APPENDIX III

Executive Summary of the Proposed Revisions to the Research Vessel Safety Standards (1992)

Overview: Changes were incorporated into chapters 3, 8,9,10, 12,15,16, and 17. Most were minor in nature and reflected changes to regulations since the Safety Standards were last published. An appendix was also added that includes the checklist for chartering non-UNOLS vessels as required by chapter 17 and approved by the UNOLS Council for adoption in 1993. All references to federal regulations, e.g. CFRs, USC, etc. were verified and changed if required. The table of contents page has also been updated. Actual changes by chapter are summarized below.

Chapter 3 - Certification, Documentation, and Inspection

• Reference to MARPOL 73/78 was added.
  
• Several references were changed to reflect the regulations numbers in the current CFRs.

Chapter 8 - Lifesaving Equipment

• 8.1(b) Liferafts. Changed to reflect the current requirement for new liferafts to be tested annually after they become two years old.
  
• 8.l(c) Buoyant Apparatus. Paragraph d. added to include the provisions of NVIC 3-87 concerning survival equipment for liferafts. Includes new SOLAS requirements.
  
• 8.1(e) Buoyant Apparatus. Paragraph e. added to, point out new SOLAS requirements that may be appropriate for all UNOLS vessels.
  
• 8.2(a) Life Preservers. Sentence added prohibiting, the use of chemiluinescent @ lights in near freezing waters,
  
• 8.2(b) Immersion Suits. Wording change entered throughout to bring paragraph into conformity with the current use of "immersion suit' vice survival suit. SOLAS requirement for marking storage bag with last inspection date added.
  
• 8.4 P-Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRBs) and Other Radio Lifesaving equipment (OLD). This section was moved to chapter 13, paragraph 13.8, in the proposed changes, where it is more appropriate. it was also updated to show current requirements for EPIRBS, SARTS and survival craft radios.
  
• 8.4 Line Throwing Appliance and Rescue Boat. (NEW) Line 6 'personnel" added before lifting device for clarity.
  
• 8.5 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. Requirement for apparatus to be MASH or NOSH approved for 30 minutes, requirement for a spare bottle for each apparatus, requirement for training bottle and a note that this type oxygen is not approved for medical use was added to the end of section.

Chapter 9 - Scientific and Shipboard Hazardous Materials

• 9. 1(d) Hazardous Scientific Materials. Paragraph added to show warning concerning storage of incompatible materials together.
  
• 9.2 Changed to show that the Chief Scientist is to provide a list of Chemicals to be used and their neutralizing agents two to four weeks prior to the cruise,
  
• 9.3 Last sentence added to make Chief Scientist responsible for providing the hazardous material inventory and MSDS sheets to vessel's Master.

Chapter 10 - Explosives

• 10.8 Assistance. Paragraph added to provide contacts for help in planning a cruise involving explosives. Few institutions have expertise in this area and few conduct explosive cruises. Requests that names of contacts with experience in explosives be included in the Safety Standards was received from several Institutions.

Chapter 12 - Scientific Equipment

• 12.0 Background. Second sentence, (such as CTD/Rosettes and rock dredges), added for clarity.
  
• 12.4 Acoustic Beacons (OLD). Section was deleted.. No one on Safety Committee or in RVOC could remember why it was included or identify a requirement for it.

Chapter 13 - Communications

• 13.8 EPIRB. This section was moved from chapter 8 because it is more appropriate here. It was also updated to show current requirements for EBIRBs, SARTS and survival craft radios to bring the requirements in line with SOLAS and current regulations.

Chapter 14 - Manning

• 14.0 Manning. Sentence added at end of this section Stating that the Chief Scientist has the responsibility for insuring that the science party is adequately manned and for planing the employment of his personnel in a safe manner.

Chapter 15 - Operations

• 15.12 Oil Transfer Procedures. Section added to show the new requirements for certain size vessels to maintain oil transfer procedures.
  
• 15.13 Refuse Record Book. Section added to show the new requirements for certain size vessels to maintain this record.
  
• 15.14 Oil Record Book. Section added to show the new requirements for certain size vessels to maintain this record.

Chapter 16 - Diving operations

• 16.2(l) Cruise Planning. The Chief Scientist added to the list to whom the Principal investigator is to forward the cruise dive plan. (Note: Past problems have occurred when PI is different than Chief Scientist and Chief Scientist did not get a copy of dive plan prior to cruise departure.)

Chapter 17 - Chartering of Non-Institution Vessels

• 17.0 Background. Adds sentence that these polices are mandatory when federal funding is involved. Last sentence added to indicate that the goal is to insure charter vessels meet the safety standards of comparable size UNOLS vessels.
  
• 17.1(8) Pre-Charter. Adds a list of inspections that can be accepted as an adequate substitute for an on site inspection.

Appendix A - Chartering non-Institutional Vessels by UNOLS Institutions

• Totally new section that contains the guidelines and inspection check list approved by the UNOLS Council in 1993.
  
• Documentation. Adequate insurance changed to read " meets chartering institution's minimum requirements".