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Evacuation of inland vessels Contents: 1 Introduction 2 Evacuation plan 3 Procedures 4 Training, preparation and

maintenance

5 Dangers 6 Escape routes 7 Emergency lighting 8 Summary

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1. Introduction When an emergency situation occurs, similar like on board a motor tanker where within a period of days a fire broke out twice these circumstance might lead to a disastrous outcome. The first outbreak of fire had limited effects, but the second fire caused an enormous damage to the ship. Especially the presence of benzene fuel in a cofferdam caused the fire to spread rapidly. A lack of maintenance planning of the dampers in the exhaust system was the secondary cause of this accident to occur. The Captain went shopping on board of the bunker barge leaving the Czech sailor whom spoke only German to supervise the bunkering of oil. When the fire broke out the sailor didn’t know how to act. The skipper of the bunker barge was screaming instruction to him. The wife of the Captain panicked and jumped overbroad without even knowing how to swim. The first reaction of the Captain was to jump overboard as well in an attempt to rescue his wife. As a miracle they were rescued by an passing ship and the patrol boat of the police. In this case especially the lack of organisation caused the situation to go beyond control. Practical experience in these circumstances is not gained (fortunately). It is therefore necessary that safety topics are addressed frequently on board and training is conducted to fore come the surprises you encounter when a real disaster happens. How to act correctly in case of emergencies and to prevent panic during the evacuation can only be achieved when you know your ship and its safety equipment. How an evacuation should be organized is a vital part of the general emergency plan. Each crewmember should train their tasks during an emergency frequently.

Examples of safety equipment

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What can we learn from the circumstances as described above: • During high risk tasks such as bunkering supervision by adequate trained

and instructed personnel should be conducted. • A cofferdam should always be empty from fuel and dry. • Exhaust pipes should not be leading to the engine room and kept clear from

hot machinery; • Fire dampers and roasters should be maintained and cleaned regularly. • Reporting emergencies to authorities should be according a standard

protocol; • A procedure for continuation of the navigation during emergency situations

(such as reducing speed, dropping anchor, etc ..) should be implemented. • Readiness and use of fire fighting equipment should be guaranteed while

performing high risk tasks; • Try to prevent panic and do not jump overboard; • Have personal life saving appliances like lifebelts stand by for each

crewmember; • Do not endanger the lives of others during an rescue operation; 2. Evacuation plan An evacuation plan is a part of the emergency procedures on board a vessel. In this plan a step by step description of the vital and essential routines forms the basis of the successful evacuation of a ship. Preparation and even maintenance of safety equipment are described in these procedures as well. Chapter 15.13 of the Rules for inland shipping on the river Rhine commits each passenger vessel to have emergency procedures for grounding, collision, fire on board, man over board, en injuries to persons. When a ship transits through a populated harbour area or when in port these procedures should also include the danger that can come from external sources. Other maritime objects like locks bunker barges, patrol boats have their own emergency procedures.

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2.1. Reasons for evacuation Why a ship should be evacuated and even abandoned might be caused by different reasons: • fire; • (danger of ) explosion; • Toxic fumes; • leakage; • (danger of) collision; • grounding; • collapse of an object near the berth; The above are all situations that might endanger persons on board a vessel. Evacuation and abandoning the ship is a precautionary measure. For the first aid and emergency crew on board it is a difficult task to guide all persons to safety. Panic and misunderstanding are all to common among persons that need to be evacuated. Regular safety drills that need to be held with a frequency of at least once a month are time consuming and a burden for people who like to perform their daily job on board. Task to be assigned in a emergency procedure: • Who gives orders for the evacuation; • who is in charge of the evacuation; • which tasks are assigned to the crewmembers ; • who is monitoring the procedures during an evacuation; • which safety equipment should be used; • who will stay on post; • who is in charge at the assembly point; • which part of the ship is used as assembly point; • how the ship should be abandoned; • how to take care of personal belongings of the crew and passengers. Evacuation of a vessel is a precautionary measure. The so called Rhine Police Rules RPR Article 1.16 describes the necessity for evacuation as follows. When an emergency situation occurs the Captain should take al measures possible and use all equipment available to safeguard the persons on board and sail the ship into safety. The First aid officers will assist him to prevent panic and guide the passengers and crew into safety without causing panic. Safety procedures and safety equipment Safety procedures describe the actions that are taken and the safety equipment that should be used to successful complete these actions. Together with the safety plan that by means of pictograms give a complete overview a systematic evacuation can be successfully conducted. Safety procedures include: • sound signals to warn persons on board about the emergency situation”; • preparations for evacuation; • tasks of each crewmember assigned in the procedures; • a flow chart ;

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• an inventory of the safety equipment; • escape routes; • internal communication (see ROSR Article 15.13); • external communication; • how to alarm other ships and harbour authorities (RPR Article 4.04, Article 8.09 and Article 1.17)

Example of a safety plan 3. Procedures Every ship must have procedures to successfully evacuate and abandon this ship with the life saving appliances in case of emergencies. The evacuation procedures differ from ship to ship but are more or less set around the following sequence. The sequence of evacuation in general are: • Time and way of alarming persons on board; • taking positions according to the evacuation plan; • Establishing a sound communication among the crew involved in the evacuation; • how to guide passengers and other crew to the assembly points; • the use of safety equipment; • checking the evacuated areas; • how and when to end the emergency situation .

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Examples of rescue equipment. 3.1 Role of the first aid officer in the evacuation • Taking care that passengers are guide in a calm manner to the assembly

point; • check the evacuated areas for missing persons; • keeping the emergency exits free of any obstacles; • taking care of their own safety; • familiarisation with the evacuation procedures and communication

equipment; • executing the safety procedures; • safeguarding the place of the emergency for investigation. 4. Training, preparation and maintenance Emergency procedures how organised and informative of nature should prove their usefulness in practise. That’s why emergency procedures should be trained. It is compulsory to have regular safety drills on board. Given the fact that crew changes are frequently its advised to train each month. Especially the familiarization of the passengers with the life saving appliances and the knowledge of the escape routes are essential parts to be trained each cruise. Observing the evacuation procedures with passengers will lead to vital information about the assistance people need to safely evacuate to the assembly point. Training and practising will: • Enable supervisors to determine the knowledge and skills of crewmembers in

emergency procedures ; • Enhance the routines to be performed in emergency situations; • Test the validity of the procedures; • Prevent crewmembers to encounter surprises during a real emergency

situation. To verify the compliance please note the following: • VHF frequencies, telephone numbers and calling points; • safety equipment (see ROSR Article 10.03); • life saving equipment (see ROSR Articles 10.04, 10.05 and 15.09); • visibility of safety marks and pictograms; • keep information for third parties(passengers) up to date; • keep emergency exits free of obstacles.

5. Dangers

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The example from the introduction shows that panic is the biggest treat to the safety when evacuating a ship. When people start panicking the co-ordination will be lost and no one will listen to the one in charge. When people know that the first aid officers are trained and familiar with the safety equipment on board it will gain them authority and reduces the change of panic breaking out. Also the danger of emotional reactions should not be underestimated. When family or colleagues are involved in an accident and injured people tend to act impulsive and will risk their own life to safe the person in danger. A First aid officer is trained not to act impulsive and always observe is own safety and that of its colleagues. Other dangers that you may encounter on board vessels are: • Obstacles that are obscured by a massive production of smoke; • The use of chemical fire fighting agents; • Reaction of goods with the fire fighting agent; • Dangers that will spread by fumes from burnable substances; • Communication difficulties duet o many nationalities on board. Dangers are all present and even after the fire is put out dangerous situations will still occur. This might be the result of: • electrocution through open electricity • Poisoning by high concentrations of toxic fumes; • Suffocation duet o lack of oxygen; • Spreading of fire trough radiation heat transferred by the steel on board; • Danger of explosion by starting ventilation too soon; • Persons returning to soon to the place of the fire;

Example of an evacuation plan 6. Escape routes Escape routes are an essential part of the emergency plan. The escape routes are designed in such way that they will guarantee an efficient and coordinated evacuation in case of emergency.

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When designed in such way they will lower the risk of panic breaking out among people on board a ship. The First aid officer is familiar with the escape routes and will make sure that they are not obstructed and will guide evacuees through these routes to the assembly point. One of the colleagues will check at the assembly point whether everybody is present and successfully evacuated. An inland ship doesn’t represent a large object. People tend tot think that after a few days on board they no their way around. In this lays an danger because when alley and passage way are filled with smoke you will get disoriented. Therefore it is of vital importance that instructions of the First aid officer are always followed even though you might think you know a better route.

Fire alarm installations An escape route is marked with pictograms. That are illuminated by emergency power or made of an illumining material. Escape routes should be kept clear and free of obstacles. Periodical inspections should prevent crewmembers to block the routes by putting stores in front of them. New regulations do not allow escape routes to lead through kitchens and engine rooms. Escape routes should be clearly marked on the outside to prevent objects to be laced on top or in front of them. A panic fence on a door or hatch will ensure that the escape route will always open from the inside out but will be locked from the outside. A panic fence will always open with a simple push and won’t form any obstruction. Doors hatches and can also have a fire and/or water resistant function. These doors must be closed when sailing. This will prevent smoke or water spreading through the ship too rapidly in case of an emergency. Sometimes doors are left open to ease the work on board and sometimes you even find them secured in the open position. This is dangerous and it is the task of the First aid officer to make inspection rounds regularly to monitor these situations and solve them. Fire screen doors can also be held open with electro magnets and closed all thru the ship with one simple push on a central release button. Again this system needs regular testing to ensure its working in case of emergencies.

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Watertight door inside the ship 7. Emergency lighting In case of emergencies always expect the worse case scenario to happen. Therefore some constructional precautions should be incorporated in the ship design. One of the vital parts of finding your way inside a ship where no daylight is entering is the placement of the so-called emergency lighting. In case of a power failure the auxiliary engine will start automatically and this system makes sure that vital navigation and safety equipment will not malfunction. (see ROSR Article 9.18 “Auxiliary Engines). De emergency lighting will therefore start burning automatically when the normal lights stop functioning. This will prevent panic to break out and will help for a successful evacuation. Types of emergency lighting as found on board are: • General emergency lighting; • Transparent lighting; • Stairs or step-lighting; • Night contrast lighting. General emergency lighting is installed to guide people to the assembly station. Transparent lighting gives a direction towards escape routes doors and hatches. These lights should burn whenever people are in a area on board a vessel. The surface of the transparent lighting is always green and the signs are projected in white.

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Indication of an emergency exit by an transparent light

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When the normal lights go out stairs and steps should (especially when part of an escape route) be indicated to prevent people from tripping and falling. Night contrast lighting is placed in such way to prevent to much contrast to create a dangerous situation. Especially for the night attendant who will make the safety rounds it is a suitable way to overlook an area with minimal light contrast. 8. Salvage When an emergency situation occurred on board a vessel it is necessary to remain observant for hidden dangers. Part of the salvage operation can be clearing the fairway for other traffic. (see RPR Article 1.17 and Article 1.18) Points of attention after an emergency situation are: • Reporting and registration of the accident; • Medical examination of people affected by toxic fumes.; • Securing the source of the emergency for further investigation; • Evaluation of the situation wit hall parties involved; • Report of the events during the emergency situation to prevent reoccurrence; • Go back to the normal situation as quick as possible; • Be constrained with reports to third parties like the press. Summary In a emergency plan descriptions are made how to handle adequate to evacuate the ship in case of fire, explosion, collision, grounding man over board or injuries to persons. The First aid officer should guide people to the evacuation or assembly point and prevent panic situations. It is compulsory to have an emergency drill regularly to train the crew. Safety plans give an overview of all the safety equipment on board. Vital parts of the emergency provisions on board a vessel are: Escape routes; To guide persons to the nearest exit to the assembly point. Emergency exits; Emergency exits must be kept clear at all times.. Panic fences; This provision makes sure that emergency exits will open in one move. Fire screen doors; These doors prevent smoke from spreading thru the ship Emergency lighting; This lighting Works even during a black-out and can be divided in: • General emergency lighting; • Transparent lighting; • Stairs or step-lighting; • Night contrast lighting.