Fire and Boat Drills Regulations (SOR/2010-83)

Marginal note:Donning of suits

26 The master of a vessel shall ensure that the crew members are capable of donning the immersion suits or marine anti-exposure suits that are carried on the vessel.

Marginal note:Lifeboats

• 27 (1) The master of a vessel that carries more than one lifeboat shall ensure that a different lifeboat is launched by the assigned crew during each survival craft drill. However, subject to subsection (2) and sections 28 and 29, the master shall also ensure that each lifeboat on the vessel — including a lifeboat that is a rescue boat — is launched and manoeuvred in the water, by the assigned crew, at least once every three months during a survival craft drill.

• Marginal note:Vessel at sea

  (2) When the vessel is at sea, the launching and manoeuvring of a lifeboat during a drill referred to in subsection (1) may be replaced by the clearing and swinging out of one or more lifeboats if

  • (a) each lifeboat is cleared and swung out at least once every month; and

  • (b) each lifeboat is launched and manoeuvred in the water, by the assigned crew, at least once every three months.

• Marginal note:Vessel under way

  (3) When the vessel is under way, the master of the vessel shall ensure that the launching and manoeuvring referred to in paragraph (2)(b) are carried out in sheltered waters and under the supervision of an officer experienced in launchings and manoeuvrings while a vessel is under way.

Marginal note:Free-fall lifeboats — every three months

• 28 (1) The master of a vessel that carries free-fall lifeboats shall ensure that at least once every three months, during a survival craft drill, the crew members

  • (a) board the lifeboats;

  • (b) secure themselves properly in their seats; and

  • (c) carry out the launch procedure up to but not including the actual release of the lifeboats.

• Marginal note:Additional steps

  (2) Once the crew members have commenced the launch procedure referred to in paragraph (1)(c), the master of the vessel shall ensure that

  • (a) the lifeboats are either

    • (i) free-fall launched with only the operating crew on board, or

    • (ii) lowered into the water by means of the secondary means of launching with or without the operating crew on board; and

  • (b) the lifeboats are manoeuvred in the water by the operating crew.

Marginal note:Free-fall lifeboats — every six months

29 Despite subsection 28(2), the master of a vessel that carries free-fall lifeboats shall ensure that at least once every six months, during a survival craft drill, either

• (a) the lifeboats are free-fall launched with only the operating crew on board; or

• (b) a simulated launching of the lifeboats is carried out in accordance with the Guidelines for Simulated Launching of Free-Fall Lifeboats, the Appendix to Annex 2 of MSC.1/Circ. 1206, Measures to Prevent Accidents with Lifeboats, published by the International Maritime Organization on May 26, 2006, as amended from time to time.

Marginal note:Fire-protected lifeboats

30 The master of a vessel that carries fire-protected lifeboats shall ensure that the water spray system and the self-contained air supply for those lifeboats are tested at least once every six months during a survival craft drill.

Rescue Boat Drills

Marginal note:Intervals

• 31 (1) The master of a vessel that is equipped with rescue boats that are not lifeboats shall ensure that a rescue boat drill is held, separately from any other drill, at least once every month.

• Marginal note:Crew on board

  (2) During a rescue boat drill, the members of the crew of each rescue boat shall launch and manoeuvre the rescue boat in the water.

• Marginal note:Vessel under way

  (3) When the vessel is under way, the master of the vessel shall ensure that, during a rescue boat drill, the launching and manoeuvring of a rescue boat are carried out in sheltered waters and under the supervision of an officer experienced in launchings and manoeuvrings while a vessel is under way.

Watertight Doors

Marginal note:Intervals

32 The master of a vessel shall ensure that a drill for the operation of watertight doors is held at the same time as each fire drill and each survival craft drill.

Marginal note:Inspections

33 The master of a vessel shall ensure that the following, if fitted, are inspected at least once a week:

• (a) the watertight doors and all of the mechanisms and indicators of those doors; and

• (b) all of the valves

  • (i) the closing of which is necessary to make a compartment watertight, and

  • (ii) the operation of which is necessary for damage control cross-connections.

Marginal note:Voyage that exceeds one week

34 The master of a vessel referred to in item 1, 2 or 3 of the schedule that is to embark on a voyage of more than one week in duration shall ensure that a drill referred to in section 32 is also held before the vessel embarks on the voyage.

Marginal note:Daily operation

35 The master of a vessel referred to in item 1, 2 or 3 of the schedule shall ensure that all of the watertight doors, whether hinged or power-operated, in the main transverse bulkheads, in use at sea, are operated daily.

Marginal note:Other requirements

36 Nothing in sections 32 to 35 authorizes the opening of a watertight door or any other appliance that is required by any regulation to be kept closed.

Records

Marginal note:Required information

• 37 (1) The master of a vessel shall record and keep the following information:

  • (a) the date of each muster of passengers and crew;

  • (b) a detailed report of each fire drill, including the inspection and testing of any fire-fighting equipment;

  • (c) a detailed report of each survival craft drill, including the inspection and testing of any life saving appliances;

  • (d) a detailed report of each rescue boat drill;

  • (e) the time of the opening or closing of any watertight door that may be required to be opened at sea for the working of the vessel;

  • (f) a detailed report of each drill for the operation of watertight doors, of each inspection of watertight doors or any other appliances referred to in section 33, and of any defects discovered;

  • (g) if a muster or drill required by these Regulations is not held, or is held only in part, a report of the circumstances and the extent of the muster or drill, and the reason why the muster or drill was not held or was held only in part; and

  • (h) an evaluation of the competency and operational readiness of the entire crew of the vessel in responding to the emergency addressed by each drill.

• Marginal note:Entering records

  (2) The information referred to in subsection (1) shall be entered in writing

  • (a) in the official log book, if an official log book is required by Division 7 of Part 3 of the Marine Personnel Regulations; or

  • (b) in a deck log book or another document, in any other case.

• Marginal note:Other documents

  (3) If the information referred to in subsection (1) is entered in a document referred to in paragraph (2)(b), the master of the vessel shall ensure that the document

  • (a) is kept on board the vessel for a period of five years after the day on which the last entry was made; and

  • (b) is made available to the Minister for inspection during that period at the request of the Minister.

Repeal and Coming into Force

38 [Repeal]

Marginal note:Registration

39 These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.