CHOOSE THE RIGHT CO ALARM, BUT BE AWARE OF FALSE CLAIMS WARNS BSS
Following recent media reports about non-working, imported carbon monoxide (CO) alarms sold on internet shopping sites, the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) is cautioning boaters that choosing the right CO alarm is an especially critical decision as boats can fill in minutes, sometimes seconds, with lethal levels of the highly toxic gas.
The BSS has teamed up with the CoGDEM (Council of Gas Detection & Environment Monitoring) to urge boaters to choose one from the list of CO alarms suitable for boats as recommended by the makers of independently certified products. The list can be found on the home page of the BSS website.
Incident reports collected by the BSS show that properly certified CO alarms have repeatedly protected skippers and crews from the hidden dangers of CO and ought to be regarded as part of the boat’s essential safety equipment.
The advice is to buy alarms that have been independently tested and certified by British Standards Institution (BSI). So, look for the Kitemark on the alarm or packaging or the Loss Prevention Certification Board, or look for the LPCB Certification Mark.
CO alarms certified to BS EN 50291-2 are the best choice for boats, but if you have a CO alarm, BSI or LPCB certified to BS EN 50291, or 50291-1, CoGDEM’s advice is to keep it, test it routinely and when it needs replacing, choose a unit certified to BS EN 50291-2.
BSS Manager, Graham Watts said: “Reports of new alarms not working out of the box are very concerning, so our advice to anyone worried that they have bought a non-functioning alarm for their boat is to reassure themselves by looking for the Kitemark or LPCB Certification Mark.”
Leigh Greenham, Director and Administrator at CoGDEM added: “We cannot stress enough that CO alarms are vital pieces of life-saving equipment, but only independently tested and certified alarms should be trusted to do this most important of jobs.”
http://bit.ly/2OUeeRx
THE MARINE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2017 HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its 112 page annual report for 2017 today. the report in full can be downloaded in pdf format below. Writing in his introduction for the final time after eight years with the Branch, Steve Clinch, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, says:
“2017 was a typically busy year for the Branch, not only in terms of its investigation workload but also in respect of its effort to promulgate the safety message, build relationships with stakeholders and train its staff. Included in this report is a selection of the diary entries for MAIB staff, which I hope will provide a flavour of the diverse nature of the work they have been involved with during the year.
There were 1,232 accidents reported (1,190 in 2016) and 21 investigations were started (29 in 2016). The decrease in the number of deployments to marine accidents was due to an unusually quiet start to 2017, which saw MAIB inspectors being deployed on only two occasions between January and April. During May and June there were two further deployments to attend accidents involving UK registered vessels trading in the Arabian Gulf.
Full story and for access to the report in full:
https://bit.ly/2MtZvel
8 | The Report • September 2018 • Issue 85
Marine News
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