Posted by Nicky Smol on May 26, 2023 in Other news
ISO 24409-4 – Regulations such as SOLAS and IMO require safety instructions to be displayed inside each cabin and in public spaces on passenger vessels. While different regulations provide some specifications for the content, there has been a lack of cohesive implementation until now.
These plans should indicate the directions to assembly stations, outline necessary actions to be taken in an emergency, and provide other safety information such as embarkation stations and lifejacket storage locations. By using assembly station and emergency exit symbols, the distinction between primary and secondary escape routes is clearly displayed, in accordance with the ship’s evacuation analyses and means of escape plans. The layout and content of these Escape plan signs are now identical to the plans used on land, just like the safety symbols on board ships, which have also been standardized. However, due to the challenges of escape at sea compared to on land, there are many differences in the information provided, necessitating a specific maritime standard, including for use in offshore installations.
The publication of the ISO 24409-4 standard is a significant step towards establishing a universal safety language for both sea and land environments. The legal basis for ISO 24409-4 includes SOLAS regulation II-2, 13.7.2.2 and III, 8.4, IMO resolution A 752(18), MSC/circ. 699, MSN M.1409, and others. This standard covers different titles for the same meaning in these regulations, such as Mimic plans, Emergency instructions, and notices. In practice, the header “Safety Instructions” should be used because the content of these plans extends beyond escape information.
These Escape plan signs replace the means of escape plans used by the trained crew. These plans, often combined with fire control plans, are standardized in ISO 17631, which was revised last year to align with the IMO 1116(30) symbols, and information from Damage control plans was added.
The Escape plan signs, also known as Safety Instructions, are an essential part of a shipboard safety sign system, which includes Low Location Lighting (LLL), escape signage (electrical and photoluminescent), and other signs related to firefighting, rescue, fire control, warning, prohibitions, mandatories, pipe marking, and tank markings.
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