Man Overboard Prevention and Response
Marine & Coastal Works › General › Man Overboard Prevention and Response
Man Overboard Prevention and Response
Man overboard is the most serious emergency on any marine construction site. A person in open water faces drowning, cold water shock, hypothermia, and the risk of being carried away by currents within seconds. Prevention through physical barriers, personal flotation devices, and safe systems of work is the priority. When prevention fails, a rapid and practised response is the only thing that can save a life. Every worker on a marine site must know the man overboard procedure before they start work.
- Wear an auto-inflating personal flotation device at all times when working near or over water.
- Install guardrails and physical barriers on all quays, jetties, and vessel working areas.
- Position lifebuoys with attached throwing lines at maximum 20-metre intervals along all water edges.
- Brief all workers on the man overboard procedure during induction and before each marine shift.
- Appoint and train dedicated rescue personnel with water rescue qualifications on every shift.
- Ensure a rescue boat is available and crewed during all overwater working operations.
- Practice man overboard drills at the intervals specified in the site emergency plan.
- Equip all PFDs with personal locator lights to aid location in poor visibility or at night.
- Maintain a headcount system so a missing person is detected within minutes of an incident.
Shout 'MAN OVERBOARD', throw a lifebuoy towards the casualty, and keep them in sight. Alert the rescue boat crew and call 999 and the coastguard on VHF channel 16. Do not enter the water unless trained and equipped for water rescue.
- A person in cold water can become incapacitated in under 60 seconds from cold water shock.
- Personal flotation devices must be worn at all times — not carried, not stored, but worn.
- Lifebuoys must be positioned every 20 metres and throwing lines must be long enough to reach the water.
- Man overboard drills must be practised regularly so the response is automatic, not improvised.
- A rescue boat with a trained crew must be available during all overwater construction operations.
- Never enter the water to rescue someone unless you are trained and equipped — you will become a casualty.
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