55Emergency drills

55 Emergency drills

 55.1 The signal for an emergency drill on a ship is the general emergency alarm signal with the master’s instruction that an emergency drill is in place, given:

(a) over a public address system, if fitted; or

(b) by any other effective means.

 55.2 The master of a ship must ensure that the signal and instructions mentioned in subsection 55.1 are given.

 55.3 If the master of a ship considers the emergency signal to be a nuisance outside the ship, he or she may initiate the emergency drill using:

(a) the ship’s electrically operated warning bell system; or

(b) instructions given over the ship’s public address system, if fitted; or

(c) any other equally effective means.

 55.4 The master of a ship must ensure that:

(a) before a signal is given for an emergency drill, all passengers and crew are warned about:

 (i) the time for the practice to be held; and

 (ii) the emergency drill signal; and

(b) for a passenger ship — all passengers are told what actions to take.

 55.5 The master of a ship must arrange for practice musters and drills required by Marine Order 25 (Equipment — life-saving).

 55.6 The master of a ship must arrange for training sessions for the crew in survival and use of equipment, at suitable intervals to ensure that the crew maintain their competence in survival and use of equipment.

Note   These training sessions are not emergency drills, but may be combined with them.

 55.7 The master of a passenger ship must ensure that the crew carries out a practice of the closure of internal watertight doors on the ship at least once each week.

 55.8 The master of a ship must ensure that the emergency drill procedures mentioned in Schedule 4 are carried out in accordance with Regulations 19 and 30 of Chapter III of SOLAS.

Note   SOLAS requirements for emergency drills are also mentioned in Marine Order 25 (Equipment — life-saving).