BIMCO guidance for avoiding life boat accidents

The organisation said that lifeboat accidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries are all too frequent, despite efforts in recent years to reduce them.

“We have seen too many accidents with lifeboats resulting in fatalities and injuries,” said Aron Sorensen, head of maritime technology & regulation at BIMCO.

“This pamphlet provides the master and crew with solid, experience-based advice on the use of fall preventer devices (FPDs) during lifeboat operations.”

BIMCO said that most of the accidents happen in boats using conventional davits and on-load release systems. However, recently other parts of the suspension and lifting systems have been identified as points of failure too, particularly the wire rope falls on larger lifeboats.

The ‘Avoid Lifeboat Accidents’ pamphlet gives clear guidance on how to prevent accidents with lifeboats and rescue boats equipped with on-load release systems. It advises whether additional precautions in the form of FPDs are appropriate, and if so, when and how to use them safely and effectively when launching and recovering the boat. Other failure devices, and new innovative hook systems are examined too.

The IMO recommends the use of FPDs because so many recent lifeboat and rescue boat accidents have resulted in fatalities and injuries to seafarers.

Their use is intended to be an interim measure to reduce this risk while new IMO approved systems are developed.

Download the pamphlet free of charge from the BIMCO website

By Anne-Marie Causer