MSC.1/Circ.1447
14 December 2012
GUIDELINES
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS AND PROCEDURES FOR RECOVERY OF PERSONS FROM THE
WATER
1 The Maritime
Safety Committee, at its ninety-first session (26 to 30 November 2012),
approved the Guidelines for the development of plans and procedures for
recovery of persons from the water, set out in the annex, aiming at
providing additional guidance on the application of the requirements in SOLAS
regulation III/17-1.
2 Member Governments
are invited to bring the annexed Guidelines to the attention of all interested
parties.
ANNEX
GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS AND PROCEDURES FOR
RECOVERY OF PERSONS FROM THE WATER
1 General
1.1 Life-saving and
other equipment carried on board may be used to recover persons from the water,
even though this may require using such equipment in unconventional ways.
1.2 These Guidelines
should be read in conjunction with the Guide to recovery techniques (MSC.1/Circ.1182)
and the Guide for cold water survival (MSC.1/Circ.1185/Rev.1).
1.3 In particular, the Guide
to recovery techniques (MSC.1/Circ.1182) provides a number of examples of
how certain types of equipment can be used to recover persons from the water;
and can also be used for the development of plans and procedures for recovery
of persons from the water.
1.4 The initiation or
continuation of recovery operations should be at the discretion of the master
of the recovering ship, in accordance with the provisions of SOLAS regulation
III/17-1.
1.5 The plans and
procedures should be considered as a part of the emergency preparedness plan
required by paragraph 8 of part A of the International Safety Management (ISM)
Code.
2 Matters to be
considered when developing plans and procedures
2.1 A risk assessment
should be conducted and documented when developing plans and procedures for
recovery of persons from the water, including equipment intended to be used,
taking into account the anticipated conditions and ship-specific
characteristics.
2.2 The recovery plans
and procedures should facilitate the transfer of persons from the water to the
ship while minimizing the risk of injury from impact with the ship's side or
other structures, including the recovery appliance itself.
2.3 To the extent
practicable, recovery procedures should provide for recovery of persons in a
horizontal or near-horizontal ("deck-chair") position. Recovery in a
vertical position should be avoided whenever possible as it risks cardiac
arrest in hypothermic casualties (refer to the Guide for cold water survival
(MSC.1/Circ.1185/Rev.1)).
2.4 If carried,
dedicated recovery equipment should be clearly marked with the maximum number
of persons it can accommodate, based on a weight of 82.5 kg per person.
2.5 Recovery operations
should be conducted at a position clear of the ship's propellers and, as far as
practicable, within the ship's parallel mid-body section.
2.6 A source of
illumination and, where required, a source of power should be available for the