AMSA launches lifejacket safety campaign
AMSA launched its ‘Lifejacket Safety Campaign’ last month with a goal to increase awareness of the new requirements for commercial vessel operators and to develop a procedure within their safety management system (SMS) to inform when lifejackets/PDFs should be worn by those onboard.
As part of this process, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has spoken with members of the fishing industry many times about practical application of ‘lifejacket use’ and ‘personal flotation devices’ (PFDs) on fishing vessels.
Follow-up inspections by AMSA in early 2024 showed room for improvement, with only 50 per cent of owners and operators inspected complying with these new requirements.
Three fatalities occurred on commercial vessels in Australia in 2023. In each event, the person fell overboard without a lifejacket/PFD. More overboard incidents are currently under investigation.
You can read the Coroner’s Report here.
- The initial launch of the lifejacket safety campaign will focus on the following themes:
- Wearing life jackets
- Risk assessments
- Use of lifejackets
- Care of lifejackets
Industry focus groups assisted research for this campaign and indicated that survival for the sake of ‘loved ones at home’ was a stronger motivation for crew to wear lifejackets/PDFs than ‘just self-preservation’.
AMSA has now developed two videos to assist in sharing this message.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVx03ZmDTfU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgwrrKEwqNs
This lifejacket safety campaign is the beginning of a multi-year sustained safety initiative by AMSA to improve attitudes and safety practices around lifejacket wearing on the water.
Over the coming weeks and months, you’ll see a steady stream of lifejacket safety content on AMSA’s digital channels, which we would also encourage you to share and engage with.
Further information contact Steve Whitesmith at [email protected].