MOD Health & Safety Handbook

THIS DOCUMENT WAS ORIGINATED BY JOHN CLAISSE AT THE GWENNILI TRUST BUT MAY HAVE BEEN EDITED BEFORE REACHING SI
THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR ROUGH GUIDANCE ONLY

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR SAILING

ABOARD ROYAL SIGNALS YACHT CLUB
GWENNILI TRUST CHARTERED YACHTS BOATS

Updated 1 March 04 Sep

This Risk Assessment is for use aboard Royal Signals Yacht Club (RSYC) Yachts and tenders. On all occasions of its use the sponsor (Project Officer, Skipper or other authority) is to review the risks and make additions or other amendments as appropriate. Project Officers and /or Skippers are to sign on the certificate provided in the Yacht Takeover Pack.

RSYC accept no responsibility for use of this Risk Assessment by any other organisation or individual

SKIPPERS WILL NORMALLY BE RYA COASTAL SKIPPER OR ABOVE

1 st MATES DAY SKIPPER STANDARD.

Skippers must discuss with their disabled crew and/or their carers what special help is required, how they will be guided/lifted and what they will be expected or like to do.

Serialno	Activity /Element	Hazards Identified	Existing Controls (Step 3)	Residual Risk	Additional Controls Required	Residual Risk
0	Responsibility	Safety and well being of crew. Safety of yacht. Safety of third parties.	Crew to consist of skipper then 1 able-bodied person for each disabled person on board. Skippers job to be in charge of yacht and crew as a whole and not for day to day requirments of a disabled person.	Reduced	Skipper to be advised of requirements of disabled on board so that he may take this into consideration when making decisions	Reduced
1	Severe Weather	Damage to boat. Injuries to crew.	Not to leave safe haven if force 6 or above is advised. RSYC GT Yachts are built and equipped for their area of operations indicated by MCA Categories 2 – 4 as applicable. Long term planning using routing and weather forecast charts and other weather forecasts. Short term planning to seek shelter in safe havens or allow sea room and selected heading. Safe havens to be within 60nms for YachtsACHTs in MCA Cat 2. Use of "reduced canvas", storm sails, heaving to, trailing warps, etc. Crew briefing on heavy-weather sailing and trained in use of storm sails before leaving the vicinity of the safe haven.	Reduced	Local weather forecasts to be obtained at least once every 24 hours	Reduced
2	Man Overboard.	Drowning, partial, secondary drowning, hypothermia and other injury.	Approved lifelines, harnesses and jackstays are correctly fitted, inspected and maintained. MOB recovery equipment is fitted as required by MCA COP plus equipment considered to be MOD "best practice" (eg the Jonbouy). Automatically inflating lifejackets with integrated harnesses of a MOD approved design are provided and warn by the crew when on the upperdeck, . Crew on the upperdeck wear lifejackets at all times unless the Skipper says otherwise. Non-swimmers wear lifejackets at all times when on the upperdeck. Crew always to be hooked on at night, in fog or low visibility, in inclement weather, when seasick and on other occasions when Skipper or the individual considers necessary. Skipper and crew are trained in MOB recovery and first aid. MOB recovery is exercised on first sailing and as appropriate thereafter.	Reduced	Crew with reduced mobility wear life jackets and to be hooked on when on the upper deck Wheelchair bound crew to wear lifejackets at all times when in the cockpit	Reduced Reduced
3	Sailing Offshore	Seasickness & medication	Risk is reduced by early advice on diet and fluids ie avoid fatty food, alcohol etc. The yacht's medical kit includes anti-seasickness tablets. Participants are encouraged to use the medication as required. Individuals suffering from seasickness, are 'clipped on' to avoid falling overboard when on the upperdeck, monitored for proper fluid intake to avoid dehydration; detailed to take the helm, a task that has proven to lessen the effects of seasickness.	Reduced	Skippers are to ascertain medication requirements, where kept and compatibility with sea sickness tablets.	Reduced
4	Deck and shore Work	Trips and Falls Manhandling the disabled Moving and Falling Objects	Personnel are required to wear proper footwear that improves adhesion between the shoe and the slippery surfaces found near water. Correct footwear also reduces the risk of foot/toe injuries. Traditional Rules: One hand for your self and one for the boat. Never stand astride a line or in a bight. Never take a turn around yourself. Never handle "live" anchor cable except with a ropes' end. When assisting those with reduced mobility ensure that the helper(s) do not injure themselves and compromise their own stability Surefootedness comes with increased sea-sense – hence Comp Crew and experience courses etc. Crew briefed on dangers of moving parts of the Yachts, in particular the boom. When working ashore in and around boat maintenance areas hard hats to be worn in accordance with Health and Safety Instructions	Reduced Reduced Reduced
5	Operations under power.	Mechanical Failure	Risk minimised by routine engineering maintenance including daily and pre-start checks. Inspection of machinery (eg engine shaft and seal) hourly when operating to monitor coolant flow, gauges, battery charger output. Yachts carry tools and spares as appropriate to the trip planned. Additional spares are carried for deployments. Skipper must have completed the RYA Diesel Engine course or be considered competent. For long deployments or ocean crossings one crewmember should have professional engineering qualifications. Crew will be trained to sail the Yacht on to moorings.	Reduced
6	Emergency and Distress Situations	Communications equipment failure	Redundancy in communications equipment, including fitted and portable VHF/DSC for short range. Antenna not supported by spars and rigging. Emergency equipment (e.g. EPIRB or similar) as required by the MCA COP. Use of pyrotechnics in emergency situations.	Reduced
7	All offshore sailing operations	General safety at sea concerns.	Skippers, Afterguard and Crew are to be appropriately qualified for the exercise they are required to undertake. Minimum standards are to be in accordance with the MCA Code of Practice and RSYC SOPs.
8	In close proximity to other vessels.	Collision	The International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea (IRPCS) are to be applied at all times. Yachts are fitted with navigation lights, day shapes and sound-making equipment as required by IRPCS. In the event of damage resulting from collision Yachts are fitted with watertight hatches as appropriate. Skippers are trained to employ extra cautionary measures where risk of collision is higher, such as in fog or low visibility. UK hulls are fitted with Radar.	Reduced
9	Operations at sea and in harbour.	Fire/Explosion	Yachts are to be adequately fitted with fire fighting equipment and all crew members are to be briefed on the action to be taken in the event of a fire. The cooker is never to be left unattended when lit. Cooking gas is always to be turned off at the cylinder valve when not in use and a safe and approved routine for the use of gas is set out in RSYC SOPsto be briefed to the whole crew. Gas cylinders are stowed in a purpose-built locker that is sealed off from the boats interior and drains directly over the side. Gas fittings meet the appropriate Eu or British Standard. Gas system is further checked as required by RSYC SOPs. Yacht is fitted with gas and smoke detectors. Petrol is stowed on the upperdeck in an approved container held in quick release stowage. Spare diesel is stowed only in approved containers. Smoking is banned between decks and may take place on the upperdeck only downwind of all inflammable materials.	Reduced
10	Cooking	Burns/scalds Food borne disease	Any time an individual is in the galley at sea, he/she wears foul-weather trousers and waterproof sailing boots to reduce the likelihood of scalds. Cookers are always on gimbals with the harbour lock off at sea. Food preparation areas meet the necessary standards of design. Separate cleaning gear for heads, galley and other areas. Soap is to be used in the heads. A high standard of hygiene is maintained onboard. Only fresh or properly preserved provisions are embarked. All outer packaging is removed on the upperdeck to reduce the risk of insect infestation. A refrigerator or cool box is fitted and used.	Reduced
11	Operations in coastal waters and alongside.	Crime – theft, injury, etc. alongside and piracy at sea.	Alongside: Yacht is locked when vacated. All loose equipment is stowed below or in locked stowages. Shipkeeper(s) remain onboard when not in a secure berth. Crew remain in groups ashore and SHARKWATCH is in force when appropriate. At sea: Expeditions are planned to be clear of areas of piracy risk. Otherwise Yacht transits well offshore or is diverted clear of risk areas. Planning includes escort/sail in company. When suspicious vessels are sighted Yacht tacks/gybes away. Crew are required to be visible in large numbers.	Reduced
12	Small Boat Operations	Manoverboard resulting in drowning or injury from outboards propeller and other harbour craft.	Dinghy cox’ns are properly trained, qualified and in regular practice. Passengers/crew are briefed and wear lifejackets when in open water. Non-swimmers wear lifejackets at all times. Number of passengers does to exceed approved maximum and account is taken of weather/sea state.	Reduced
13	Abandon Ship	Manoverboard resulting in drowning. Dehydration, hypothermia, starvation etc.	Skipper and some crew will have completed a sea survival course. List of those responsible for providing additional "survival stores" will be promulgated. Crew will be briefed and rehearsed in the drill for use of the liferaft. Yacht is fitted with approved liferaft pack and VHF/GMDSS.	Reduced
14	Sailing	Major Rigging Failure resulting in damage to the YACHT and injury to the crew.	All rigging is properly set up by a suitably qualified person and surveyed at appropriate intervals and defects rectified. Surveys of rigging and spars range from a "once per watch" deck-level check by Watchleaders, a daily check by Skippers/Mates, pre-sailing mast checks and checks carried out during maintenance periods. Correct sailplan for prevalent weather conditions is used, including correct use of running backstays (where fitted). Crews are briefed to pass along the upperdeck on the windward side and never hook on to standing rigging, to minimise risk of injury in the event of rigging failure.
15	Port Visits – Potable water replenishment.	Water Contamination	Areas /countries where water supplies may be contaminated are identified and avoided or buy bottled water is used. If any risk of contamination exists then tanks are not refilled and those already used are be isolated. Skippers are trained to test and purify water and suitable equipment is carried for this purpose. Yachts also carry emergency water supply in "jerry" cans.	Reduced
16	Operations in temperate and cold regions.	Hypothermia and frostbite.	Crews are provided with appropriate cold/wet weather clothing, briefed on keeping warm and dry and on the symptoms of hypothermia. In extreme climates upperdeck work is kept to a minimum and the duration of watches reduced as required. One crewmember has appropriate medical training.	Reduced
17	Overseas expeds.	Disease	Appropriate vacations/inoculations are identified and participants informed.	Reduced
18	Operations in summer and the tropics.	Sun Injury	Crews will be briefed on preventative measures. Yachts are fitted with adequate ventilation cowls. Upperdeck is cooled with seawater. Awning is rigged in harbour, bimimi at sea in the tropics.	Reduced
19	"Hands to Bathe"	Swimming Dangers	Non-swimmers do not take part. One person is nominated as "lifeguard". A line is trailed astern to aid boarding. A ladder or scrambling net is rigged. The Yacht engine is not operated and the dinghy may be used only with oars.	Reduced
20	Operations in coastal and inshore waters.	Grounding	Skippers, Mates and Watchleaders will be trained and qualified to appropriate levels in navigation and boat handling. Navigation "best practice" is applied.	Reduced

Abbreviations

MCA Maritime and Coastguard Agency

COP Code of Practice. Generally refers to the Code of Practice for Small Commercial Sailing Vessels – a MCA document.

GMDSS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

CERTIFICATE BY PROJECT OFFICERS / SKIPPERS

I have read and understand the RSYC The Gwennili Trust Risk Assessment dated 25 July 20031^st March 2004.. It has been reviewed and /*either it is confirmed that it covers all known risks associated with the expedition or course or passage about to be undertaken*/ *or risks not already covered by the RSYC draft have also been assessed and are included on additional pages which are attached*.

Signed……………………………………….… Name…………………………………………. Rank/Rate/Title……………….

(*delete as appropriate)

Notes:

Hand this certificate to the Yacht Manager on Hand-over, and in all cases before sailing.