Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01173:body:0:p78
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01173
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 202558–205322

should ropes or wires break.
Due to the types of synthetic ropes that may be on board ship, seafarers should be trained in the techniques of "stopping off" wires and ropes. Chain securing devices should be used for stopping off wire mooring ropes but never for fibre ropes.
Vessels' heaving lines should be constructed with a 'monkey's fist' at one end. To prevent personal injury, the 'fist' should be made only with rope and should not contain added weighting material.
Areas where mooring operations are to be undertaken should be clutter free as far as possible. Decks should have anti-slip surfaces provided by fixed treads or anti-slip paint coating, and the whole working area should be adequately lit for operations undertaken during periods of darkness.
All equipment used in mooring operations should be regularly inspected for defects. Any defects found should be fixed as soon as possible. Particular attention should be paid to the risk of oil leaks from winches. Surfaces of fairleads, bollards, bitts and drum ends should be clean and in good condition. Rollers and fairleads should turn smoothly and a visual check should be made that corrosion has not weakened them.
Ensure that pedestal roller fairleads, lead bollards, mooring bitts etc. are:
       properly designed to meet all foreseeable operational loads and conditions;
       correctly sited; and
       effectively secured to a part of the ship's structure which is suitably strengthened.
Mooring ropes, wires and stoppers that are to be used in the operation should be in good condition. Ropes should be frequently inspected for both external wear and wear between strands. Wires should be regularly treated with suitable lubricants and inspected for deterioration internally and broken strands externally. Splices in both ropes and wires should be inspected regularly to check they are intact. Where wire rope is joined to fibre rope, a thimble or other device should be inserted in the eye of the fibre rope. Both wire and fibre rope should have the same direction of lay.
Ropes and wires which are stowed on reels should not be used directly from stowage, but should be run off and flaked out on deck in a clear and safe manner, ensuring sufficient slack to cover all contingencies. If there is doubt of the amount required, then the complete reel should be run off.
It is often difficult to achieve an ideal mooring layout. Ship's equipment can be used to the best advantage if the following general principles are remembered:
       breast lines provide the bulk of athwartships restraint;
       backsprings provide the largest proportion of the longitudinal restraint; and
       very short lengths of line should be avoided when possible, as such lines will take a greater