Feature 1 | SAFETY Road to recovery
Ship & Boat International profiles some recent safety product launches for man overboard scenarios, including a box-enclosed evacuation system, laser- powered distress flares and a glow-in-the-dark solution for lifelines.
D
anish-based life saving appliances manufacturer Viking has launched a new open reversible lifecraſt and
mini-slide system, which is aimed at the smaller vessel and boat sectors, as well as being certified for use by ferries. Te Viking Automatic Slide (VAS) is supplied in a single aluminium stowage box for ease of installation, the procedure of which necessitates placing the box flush with the ship side and bolting it to the deck, ready for deployment. Te unit can achieve deployment without an external power supply, making it valuable in the event of emergencies when onboard systems may have failed. Upon activation, incorporating a
pull-handle design, the VAS releases the mini-slide and liferaſt, which is capable of accommodating up to 153 evacuees. Inflation of the liferaſt commences automatically, aſter a crew member has pushed a button on either the stowage box or on the bridge. Te system is designed for evacuation at heights ranging between 1.5m and 3.7m, and has automatic bowsing capability, keeping the slide and raſt close alongside the ship, for greater safety when evacuees are disembarking the vessel. Following sea trials, the system has been
classified by Det Norske Veritas and approved to EC Directive 96/98/EC standard, as well as ISO9001. According to Viking, the first two VAS units have been sold to Färjerederiet, the Swedish state-owned ferry operator. Niels Fraende, sales and marketing director at Viking, commented: “Te ability to have just one crew member operate the entire evacuation system for such a large number of passengers is…quite amazing, when you think how many crew it typically takes to deploy more conventional safety equipment.” Viking has also spent December 2011
concluding capacity tests for its VENOC offshore evacuation system. Specifically targeting ‘ship-shaped’ offshore assets (as opposed to structures and platforms), the VENOC comprises a gravity-deployed, over-the-side escape chute and a liferaſt, the latter of which is automatically inflated
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SeaSafe service scheme goes nationwide
The Viking Automatic Slide system provides a mini-slide and 153-person liferaft, at evacuation heights of 1.5m to 3.7m.
by water pressure, thereby eliminating the need for crew members to descend the chute first before activating the liferaſt, and dispensing with bowsing lines. Instead, the system incorporates a 1tonne stabilising weight, descending from the bottom of the chute, typically to 10-15m below the water surface. Te VENOC has been designed to evacuate up to 100 persons from installation heights of 15m, 30m or 45m. One of the requirements of the December capacity tests has been to pass 140 persons, all untrained in shipboard evacuation procedures, through the VENOC chute within 10 minutes.
Laser light The first quarter of 2012 sees UK-based Odeo Flare release the Mk2 version of its handheld Odeo Flare device, which bypasses conventional pyrotechnic distress flare components, instead relying on battery- powered laser technology for light output. According to Nic Lonsdale, member of the Odeo Flare development team, the shift from pyrotechnic to laser functionality could have major implications for onboard stowage considerations, particularly in reducing the risk of accidental explosions. In terms of regulations, Lonsdale tells Ship & Boat International: “Just look at the laws and regulations concerning the transport of explosives and then compare them to those concerning a portable CD player, which also uses batteries and lasers.” Tis is particularly
Following a pilot project, SeaSafe Systems is now rolling out its Lifejacket Service Point Scheme to cover the UK. According to SeaSafe managing director Jeremy Dale, the scheme is targeting marinas, ports and boatyards. The scheme is designed for users to drop off their lifejackets at designated points, to have these items serviced and returned, in a bid to ensure longevity of the products. SeaSafe claims that as many as 80% of existing lifejackets are not serviced regularly, if at all.
Dale says: “The idea was born from speaking to people, many of whom didn’t know where or how to get a lifejacket serviced.” One company with which SeaSafe spoke claimed to have never submitted its lifejackets for service, instead opting for the unnecessarily expensive habit of replacing them every two years. Dale continues: “The scheme will enable us to address common problems such as, for instance, whether or not the CO2 bottles are empty or damaged. If rusted, these can also corrode the lifejacket material. Pinhole punctures may have gone undetected, and, if the lifejacket is not stored correctly, the inflation mechanisms can become degraded.” He adds that it is best to have lifejackets serviced annually.
the case when transporting the devices in an aircraſt hold, he adds. Te Mk2 Odeo Flare is visible at a range
of three nautical miles, with the light output radiated in full hemisphere mode, so it can
Ship & Boat International January/February 2012
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