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Galway Bay Boat Tours is committed to complying with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the associated safety regulations as well as Merchant Shipping safety regulations including the Merchant Shipping {Passenger Boat) Regulations 2002 (SI 273 of 2002) and the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Boat Manning) Regulations 2005.
In order to fully comply with current health and safety legislation, we are committed to:
We are committed to continually improving our safety performance and appreciate customers help in this process.
As our craft are supplied with a skipper as part of the hire, it is regarded as a Passenger Boat, and is surveyed and licensed by the Maritime Safety Directorate (MSD). A copy of our licence is available for inspection at any time.
_______________________
Ciaran Oliver
Owner/Skipper
Updated April 2022
The skipper (Ciaran Oliver or a qualified skipper working on his behalf), will make sure that all passengers receive an appropriate safety briefing before each trip.
The skipper is responsible for ensuring the vessel is maintained in a seaworthy condition and is properly equipped.
They have been trained under the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Boat Manning) Regulations 2005 which requires that skippers of passenger boats (vessels licensed to carry not more than 12 passengers) undergo appropriate training and testing to operate a passenger boat.
They are responsible for ensuring that the vessel is sufficiently stable when in the conditions of service for which it is intended.
They will make sure that crew have received adequate safety training and are fully aware of how to operate the radio, make a distress call and rescue a man overboard.
The Skipper has overall responsibility for safety on the vessel and will make sure that a safety inspection is carried out before each trip including an equipment and fire safety inspection.
They will inform a land based contact of the proposed trip, number of pax, the duration and location.
They are responsible for ensuring the vessel carries adequate life-saving and survival equipment, and has adequate means of recovering people from the water.
The skipper will take charge in an emergency.
The skipper is responsible for recording and reporting accidents.
In the event of an accident or illness the following are the important contact numbers;
Local Doctor: Galway Bay Medical Centre 091 530054
Westdoc: 0818-360000
Local Garda: 091-538000
Coastguard: 999 or 112 or ch 16 vhf
A mobile phone will be available in the wheelhouse. There is a first aid kit on board for category c vessels as directed by the Dept of Transport. The Skipper is trained in first aid. Any major accident or medical emergency will be handled through medico Cork via a V.H.F pan pan call. Tablets and medication must not be provided for customers use without authorisation from medico Cork.
Accident Reporting
If a customer suffers an injury while on the boat and requires the attention of a doctor or a hospital visit the accident must be reported to the Health and Safety Authority. Reports can be made online at www.hsa.ie
EMERGENCIES
The vessels are fitted with a D.S.C automated calling system. A distress call is activated simply by pressing and holding for 3 seconds a dedicated switch on the radio, this system transmits an all station call on Channel 70. The operator initiates an all station call by simply uncovering and pushing the red SOS switch on the radio’s panel. This will transmit the MMSI identity code – a series on 9 digits, without any further action required by the crew. In addition to the MMSI number, it is interfaced with a GPS to give the boat’s position. Transmitting and receiving sets will switch to Channel 16 to allow further information be transmitted e.g. spoken MAYDAY message, nature of emergency etc.
Crew have a Radio Operator’s Licence and are given the following instructions for emergencies;
ABANDONING SHIP
The decision to abandon will be taken only if absolutely necessary. Often a damaged or incapacitated boat will, even in adverse weather conditions, offer greater protection to a crew, than entering the water or deploying a life raft. However in the case of fire or critical flooding there may be no other option. All our crew are familiar with the procedures for launching a life raft. The decision to abandon is to be made by the skipper.
If forced to abandon, the following points will be adhered to;
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, RISK ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL
It is our policy to make sure that there are written risk assessments for all potentially hazardous activities or equipment used. The skipper will make sure that a hazard identification / risk assessment is conducted on all new equipment and practices.
A new hazard identification and risk assessment of a particular activity, process or area may be necessary in the following circumstances:
A record of the risk assessment will be made on ‘Hazard identification & risk assessment form’ The following paragraphs set out the hazards that have been identified and the measures we take to make sure that the risk associated with them is either eliminated or reduced to the lowest level possible.
FIRE
Hazards
Risk assessment: Low
Control measures
MAN OVERBOARD
Risk low
Control
ANGLING
Risk Low
Controls
SCUBA DIVING
Risk medium – high
Controls
SWIMMING
Risk low – medium
Controls
BOARDING SLIPS TRIPS AND FALLS
Risk Low – medium
Controls
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