U.S. Coast Guard advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeks comments on maritime safety training requirements
The U.S. Coast Guard Monday, April 14, 2014, announced the publication of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking involving the possible expansion of its maritime safety training requirements to cover all persons other than crew working on offshore supply vessels and mobile offshore units.
These vessels are defined as the OSVs and MOUs engaged in activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, regardless of flag.
This regulatory action aims to enhance personnel preparedness for persons other than crew (U.S. and foreign) when responding to emergencies such as fire, personal injury and abandon ship situations in hazardous environments.
Also, the Coast Guard seeks to ensure that persons other than crew receive basic maritime safety training on OSVs and MOUs engaged in Outer Continental Shelf activities, regardless of flag, consistent with the International Maritime Organization's recommendations for maritime safety training.
The Coast Guard also seeks to ensure this training is standardized and transferable from one vessel type to another to avoid duplication of effort.
Comments are being sought on these topics:
- The sufficiency of existing maritime safety training and value of additional maritime safety training for maritime crew and persons other than crew on OSVs and MOUs.
- An MOU's safety organizations structure (defining levels of authority and lines of communication).
- The professional education and service requirements for industrial officers on MOUs.
- The sufficiency of manning regulations on MOUs and OSVs.
- Available economic data on current labor market trends and conditions as well as the current costs, benefits and effectiveness of mandated maritime safety training courses and programs for maritime crew and persons other than crew.
Comments and related material may be submitted to the online docket at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2013-0175 on or before July 14, 2014, or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.