Fire and Safety Regulations
The C/E must endeavour to ensure that all members of his staff are made aware of all Company, statutory, local authority and installation fire and safety regulations, and that such legislations are strictly adhered to.
He is to ensure that all safety equipment assigned to those parts of the vessel under his direct control are properly maintained and, in particular, he is also to satisfy himself that lifeboat engines and all emergency equipment are at all times ready for use.
Allocation of Watchkeeping Duties
The Second engineer is to allocate watchkeeping duties to his staff, ensuring that a competent Officer is always in charge of the machinery spaces. When the vessel is in port the C/E is to ensure that either himself or the 2nd Engineer/1st Assistant is available at any time. When the vessel is navigating in pilotage waters, during river transits and at all times as directed by the Master, the Chief Engineer must ensure that sufficient qualified personnel are on duty in the engine room.
When the vessel is running UMS, any alarms that occur must be answered by either the Duty Engineer or the Chief Engineer if he is not the Duty Engineer. However, certain alarms may also be answered by the duty rating, eg. bilge high / low level, who are familiar.
Accident Prevention
The C/E is to make every effort to promote Accident Prevention on board the vessel. He is to ensure that his staff are fully conversant with the correct operating methods for all machinery. Particular attention is to be paid to instructing staff in correct procedure for lighting boiler oil fuel burners if manually operated and opening up any pressure vessel for internal inspection.
The entire engine room staff should be familiar with the relevant sections of the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen, and the Company’s Safety Manual.
A routine should be established for checking and recording the condition of all hand tools and portable equipment, particular attention should be given to connections and cables.
Duty Engineer – Responsibilities any electrical
The Duty Engineer is directly responsible to the C/E and has full authority over the safe and economic operation of the main and auxiliary machinery during his duty period. Before being relieved, the Duty Engineer will complete all entries, as required, in the Engineers Log Book. The relief Duty Engineer will carry out a thorough examination of machinery spaces before taking over responsibility for the next duty period.
When the vessel is running UMS, the Duty Engineer is to ensure that all normal Watch-keeping duties are carried out during his period of duty. He is to make final inspection of all machinery spaces preferably no earlier than 23.00 hrs and is also to make the final Log Book entries at this time.