Deckband brings safety to workboat crew
Deckband, a Bluetooth radio communication system that enables mariners to communicate effectively in a challenging environment, was originally developed for the leisure market.
However, what is emerging is that the technology can be useful in smaller commercial applications.
Typically useful when picking up a mooring, docking, negotiating an unfamiliar channel at night, or just to make a checking call down below decks, the device enables up to six crew members to talk in full ‘multiplex’ mode even when out of line of sight. Hands free, the Bluetooth earpieces connect crew to each other via a central hub, so they can carry on a natural and private conversation in a local network of up to around a (minimum) 15m radius, making the application suitable for smaller workboats. And should one crew member fall off the vessel and disappear out of range, a MOB alarm is activated.
An overriding problem with safety solutions is the ‘useless if not worn’ syndrome. DeckBand’s worth is partly its unobtrusiveness, which makes it particularly helpful for manoeuvres at the start and finish of a journey and for more vulnerable occasions. When an incident does arise, all crew members are in clear voice contact, which helps to keep everyone calm and bring the event to a safe and satisfactory conclusion.
Commercial users can take advantage of this product in a variety of ways. For example, pilots transferring from their boat to client vessel can use Deckband to maintain dialogue, while wind farm support boats can use it to help transfer crew to and from structures, with the helm being able to keep track of the personnel through the tricky moments of transition. Afterwards it can be disconnected. As an extra safety precaution, an alarm is sounded if a crew member falls into the water.
Customs and police operators can use the device to maintain contact between RIB helm and boarding crew, while even search and rescue teams can use the device to coordinate inter-vessel personnel or equipment movement from the decks.
Waterborne managing director, Phil Murray, confirmed that bespoke Deckband operating software can be developed for the specific applications required by commercial users at a modest consultancy cost. ‘We are keen to explore new ways of putting this innovative technology to a wider use in the marine community’, he said.
