Navigation (Additional Life-saving Appliances) Regulations (Cth)

STATUTORY RULES.

1941. No. 315.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVIGATION ACT 1912-1935 *

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Navigation Act 1912-1935.

Dated this eighteenth day of December, 1941.

GOWRIE

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

J. M. FRASER

for Minister of State for Commerce.

 

Navigation (Additional Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

Citation.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Navigation (Additional Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

Commencement.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the first day of January, 1942.

Definitions.

3. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—

“approved” means approved by the Director;

“surveyor” means a person appointed under the Navigation Act to survey ships and their equipment;

“the Navigation Act” means the Navigation Act 1912-1935;

“the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations” means Statutory Rules 1935, No. 100, as amended by Statutory Rules 1935, No. 108, and 1939, No. 68.

Application of Regulation.

4. Except as otherwise prescribed in these Regulations, these Regulations shall apply to ships of Class I., Class II., Class III., and Class IV., as classified in regulation 8 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 19th December, 1941.

   

Buoyantapparatus.

5.—(1.) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, every ship of Class X., Class II., Class III. and Class IV. shall, in addition to the lifeboats required to be carried under those Regulations, carry approved buoyant apparatus to support all persons on board as follows:—

(а) In the case of Class II. ships exceeding 1,600 tons gross, the buoyant apparatus shall be of the raft type and comply with the specification in the First Schedule to these Regulations; and

(b) In the case of Class I. ships, Class II. ships of 1,600 tons gross and under, Class III. ships and Class IV. ships, the buoyant apparatus shall be of the type specified in sub-paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation and carrying equipment as prescribed in sub-regulation (1.) of regulation 8 of these Regulations, or of a type which substantially complies, to the satisfaction of the Director, with the requirements of regulation 48 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

(2.) The stowage of buoyant apparatus on the ship shall be as approved by the surveyor.

Ships equipped with buoyant apparatus.

6. Where any ship to which these Regulations apply carries, in pursuance of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, approved buoyant apparatus required by those Regulations to be carried in addition to any lifeboats, the quantity of buoyant apparatus to be carried in pursuance of these Regulations shall be reduced by the quantity of such additional buoyant apparatus carried in pursuance of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

Buoyant apparatus to be provided withself-igniting lights

7. —(1.) Buoyant apparatus of the raft type carried in pursuance of these Regulations shall be fitted with self-igniting lights which, cannot be extinguished in water.

(2.) Where any ship constructed for the carriage of liquid cargoes in bulk is required by the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations to carry buoyant apparatus or life-buoys fitted with self-igniting lights, such lights shall be of the electric battery type.

Equipment of life rafts.

8.—(1.) The equipment of buoyant apparatus of the raft type designed to support persons on the decking thereof and required to be carried in pursuance of regulation 5 of these Regulations shall consist of—

(а) a life-buoy with 15 fathoms of 3/4 in. line attached;

(b) two paddles fastened to the raft;

(c) a painter of 2-in. rope and not less than 15 fathoms in length;

(d) a portable canvas screen, preferably of a yellowish colour, to protect from the weather persons on the raft and to attract the attention of aircraft;

(e) one dozen red flare lights in a watertight case;

(f) a galvanized drum containing 4 gallons of fresh water;

 

(g) two small drinking vessels of enamel or rustproof metal, one of which is marked as a measure in ½-oz. sections from 1 ounce to 2 ounces;

(h) four pounds of biscuit packed in 2-lb. airtight lacquered tins, clearly marked in accordance with the appropriate markings in the Second Schedule to these Regulations;

(i) two pounds of chocolate in tablet form packed in 1-lb- airtight lacquered tins, clearly marked in accordance with the appropriate markings in the Second Schedule to these Regulations;

(j) two pounds of milk tablets packed in 1-lb. airtight lacquered tins, clearly marked in accordance with the appropriate markings in the Second Schedule to these Regulations; and

(k) a tin opener.

(2.) The equipment of buoyant apparatus, other than of the raft type, shall consist of a painter of 2-in. rope and not less than 15 fathoms in length.

(3.) The provisions of sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation shall not, except with respect to clause (c) thereof, apply to ships of Class I.

All lifeboats to be lifeboats of Class I.

9. All lifeboats carried in compliance with the Navigation (Lifesaving Appliances) Regulations on ships to which these Regulations apply shall be lifeboats of Class I. in accordance with the classification of lifeboats in regulation 85 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations.

Lifeboats to be carried in outboard position.

10.—(1.) All lifeboats carried on ships to which these Regulations apply which, in pursuance of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, are required to be attached to davits, shall, so far as the type and position of the davits will permit, he carried at the davits in the outboard position unless the master of the ship, having due regard to the safety of the boats in the circumstances prevailing, considers it inadvisable to carry them in that position.

(2.) The lifeboats shall at all times he ready to be lowered into the water in the shortest possible time.

(3.) All lifeboats carried as part of the equipment of Class I. ships, Class II. ships engaged on foreign-going voyages, and Class II. ships exceeding 1,600 tons gross on Australian-trade voyages, shall be fitted with bilge keels or keel rails so constructed as to enable persons to cling to them if the lifeboat be upturned.

Equipment of motor boats.

11. Notwithstanding anything contained in regulation 51 or regulation 53 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, every motor boat shall be equipped with a mast or masts and with at least one good sail and proper gear therefor.

Additional equipment for lifeboats.

12.—(1.) In addition to the equipment prescribed by regulation 50 or regulation 51 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, as the case requires, every lifeboat shall be equipped with—

(a) a portable canvas hood or screen, preferably of a yellowish colour, to protect from the weather persons in the lifeboat and to attract the attention of aircraft;

(b) at least two small drinking vessels of enameled or rustproof metal, one of which is marked as a measure in 1/2-oz. sections from 1 ounce to 2 ounces; and

(c) a tin opener.

 

(2.) Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (d) of regulation 50 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, each lifeboat shall carry 2 quarts of water for each person the lifeboat is certified to carry.

(3.) Every lifeboat shall carry, in lieu of the quantity of biscuits and condensed milk prescribed by regulation 51 of the Navigation (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations, the following approved rations for each person the lifeboat is certified to carry:—

(a) one pound of biscuits;

(b) one pound of chocolate in tablet form, packed in 2-lb. airtight lacquered tins, clearly marked in accordance with the appropriate markings in the Second Schedule to these Regulations; and

(c) one pound of milk tablets packed in an airtight lacquered tin, clearly marked in accordance with the appropriate markings in the Second Schedule to these Regulations.

(4.) This regulation shall apply only to—

(a) Class I. ships;

(b) Class II. ships engaged on foreign-going voyages;

(c) Class II. ships exceeding 1,600 tons gross on Australian trade voyages; and

(d) such other ships as are specified by the Minister.

Alternative system of lighting.

13.—(1.) Every ship to which these Regulations apply shall have an efficient system of alternative lighting which shall be available for immediate use in the event of the failure of the main and emergency lighting, installations on the ship.

(2.) The alternative lighting system shall consist of approved self-contained electric hand-lamps or torches in such number and placed in such positions as are reasonably sufficient for the requirements of safety.

Approvedlife jackets.

14.—(1.) The approved life-jacket required to be provided in a ship for each person on board the ship in pursuance of the Navigation (Lifesaving Appliances) Regulations shall be placed in or near the sleeping berth of each person on board.

(2.) An additional life-jacket shall be provided for the use of each member of the engine-room and boiler-room staff on watch, and the additional life-jackets shall be retained in the vicinity of the place in the ship where the men are employed.

(3.) The master may require members of the crew, other than those employed on watch in the engine-room and boiler-room, to take their life-jackets from their sleeping berths to the position in the-ship near to the place where they are employed.

Lifebuoys and lifebuoy lights.

15. —(1.) Every ship to which these Regulations apply of 100 feet or more in length shall carry at least eight approved life-buoys, and every ship to which these Regulations apply under 100 feet in length shall carry at least four approved life-buoys.

(2.) At least half of the life-buoys required to be carried in pursuance of this regulation shall be provided with approved self-igniting lights which cannot be extinguished in water, each of which lights shall be kept attached to the life-buoy to which it belongs, and two of the remaining life-buoys shall be fitted with a line at least 15 fathoms in length attached thereto.

(3.) Self-igniting lights provided in accordance with the provisions of this regulation in any ship which is constructed for the carriage of liquid cargoes in bulk shall be of the electric battery type.

Passengers to be instructed re procedure in emergency.

16. The master of every ship to which these Regulations apply on which passengers are carried shall make arrangements to have all passengers, immediately they come on board, instructed by an officer in the procedure to be observed in the event of an emergency.

Director’sdiscretionarypower.

17. The Director or a Deputy Director may, subject to such conditions as he thinks fit to impose, exempt any ship, for the period of any voyage or voyages, from compliance with any requirement of these Regulations, if he is satisfied that the requirement is either impracticable or unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case.

 

THE SCHEDULES.

Reg. 5(1).

THE FIRST SCHEDULE.

 

Emergency Life-Rafts.

In order to assist shipowners to provide emergency life-rafts with the minimum expenditure of material and labour, a design of an emergency life-raft issued by the Ministry of Shipping (London) is appended. If properly constructed in accordance with the plan and specification, the raft should afford support for at least sixteen persons. In constructing the appliance, the following conditions should be followed as closely as possible:—

(а) The volume of the watertight apparatus, or drums, should provide about three cubic feet of buoyancy for each person the raft is designed to accommodate.

(b) The barrels, or drums, should be disposed at the two sides, as far apart as practicable.

(c) The buoyancy drums or containers shall be of sound material and be airtight and if of steel, should be about 14 gauge. The plugs in drums shall be screwed home tightly on suitable packing. After being tested for air-tightness, the drums should be well coated with oil or bitumastic paint before being secured in the frame work of the raft.

(d) The portable equipment of the raft should be stowed in the bays between the decking. A hinged hatch secured with staple and toggle should be provided in both the top and bottom decking of each bay in order that the portable equipment will be available whichever side of the raft floats uppermost.

Rafts or buoyant apparatus should be stowed in positions whence they can be readily launched overboard, or where they will be free to float off in the event of the vessel sinking before they can be launched; they should preferably not be stowed on hatchways, as the hatch covers are liable to be blown off by the explosion of a torpedo or mine.

 

Plan and Specification for Emergency Life-Raft.

 

THE SECOND SCHEDULE.

 

Regs. 8, 12.

Markings on Food Tins.

Approved Lifeboat and Raft Rations for ships registered in Australia.

*................................ Biscuit, 2 lb.

Date of Manufacture....................................

 

Approved Lifeboat and Raft Rations for ships registered in Australia.

*.............................. Chocolate  ...................................

Date of Manufacture.....................................

 

Approved Lifeboat and Raft Rations for ships registered in Australia.

*................................ Milk Tablets, 1 lb.

Date of Manufacture.....................................

* Maker’s name to be inserted,

  Weight to be inserted.

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.