1. Scope
1.1 The obligations set forth in this Appendix apply to existing fishing vessels, considering:
a) the operational characteristics for which they were designed;
b) the maximum operating distance;
c) the navigation and fishing time autonomy;
d) the safety requirements of the workplaces or fishing activities; and
e) the circumstances or evidence of risks on board.
2. Seaworthiness and Stability
2.1 The vessel must be kept in good seaworthy condition and equipped with appropriate equipment for its intended use.
2.2 Information about the vessel’s stability characteristics, when required, must be available on board and accessible to the service personnel.
2.3 Every vessel must maintain its intact stability for the intended service conditions, and it is the responsibility of the fishing master to take necessary precautionary measures.
2.4 The instructions regarding the vessel’s stability must be strictly observed.
3. Installations
3.1 Electrical Installations
3.1.1 The electrical installations must be maintained safely, ensuring:
a) the protection of the crew and the vessel against electrical hazards;
b) the proper functioning of the equipment necessary to maintain the vessel in normal operating and habitability conditions, without resorting to an emergency power source; and
c) the operation of essential electrical equipment for safety in emergency situations.
3.1.2 An emergency power source must be installed to ensure, in case of fire or failure of the main electrical installation, the simultaneous operation for at least three hours of:
a) the internal communication system, fire detectors, and emergency signs;
b) navigation lights and emergency lighting;
c) the radiocommunication system; and
d) the emergency electric pump for fires and the bilge pump, if present.
3.1.2.1 When the vessel’s structural characteristics allow, the emergency power source should be located outside the engine room, except in open boats.
3.1.2.2 The accumulator battery, when used as a source, must be automatically connected to the emergency power distribution panel and ensure uninterrupted power for three hours to the devices referred to in items “a”, “b”, and “c” of subitem 3.1.2 of this Appendix.
3.1.3 The main electricity distribution panel and the emergency panel must be installed in such a way as not to be exposed to water or fire.
3.2 Other Installations
3.2.1 The radiocommunication installation must be capable of contacting, at any time, at least one coastal or inland station, taking into account the normal propagation conditions of radio waves, in compliance with the technical requirements established by maritime authority regulations.
4. Emergency Routes and Exits
4.1 The routes and exits to be used in an emergency must:
a) always remain unobstructed;
b) be easily accessible; and
c) lead as directly as possible to the upper level or a safety zone and from there to the rescue boats, so that workers can quickly evacuate work and accommodation areas in maximum safety conditions.
4.1.1 The number, distribution, and dimensions of the routes and exits must be in accordance with the maximum number of people who may be in those locations.
4.1.1.1 If it is not possible to comply with subitem 4.1.1 of this Appendix, the necessary changes must be made within the following deadlines, with the approval of the competent authority:
a) immediately, when there are not at least two exits located one on each side; or
b) at the time of the first overhaul, in other cases.
4.2 The exits that may be used as emergency exits and must remain closed must allow easy and quick opening by any worker or rescue team.
4.3 The emergency routes and exits must be adequately signed, with clear indications of the exit direction.
4.3.1 The signs must be placed in suitable places and be durable.
4.4 The routes, means of abandonment, and emergency exits that require lighting must be equipped with an emergency lighting system of sufficient intensity in case of failure of the normal system.
5. Fire Detection and Fighting
5.1 The accommodations and enclosed workplaces, including the engine room and fishing holds, must have adequate firefighting devices and, if necessary, fire detectors and alarm systems, according to the dimensions and use of the vessel, the equipment it is equipped with, the physical and chemical characteristics of the substances on board, and the maximum number of people who may be on board.
5.1.1 The firefighting devices must always be in their places, in perfect working condition, and ready for immediate use.
5.1.2 Workers must be informed about the location, operation mechanisms, and usage of firefighting devices.
5.1.3 Before the vessel departs from port, it must be verified if the extinguishers and other firefighting equipment are on board.
5.1.4 Manual firefighting devices must be easily accessible and operable and be clearly signed.
5.1.4.1 The signs must be placed in suitable locations and permanently maintained.
5.2 Fire detection and alarm systems, when present, must be regularly tested and kept in good working condition.
5.3 Firefighting drills must be conducted periodically.
5.4 When recharging, extinguishers must be effectively discharged by onboard workers as a form of training and capacity building for their use.
6. Workplaces
6.1 Work Environments
6.1.1 Enclosed workplaces must have sufficient ventilation, according to the working methods and the physical demands placed on professional fishermen.
6.1.1.1 Mechanical ventilation must be kept in good working condition.
6.1.2 The temperature in workplaces must be appropriate to the human body during working hours, taking into account the working methods employed, the physical demands placed on workers, and the prevailing or possible weather conditions in the area where the vessel operates.
6.1.3 The temperature in accommodations, service areas, dining rooms, and first aid stations must be appropriate to the specific use of each place.
6.1.4 At the discretion of the competent authority, workplaces must have sufficient acoustic and thermal insulation, considering the type of tasks and the physical activity of workers.
6.1.5 Workplaces, as far as possible, must receive sufficient natural light and be equipped with artificial lighting suitable for fishing circumstances that do not endanger the workers’ safety and health or the navigation of other vessels.
6.1.6 The lighting installations of workplaces, stairs, and corridors must be chosen in such a way as not to pose risks of accidents for workers or hinder the vessel’s navigation.
6.1.7 Workplaces where workers are particularly exposed to risks in case of artificial lighting failure must have emergency lighting of adequate intensity.
6.1.7.1 The emergency lighting must be kept in effective working condition and tested periodically.
6.2 Floors, Partitions, and Ceilings
6.2.1 All areas accessible to workers must have non-slip floors or fall protection devices and be free of obstacles.
6.2.2 The surfaces of floors, partitions, and ceilings must be easy to clean.
6.3 Doors
6.3.1 Doors, especially sliding doors when indispensable, must operate with maximum safety for workers, especially in adverse sea and weather conditions.
6.3.2 All doors must be openable from the inside without the need for specific devices, such as keys or similar.
6.3.3 Doors must be openable from both sides in work compartments.
6.4 Circulation Paths and Hazardous Areas
6.4.1 An embarkation ladder, gangway, or similar device providing appropriate and safe access to the vessel must be available.
6.4.2 Corridors, intersections, outer parts of compartments, and all circulation paths on the vessel must be equipped, where technically possible, with handrails, handholds, or other means ensuring the crew’s safety during their activities on board.
6.4.3 If there is a risk of workers falling through the hatchway or from one deck to another, adequate guardrails must be installed in all locations where technically possible.
6.4.3.1 The guardrails must have a minimum height of 1.20 m (one meter and twenty centimeters).
6.4.4 Access openings to deck or superstructure areas used for installation maintenance must be designed to ensure workers’ safety.
6.4.5 Bulwarks and other means installed to prevent falls overboard must be kept in good condition and allow for quick drainage of water.
6.4.6 In stern trawling systems equipped with a ramp on the upper part, there must be a gate or other safety device of the same height as the bulwarks to protect workers from falling.
6.4.6.1 The device must be easily opened and closed, preferably by remote control, and opened only to deploy or retrieve the net or boat.
7. Operational Safety
7.1 Work areas must be prepared for their purpose and, as far as possible, provide adequate protection for workers against falls on board or overboard.
7.1.1 Fish handling areas must be sufficiently spacious in terms of height and working area, considering the number of professional fishermen required for the operation.
7.2 Engine controls must be installed in a separate location with acoustic and thermal insulation.
7.2.1 When located in the engine room, engine controls must have independent access, if the vessel’s structural characteristics allow.
7.2.2 The bridge is considered a location that meets all the requirements mentioned in item 7.2 of this Appendix.
7.3 Traction equipment controls, when the vessel’s structural characteristics allow, must be installed in a sufficiently wide area to prevent operators from being exposed to accident risks with cables and moving parts.
7.4 Traction equipment must be equipped with appropriate safety devices for emergencies, including emergency stops.
7.5 The operator of traction equipment controls must have an adequate view of the equipment’s movement and the workers engaged in the task.
7.5.1 When traction equipment is operated from the bridge, the operator must have a clear view of the workers involved in the task, directly or by other adequate means.
7.6 The communication system between the bridge and the work deck must be reliable.
7.7 Strict vigilance and procedures must be maintained to alert the crew to the imminent risk of wave strikes during fishing operations or when work is being performed on deck.
7.8 The risks of uncovered movement of winches, trawl cables, and moving parts of the equipment must be minimized by installing protection mechanisms.
7.9 Load movement control systems must be installed, especially the mechanism for locking the trawl net door.
7.10 Personal protective equipment used as clothing or worn over clothing must be in bright colors to contrast with the marine environment and be highly visible.
8. Habitability and Living Areas on Board
8.1 Accommodations
8.1.1 Workers’ accommodations must be protected from the weather, excessive heat and cold, and adapted to minimize noise, vibrations, movement and acceleration effects, and emanations from other areas, where technically possible.
8.1.1.1 Adequate lighting must be installed in the accommodations.
8.1.2 The number of workers per dormitory must not exceed six.
8.1.2.1 On vessels with a total length equal to or greater than 26.5 m (twenty-six meters and fifty centimeters) or Gross Tonnage equal to or greater than 100 (one hundred), the number of workers per dormitory must not exceed four, and the number of officers must not exceed two per dormitory.
8.1.2.2 The maritime authority may allow exceptions to subitems 8.1.2 and 8.1.2.1 of this Appendix in particular cases where their application is unreasonable or unfeasible, according to the type of vessel, its dimensions, and the service for which it is intended.
8.1.3 The maximum number of people per dormitory must be indicated legibly and indelibly in an easily visible place at the dormitory entrance.
8.1.4 Professional fishermen must have individual beds of appropriate dimensions with mattresses made of suitable materials.
8.1.4.1 Considering regional characteristics, the competent authority may authorize the use of individual hammocks instead of beds.
8.1.4.2 On vessels with a total length equal to or greater than 26.5 m (twenty-six meters and fifty centimeters) or Gross Tonnage equal to or greater than 100 (one hundred), bed dimensions must not be less than 1.90 x 0.68 m (one meter ninety by sixty-eight centimeters).
8.1.5 Dormitories must be equipped with furniture that facilitates cleaning and provides comfort to professional fishermen, including beds and individual wardrobes.
8.1.6 On vessels with a total length equal to or greater than 26.5 m (twenty-six meters and fifty centimeters) or Gross Tonnage equal to or greater than 100 (one hundred), dormitories must be separated by gender.
8.1.7 The kitchen and dining room must:
a) have adequate dimensions;
b) be sufficiently lit and ventilated; and
c) be easy to clean.
8.1.8 Refrigerators or other means of storing food at low temperatures, as well as utensils and means for meal preparation, must be available.
8.2 Sanitary Facilities
8.2.1 Vessels with accommodations must be equipped with sanitary facilities containing sinks, toilets, and showers protected against rust.
8.2.1.1 The sanitary facilities must:
a) be protected against slippage and adequately ventilated;
b) be in sufficient number for the number of workers; and
c) comply with maritime authority regulations.
8.3 First Aid
8.3.1 All vessels must have first aid supplies in accordance with maritime and health authority regulations.