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Check Expiration Dates on Safety Gear
by Ann Backus
The year 2008 will expire December 31. Your safety gear has expiration dates also. Occasionally at this time of year, I write an article with a list of suggestions for holiday gifts to give fishermen. Well, here is a different list to complete that could result in some gift giving ideas (if a safety item will soon expire). Alternatively, it could be a list (“checking it twice”) that you complete and take action on to give yourself and your family some safety assurance for 2009. The idea is…clip out the list, make a copy on white paper, complete the expiration column, and keep the sheet in a plastic sheet protector. As you check expiration dates, test the equipment that requires testing. Documentation: federally documented or state registered? Check the dates on your papers and be sure all the papers are present. Consider making copies and storing a set of your documentation papers at home. Let someone know where the papers are. FCC Radio License and Federal Operators Permit: If you wish to conduct business with the FCC, you must first register through the FCC’s COmmission Registra- tion System (CORES). Upon registration, you will be assigned a FCC Registration Number (FRN). This number will be used to uniquely identify you in all transactions with the FCC. The website www.fcc.gov or the http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/index. htm?job=home or http://wireless. fcc.gov/commoperators/rp.html are good places to start if you need to update your radio license, pay the fee, or become a licensed operator. Radio telephone requirements apply to all power driven vessels over 65 feet. Compass Deviation Card: According to the website "http://www. sailtrain.co.uk/navigation/deviation.htm" http://www.sailtrain.co.uk/navigation/deviation.htm if you have changed gear on your boat or been struck by lightening, (or just for safety’s sake) you should check the deviation on your compass card. Many of the boats I have been on recently have replaced compass and compass card with GPS equipment, however, should your GPS not be functioning correctly, you might need to rely on a compass and know the deviation to apply to each heading.
Life raft service and life raft hydrostatic release: Life rafts must be serviced annually. The hydrostatic release must be clearly marked with an expiry date in order to meet regulations. Two years between servicing is usual for non disposable releases. The key here is to have the servicing done by a provider “specifically approved by the US Coast Guard” and to avoid buying a cheap brand of hydrostatic release because there have been cases of poorly manufactured weak links that failed to break as specified in USCG regulations. EPIRB battery, registration, and hydrostatic release: Check the battery expiration date and test the EPIRB every month. In the winter, testing prior to every trip is a good idea. Be sure your EPIRB uses the 406 mega Hertz (MHz) frequency as the 126 MHz is no longer in service and be sure your EPIRB is registered with NOAA. The registration website is www.beaconregistration. noaa.gov. The hydrostatic release will be marked with an expiration date which is usually two years after purchase. Flares: Every type of flare will have an expiration date imprinted on it. Hand-over expired flares to your local US Coast Guard Marine Safety Officer to use for training purposes and purchase a new batch for yourself. First Aid and CPR Certification: Check your certification cards for expiration dates. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association differ in the time between certifications. In 2005 the AHA issued new guidelines for administering CPR. Perhaps it is time to take the First Aid and/or CPR courses again. Monthly checks: Complete the suggested checks and keep a dated log noting anything that you want to check again or inquire about. Fire extinguishers: The Commer- cial Fishing Vessel Safety Act of 1988 specifies the type and placement of fire extinguishers. Vessels as small as 16 feet are required to have a fire extinguisher (B-I) if there is a chance of entrapment of gases. For vessels over 65 feet extinguisher types A,B, and C are required and their location such as corridors, service rooms, galleys, paint rooms, engine rooms, etc. are specified. Follow the directions for checking your fire extinguishers based on the types of extinguishers and check for rust/corrosion on the body of the canister especially around the bottom rim. Recently a tragic death resulted when an activated extinguisher with propellant separate from the fire suppressant exploded through the bottom of the corroded canister and propelled the canister into the user. |
