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500 EM385-1-1 Construction Safety Hazard Awareness for Contractors Sections 1 - 6
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05.K Lifesaving and Safety Skiffs.

05.K.01

During construction activities, at least one skiff must be immediately available at locations where employees work over or immediately next to water.

continuous improvement
Skiffs must be ready for instant launching.

Note: This requirement is applicable to any Operations and Maintenance activities that cause an employee to work outside the designed, permanently installed safety controls (i.e., guardrails).

05.K.02

Personnel trained in launching and operating the skiff must be readily available during working hours. Lifesaving personnel must perform a lifesaving drill, including the launching and recovery of the skiff, before the initiation of work at the site and periodically thereafter as specified by the GDA (but at least monthly or whenever new personnel are involved).

05.K.03

Skiffs must be kept afloat or ready for instant launching.

05.K.04

Required equipment must be onboard and meet or exceed USCG requirements and the requirements of Section 19 of this manual. Skiffs must be equipped as follows:

  1. Four (4) oars (two (2) if the skiff is motor powered);
  2. Oarlocks attached to gunwales or the oars;
  3. One (1) ball-pointed boat hook;
  4. One (1) ring buoy with 90 ft (21.3 m) of 3/8 in (0.9 cm) solid braid polypropylene, or equivalent, line attached; and
  5. PFDs in number equaling the skiff rating for the maximum number of personnel allowed on board.
  6. Fire Extinguisher.

05.K.05

In locations where waters are rough or swift, or where manually operated boats are not practical, a power boat suitable for the waters must be provided and equipped for lifesaving.

05.K.06

Skiffs and power boats must have buoyant material capable of floating the boat, its equipment, and the crew.

05.K.07

On vessels (such as skiffs) without permanently mounted navigation lights, portable battery-operated navigation lights will be available and used for night operations.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

5-19. When must at least one skiff be immediately available at construction activities requiring employees to work over or immediately next to water?