On-board Oil Polution BOR

It can be an environmental disaster, an operational disaster, and a businesses disaster-- a pollution emergency. But if and when prevention fails, plenty of preparation, and plenty of practice, can make a world of difference. The very best crews are the ones prepared for the worst, and that's what this program is all about-- pollution response. Make no mistake about it-- preparing for the worst is more than good seamanship and good sense, it's also the law. Check all the scuppers. New regulations require shipping companies to guarantee a higher level of crew training and readiness than ever before. And part of that readiness is the ability to respond to a pollution emergency. 80% plus of all accidents are human error. We realize that if we can have a base level of training for all mariners internationally, that we can prevent, hopefully, a lot of those. It does give me a lot of confidence to know that the crew can respond the way you would expect in case of an emergency situation. In this program, we'll outline correct procedures for an effective oil spill response. We'll show you how to prepare and conduct effective drills or exercises, and we'll simulate a drill. And we'll get expert commentary from the people who enforce the rules. Again, in an oil spill, once it's happened, what you want to do is mitigate the results of that, or the circumstances. Anything that you can do beforehand, especially in training and coordination and pre-planning, is value added in the outcome. Because of the catastrophic results of oil pollution, we're going to concentrate in this program on oil pollution response. The heart of this program is preparation-- how to practice and drill effectively so in case of a real emergency, you can respond effectively. But you shouldn't even start practicing until you know you can do it safely and skillfully. That takes training and planning in four basic steps. The first step in planning the drill is training. Educate your people on how to practice safely and knowledgeably. This has eight check-offs here-- stop the product flow, warn personnel, shut up ignition sources, contain control spill, which is what we're going to be concerned with today. Led by their chief mate, this crew is planning and preparing for a pollution response drill. Part of their preparation is review of a key section in their emergency response manual-- the SOPEP. SOPEP stands for Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan. What we, as a company, expect is that our crew members know how to follow the procedures in their Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans. And those procedures really are fairly simple. The second step in planning the drill is procedures. Educate your crew what to do, when to do it, and how to do it, using the SOPEP as your guide. This SOPEP has eight steps, beginning with stopping oil flow, sounding warnings and alarms, and proceeding through notification of the proper authorities, and containing the spill. Identify the members of the spill response teams. These responsibilities divide into two-- the communications team and the containment team. Some of your team will have hands-on responsibilities on deck. Others will be supervising communication among crew members and with designated agencies shoreside. Step four in planning is familiarizing the team with their equipment, where it's located, and how it's operated. We have a checklist of what's in here. If there are crew members who don't know where the pollution response equipment is located, show them. Good preparation serves two purposes-- first, you prepare the crew for your drill or exercise. Second, a port state control inspector may ask to see the pollution response equipment, or even for the crew to stage a drill. Here are some tips for effective drill planning. Plan well ahead of time-- the time, type, and location of the drill, and inform your crew. Create a realistic scenario, and always involve as many people as possible for the best possible learning experience. Your planning and your preparation are now behind you. The time for the drill, itself, approaches. Every SOPEP is a little bit different, every ship, captain, and crew is unique. Your scenario is going to be your own. But we chose this particular ship for our drill, because we like their realistic approach, and we like their enthusiasm. Hello, attention all crew. This is a pollution drill. We want to everybody right now, over. The drill we're about to see has nine steps. Since no actual oil is spilled, there's some role-playing involved. But it's an effective hands-on learning experience. Here's the scenario. During bunkering, a tank has overflowed, spilling bunker fuel on deck, over the side, and in the water. For purposes of the drill, we assume that the spill has not been noticed until oil has entered the water. Step number one is emergency shutdown-- stopping pumps, closing valves, shutting down ignition sources, such as welding or smoking. Does the crew have the hand signals right? What's the next procedure? The chief is both a player and a coach. Step number two is sounding the alarm, reporting what you've seen. Detecting the spill sets off a whole string of communications. Communication is the key to everything. We're not looking at communication just between myself and chief engineer. The communication has to filter down right down to the lowest rating on board. The officer in charge informs the captain, and the other members of the pollution response team. The captain sounds the general alarm to call out the response team. [ALARM RINGING] Step three is to assess conditions. Refer to your SOPEP, and use the oil spill report form. The SOPEP lists your procedures, which may be quickly scanned. Use the SOPEP to assess how much you know, and how you should proceed. There are two things going on. Usually the captain heads up communications from the bridge, while on deck, the chief directs containment efforts. Both need to coordinate with the other. As you script and conduct your drills, be aware that there are two types of spills-- spills that are contained on the decks of the ship, and spills that reach the water. The scenario you choose will influence what happens in the next step-- some very quick actions in the communication center. We have oil on the deck, and we suspect about 500 liters of oil has gone overboard. Step number four is report-- first to the appropriate shoreside authorities listed in the SOPEP, then to the ship owner and/or a manager, and your P&I Club correspondent. The SOPEP should list the phone numbers and who to contact, as well as the criteria for who should be called when. Our first goal is for people to know where their containment equipment is on board the vessel, and how to use it. But if oil does enter the water, the crew needs to know that it's gone beyond their own limited capacity to contain the spill, and they need help from the shoreside establishment. Even as people are scrambling to begin containment and clean up, there's some assessment taking place on deck, too. Step number five says safety first. Check for flammable liquid spills, address any injuries, fires, or other damage related to the incident, and be careful. Oil on deck is slippery. Part of your SOPEP designates who's in charge at the point of the spill. In our example here, it's the shared responsibility of the chief engineer and the chief mate. [INAUDIBLE] They evaluate crew's safety issues, assign responsibilities, and direct the cleanup. That's step six-- communication. Keep a steady link between the communications team and the containment team. At this point, the two should be operating in parallel. The captain is in touch with the authorities, and ready to call for additional resources. The chiefs are supervising the action at the point of the spill. They're maintaining a steady dialogue with each other. Remember to keep communications short and direct. Step seven, damage control. Determine the source of the spill or leak, and make sure it's stopped. Even as you're cleaning up what's already spilled, you need to make sure you're not spilling anymore. Taking the head off an overflowing fuel tank, for instance, to prevent further damage. Again, like a lot of this process, these steps are going on in parallel, addressing the effects and the cause at the same time. Don't forget that the primary purpose of the drill is learning-- practice. The chiefs take time as the drill proceeds to coach crew members and improve their performance. They want individual competence and smooth teamwork. In the training procedures that we have now is, I would say, they are not anymore individual skills. We are looking at developing all responses based on a teamwork base. So we are looking at our combined response to whatever situation that we have to face. Step number eight in the drill is to use the on-deck recovery equipment. This includes portable transfer pumps and hoses, spill kits and absorbent materials, shovels, brooms, and kitty litter, or sawdust. The name of the game is absorbency-- sopping stuff up and getting rid of it. An air diaphragm pump may be used to vacuum up large puddles of oil, with input and output hoses for transfer into drums. Absorbent materials are twisted into loops and placed around all deck outlets and scuppers. Containment is just what it says-- keeping the oil in a contained place, then cleaning it up. The final step in today's drill is disposal-- collecting the oil debris into drums for proper disposal on arrival in port. Besides the material you're disposing of, the end of the drill is also time to re-stow unused materials properly. Make sure there are adequate supplies for the next drill, or the real thing. Here are some tips for doing effective drills. Know your SOPEP-- the official guide you'll use throughout the drill. Make sure you practice the communication part of the process, not just the containment. It's just as important. And use the drill as a learning experience-- coach and teach your people. It's important that you keep a record of all drills and training exercises. New STCW regulations require documentation of training and crew competence. This sets a base standard that says that you have to be trained at this level. And by the way, you have to show us that you did it, so that we can verify it. And then we hold the mariner and the company-- we'll hold the mariner and the company accountable. Make sure you evaluate and share what you've learned. Make sure you communicate, and follow up on any areas where you are weak. And make sure you document your work, and the training of every crew member. Here are a couple of final thoughts on how to do it right. Prevention is still the best way to deal with pollution. Include training on the causes of spills, too. Focus on people as well as procedures. Your SOPEP and muster list should include an organized command structure for pollution response. Train frequently, even for shorter time periods. Set up a training schedule and stick to it. The Coast Guard would like to see you drilling once a month. So for our company, what the Coast Guard says is good advice, and that's what we follow. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the case of pollution response, that means preparation and practice in case prevention fails. Train regularly and realistically. Document what you do. And even in the worst case, you'll be ready to do your best.