignite explosively or gives out any flame during its burning time.

However, it should not be swamped into the sea.

It also emits smoke for 10 seconds, even when fully submerged in water.

Figure: A Self-igniting Smoke Signal and how it works

Life Raft is considered as the part of Marine Life Saving Accessories.

They are constructed in such a way that they can withstand 30 days afloat in all sea conditions.

It maximum carrying capacity is of six persons.

The best thing about the life rafts is that it has canopy to protect the people within it from exposure.

Figure: A Life Raft with Canopy

A rigid or inflatable raft in Marine Life Saving Accessories is designed to maintain people forsaking ship.

Life rafts are required as a lower back as much as lifeboats, and in a few small ships are allowed in lieu of lifeboats.

Davit-launched Life rafts or throw-over inflatable life rafts are in use.

An Inflatable life raft is generally stowed on deck in a cylindrical, glass-reinforced plastic box.

All permitted life rafts (besides life rafts at the stem) have to be prepared with automated launch tools (hydrostatic launch) that make the raft launch routinely underneath water if no time is left for the manual launch.

For survival with a life raft, it is important that you have your 24 hrs emergency pack ready.

A typical 24 hrs emergency pack must have two parachute flares, a water supply, a repair kit, a hand pump, torch, paddles, bailers, and sponges for drying the life raft, survival instructions, sea-sickness bag, and few tablets, thermal protective clothing and first aid kit.

Life rafts keep you safe for a longer time, but it is recommended to instantly get help and get out of an emergency situation.

Figure: Main things to have in your 24 hr emergency pack

Carrying life-saving appliances and its regulation is made mandatory every time when people are onboard in keeping with the SOLAS Conference.

The International Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) code presents greater and unique technical necessities for the manufacturing, checking out, maintenance, and file preserving of Marine Life Saving Accessories and other personal life-saving equipment.

The number, potential, and form of life-saving appliances vary from delivery to ship depending on their length, transport hobby, and voyage.

The LSA stipulates minimal necessities to comfy with and to make a ship safe for passengers and its crew.

https://www.imo.org/

Do you have to turn the falls off the rope ‘end to end after 2.5 years so that you can get five years of service time for it? It can be the case for other wire ropes.

But for wire ropes in Marine Life Saving Accessories will be in service for five years after installation without the need for turning them ‘end to end if they are inspected annually by certified service personnel and found in good order.

In simple words, if taken care properly of wire ropes or any other life-saving devices, they can actually last longer than expected expiry dates.

Furthermore, SOLAS gave its new rule about wire ropes, and it has been adopted for more than five years now that wire rope used in lifeboats, rescue boats, and life rafts are allowed to use for more than five years if they are found in good order during annual inspections.

Figure: A damaged wire rope

Yes, you can get your own personal Marine Life Saving Accessories in a variety of forms.

They are quite accessible to the common person.

You don’t need to go through procedures to get one for yourself. Just visit the market, choose one and get it.

You will get basic life-saving devices in it that will definitely help you in emergency situations.

Usually, Marine Life Saving Accessories are the same for all types of watercraft as they all have the same purpose of protecting human life.

However, they can be a little different depending upon the type of ship or boat you are traveling on. The number of accessories might increase or decrease.

These accessories are not the ones that are needed to be replaced very regularly after some time.

These accessories are rarely used; one does not travel or is on board every day.

It’s like once in a blue moon kind of thing, and only then do you need to use them if you get into an emergency situation while on board.

It means for the longest time, and they will be just like a new kit bought one day before.

The only need to replace should be left if the accessory is completely damaged and there is no way of its repairing.

There is no expiration date for such things. As told before, if not damaged, they can last quite long.

You just need to take proper care of them over time and get their proper inspection done by some authorized service provider.

Passenger ships that are on international voyage should carry a lifeboat for at least 30% of the people that are on board and inflatable/rigid life rafts to make a total capacity of 100% with the lifeboats.

Modern cruise ships operating on short, the international fleet must carry incomplete or fully closed lifeboats on each side to accommodate no less than 50% of the total passenger population 100%.

Some lifeboats can be replaced by air raids. In addition, flammable or solid steam engines make up at least 25% of the total number of people on board people riding.

It is very important that Marine Life Saving Accessories are stored properly and kept safely

• Modified stanchions should be replaced or prepared, and guarded cables should be inspected
• Clothing and renewal where needed.
• Moving parts should be allowed to turn freely and should apply as appropriate.
• The position of the lifting rope/fall to be tested any deterioration, especially in the area of the sheaves
• Under the gangway and residence to test any moderate use of steel with aluminum
  Ladder to stay / gangway to take place tested for rust.
• Look for any signs of distortion, cracks, and rust

The most basic Marine Life Saving Accessories to be found are Life Boats, Davit Systems, Rescue boats, Line throwing Devices, GMDSS System, Intelligent Fire Alarm System, Portable Fire Extinguishers, Thermal Suits, Gas Detectors and Spares, Ladders and etc.

These are the must-haves of every ship and boat.