Lifesaving Devices News

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) published a final rule aligning its regulations with the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act. Before 2010, certain uninspected commercial vessels including barges and sailing vessels fell outside the scope of the statute requiring the Coast Guard to regulate lifesaving devices on uninspected vessels. The Coast Guard is now requiring all uninspected commercial vessels, within the scope of the statutory requirement , to carry lifesaving devices even if they carry no passengers for hire; this includes certain uninspected commercial vessels, including barges and sailing vessels.

The National Transportation Safety Board is urging the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to inspect certain lifesaving equipment that might not operate properly when needed. The urgent safety recommendations are the result of information learned by the NTSB during its investigation of the Empress of the North grounding earlier this year. The Board has identified deficiencies in liferaft release units and evacuation slides. The Safety Board regards the issues as serious enough to issue urgent safety recommendations in advance of the final accident report. On May 14, 2007, the passenger vessel Empress of the North grounded at the intersection of Lynn Canal and Icy Straits, about 20 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska, after the vessel failed to negotiate a turn to the west.