This is a one day course that shows you the essential conventions that make life aboard a commercial vessel comfortable and acceptable for all seafarers and passengers. It provides you with the basic induction training needed for safety procedures and accident prevention and is great for helping new seafarers familiarises themselves with the working conditions aboard a boat.
For example, many years have passed since sailors were expected to be loaded on rum every day – you are supposed to be sober at all times on duty, and can be summarily fired for being otherwise. There are a number of other conventions including communications and environmental awareness issues that must be adhered to as a professional seafarer.
The course will cost around £115* inc. VAT depending on where and when you do it.
* Equivalent to approx.. 155 EUROS, or $175.
This course theoretical and is entirely shorebased.
You can take the 'personal safety and social responsibilities' course anywhere in the world that has accreditation to offer it.
You can take it in your home country but since it is set out in an International Convention you can sit it anywhere else you choose.
There are no prerequisites, meanign that you are expected to have no previous experience at sea when you do the course.
The course takes up to a full day to complete.
On the personal and social side, the course covers working relationships aboard, health and hygiene, shipboard management structure and responsibilities. This element is designed to ensure cohesion of the crew and officers aboard, and makes it clear when a breach is made. You will also cover communications methods, standards and technology aboard ship.
You will cover drugs and alcohol – as shown above you can be quickly dismissed from a vessel flagged anywhere in the world for being intoxicated on watch, even those ships flagged where crew are allowed alcohol whilst off watch. Notably the US has laws where you won’t drink alcohol until you are alongside in port, but the UK permits alcohol whilst off watch.
You will cover personal safety and fire prevention. This may mean knowing when to clip on to safety lines when provided during foul weather, but also whether and when you are permitted to smoke cigarettes (never by flammable liquid storage areas, and in some countries, never below deck).
Finally, you will look at environmental responsibilities. These will include throwing rubbish over the side – this can mean massive fines for the ship owner – but also what effluents can be pumped into the sea. Hydrocarbon fluids are an absolute no no but at a certain distance from shore, some human waste can be allowed into the sea.
Yes, it does, through the International Convention.
Have a look around the IYT website for more information as to what this involves, and the STCW website for how this fits in with wider seafarer training.
Take a look at the full syllabus here.