What are Requirements of all LSA and FFA equipments as per SOLAS ?

While ships conduct their commercial activities, the safety of passengers and crew is crucial. To ensure the safety of everyone on board in case of emergencies, it is necessary for ships to carry life-saving appliances such as lifeboats, lifebuoys, life rafts, and life jackets.

All ships are required to carry life-saving appliances as per the SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) convention. Manufacturing, testing, maintenance, and record-keeping of life-saving appliances are subject to the detailed technical requirements outlined in the LSA Code. Depending on its size, shipping activity, and voyage, each ship has different life-saving appliances in terms of number, capacity, and type. This article explains the requirements or standards of all LSA and FFA equipment as per SOLAS.
 

ALL LSA

• Maintain air temperature between -30C and +65C.
• Maintain immersion in SW during use in temperatures ranging from -1C to +30C.>

LIFEBUOY

• DIA –400mm TO 800mm
• For quick-release buoys, the weight must be at least 2.5 kg to activate the system.
• Support a load of 14.5 kilograms of iron in fresh water for 24 hours.
• Sustain being surrounded by fire for a duration of 2 seconds.
• Sustain a drop into the water from 30m or higher if stowed at a greater height.
• Grabline Dia at least 9.5mm
• The grabline should be at least four times longer than the buoy's outer diameter.

S.I LIGHTS

• The luminous intensity should be at least 2 cd.
• Fixed or Flashing
• 50-70 flashes per minute, if flashing.
• 2-hour energy source.
• Ensure a safe drop into the water from at least 30m or from a higher height if stowed higher.

SELF ACTIVATING SMOKE SIGNALS

• 15 minutes of highly visible colored smoke.
• No explosive ignition or flame emission.
• Must not get swamped in a seaway
• Maintain smoke emission for 10 seconds upon submersion.
• Must be able to sustain drop into the water from 30m or higher if stowed higher

BUOYANT LIFELINES

• Must not kink
• The diameter must be at least 8mm.
• Minimum breaking strength of 5 kN.

LIFE-JACKETS

• Sustain being surrounded by fire for a duration of 2 seconds.
• Can be donned within 1 minute
• Comfortable
• There is only one method of putting it on.
• Without causing any harm to themselves or the lifejacket, the wearer can jump into the water from 4.5m.
• Raise the mouth of an unconscious person at a 20-degree angle from vertical, keeping their body inclined backwards, and ensuring it is lifted 120mm above the water.
• Flip the body of the unconscious individual in under 5 seconds.
• Allow short-distance swimming.
• A minimum of 5% buoyancy should be maintained after 24 hours of immersion.

Life-Jacket Light

• The luminous intensity should be at least 0.75 cd.
• The light can stay on for a minimum of 8 hours with 0.75 cd brightness.
• White light
• A manually operated switch should be present if there is a flashing light.
• The frequency of flashes should range from 50 to 70 per minute with a luminous intensity of 0.75 cd.

IMMERSION SUITS

• Can be donned within 2 minutes
• Sustain being surrounded by fire for a duration of 2 seconds.
• The wearer is capable of performing a 4.5m dive into water without any water entering.
• Ability to swim short distances.
• Climb up and down a vertical ladder that is at least 5m long.

INSULATED IMMERSION SUIT

• The wearer's body temperature should not drop more than 2°C after spending 6 hours in seawater at a temperature of 0 to 2°C.

IMMERSION SUIT WORN WITH WARM CLOTHING

• Body temperature remains within 2 degrees Celsius after one hour in 5 degrees Celsius seawater.

ANTI EXPOSURE SUITS

• Inherent buoyancy 70N
• Unpacked and donned within 2 minutes
• Sustain being surrounded by fire for a duration of 2 seconds.
• At least 120 deg lateral field of vision is required.
• Climb up and down a ladder that is at least 5m in height.
• Without water entering, the wearer can jump 4.5m into water.
• Complete a 25m swim and board survival craft.
• The wearer's body temperature should not drop more than 1.5°C per hour after the first half hour in water at a temperature of 5°C.

TPA

• Can be removed in water within 2 minutes.
• Perform well in air temperatures ranging from -30C to +20C.

ROCKET PARACHUTE FLARES

• Altitude 300m
• Parachute flares at the peak of its trajectory, bright red.
• 30,000cd
• Should be visible for 40 seconds
• Descent rate must not exceed 5m/s.

HAND FLARE

• 15,000cd
• Not less than 1 minute
• Maintain burning under 100 mm of water for 10 seconds.

BUOYANT SMOKE SIGNALS

• Visible smoke in a vibrant color for three minutes
• No explosive ignition or flame emission
• Must not get swamped in a seaway
• Smoke should be emitted underwater for 10 seconds at depths below 100mm.

LIFERAFTS GENERAL

• Survive underwater for 30 days under any sea conditions.
• Can withstand drops of 18m or higher when stowed at a higher position.
• Can withstand repeated jumps from 4.5m.
• Can be towed at 3 kts when fully loaded and fitted with a sea anchor.
• Mount SART 1 m above sea level.
• Minimum capacity 6 persons
• Maximum Weight 185 kgs

DAVIT LAUNCHED LIFERAFT

• Capable of withstanding lateral impact velocity 3.5m/s
• Sustain a vertical drop of 3m
• Weak-link to break at 2.2+/- 0.4kN
• Release HRU at max 4m depth.

INFLATABLE LIFERAFTS

• The weight of each individual is averaged to 75kg.
• Inflate within 1 minute at 18-20C and within 3 minutes at -30C.

MARKING ON THE CONTAINER

• Name of maker or trademark.
• Serial number.
• Name of the approving authority and maximum permitted occupancy.
• SOLAS
• Type of emergency pack enclosed
• Last service date.
• Length of painter
• Max stowage height above the waterline (based on drop-test height and painter length).
• Instructions for launching

MARKING ON THE LIFERAFT

• Maker's name or trademark.
• Serial number.
• Month and year of manufacture.
• Approving authority's name.
• Last serviced station name and location.
• The number of people allowed per entrance must be displayed in characters no smaller than 100 mm in height, with a color contrasting the liferaft.
• The liferafts should be labelled with the ship's name and port of registry, allowing for easy changes to the ship identification without opening the container.

LAUNCHING APPLIANCES

• All ships must operate at a trim of 10 degrees and a list of 20 degrees in either direction.
• All tankers must operate at angles greater than 20 degrees from the lower side.

LTA

• Minimum range of 230m in calm weather.
• Rope's minimum breaking strength is 2 kN.

SCBA

• 1200 liters of air or 30 minutes of air service.

EEBD

• 10 minutes service duration

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

• Powder or CO2 – 5kgs
• Foam capacity - 9 liters.
• Maximum weight per item is 23 kgs.
• 20 liters of portable foam applicator liquid + 20 liters spare.
• Nozzle capacity: 1.5 cu.m/min.

FIXED FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

• The Pre Discharge ALARM should sound for a minimum of 20 seconds or until the space is evacuated before releasing the medium.

CO2 SYSTEM

• The CO2 quantity should be sufficient to provide at least 30% of the total volume in the largest protected space.
• The CO2 system covers 35% of the largest machinery spaces, including the casing area.
• Within two minutes, 85% of the gas should be released into the machinery space.

EMERGENCY FIRE PUMPS

• The capacity of required Fire Pumps is 40% of the total capacity.
• 25 cu.m per hour for Passenger Ships
• 15 cu.m per hour for Cargo Ships
• Should start by cranking at 0 deg if diesel driven. If impracticable, the heating arrangement should start at least 6 times within 30 min and at least twice within the first 10 minutes.
• There should be fuel for 3 hrs of running and 15 hrs of reserve fuel at full load.

There are the requirements or standards of all LSA and FFA equipment as per SOLAS. However, the SOLAS convention is applicable to cargo ships exceeding 500 gross tonnage and passenger ships engaged in international voyages.