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Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

Regulations

Merchant Shipping (National Small Vessel Safety) Regulations, 2007

Part 2 : Vessel safety requirements

7. Safety appliances and eqipment

 

(1) The owner and skipper of any vessel must ensure that—
(a) items of safety appliances and equipment are provided and maintained on board the vessel in accordance with the requirements of Annexure 2; and
(b) the other requirements of Annexure 2 are complied with in relation to the vessel.

 

(2) The skipper of a vessel must ensure that an approved buoyancy aid or lifejacket of the kind required by these regulations is worn by—
(a) every crew member who works on the vessel's deck at night, if the vessel is a commercial vessel;

[Regulation 7(2)(a) substituted by regulation 10(b) of Notice No. R. 731 dated 11 July 2008 ]

(b) every crew member who performs work on the vessel in circumstances where there is a risk of being lost overboard, if the vessel is a commercial vessel;

[Regulation 7(2)(b) substituted by regulation 10(b) of Notice No. R. 731 dated 11 July 2008]

(c) every crew member on the vessel, if the vessel is a commercial vessel of less than seven metres in overall length and is being operated within one nautical mile from shore;

[Regulation 7(2)(c) substituted by regulation 10(b) of Notice No. R. 731 dated 11 July 2008]

(d) every child under 12 years of age on deck at all times when the vessel is underway
(e) any other person on board a vessel at such times as the skipper may direct; and
(f) every person on board including the skipper whenever the vessel is launched or operated in the surf, or otherwise operates in rough sea or water conditions.

[Regulation 7(2) amended by regulation 10(a) of Notice No. R. 731 dated 11 July 2008]

 

(3) On each occasion before any vessel is operated, the skipper must—
(a) ensure that every person on board the vessel has received essential safety information appropriate to that person's functions on board, including—
(i) information about the location on board of the safety appliances and equipment required to be carried on the vessel; and
(ii) instruction in the use of such appliances and equipment; and
(b) ensure the safety appliances and equipment required to be on board the vessel are fit and ready for use.

 

(4) The skipper of a commercial vessel must, if it is practicable to do so, cause the vessel's emergency procedures and arrangements, including those in respect of fire-fighting, abandon ship and man overboard, to be practised at least once each week.

 

(5) The skipper or person operating any power-driven vessel of more than 15 horsepower and of nine metres or less in length may not get underway unless there is an operational kill switch attached to the operator.

 

(6) Subregulation (5) does not apply to vessels launching or beaching through surf whilst the vessel is transiting the surf zone.