On Monday the Coast Guard announced the publication of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding training of personnel and manning on mobile offshore units (MOUs) and offshore supply vessels (OSVs) engaged in U.S. outer continental shelf activities. 

The Coast Guard seeks comment on plans to expand its maritime safety training requirements to cover all persons other than crew working on OSVs and MOUs in the U.S. outer continental shelf, regardless of flag. The goal of the expanded training is to enhance personnel preparedness for responding to emergencies such as fire, personal injury and abandon ship situations in hazardous environments. 

Comments is requested on the following topics: 

 

  • The sufficiency of existing maritime safety training and the value of additional maritime safety training for maritime crew and persons other than crew on OSVs and MOUs
  • An MOU’s safety organizational structure (defining levels of authority and lines of communication); the professional education and service requirements for industrial officers on MOUs
  • The sufficiency of manning regulations on MOUs and OSVs
  • Any available economic data on current labor market trends and conditions as well as the current costs, benefits, and effectiveness of mandated maritime safety training courses and programs for maritime crew and persons other than crew

 

Comments should be submitted by July 14. Material must either be submitted to the online docket via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USCG-2013-0175, or reach the docket management facility by that date.

Read more at: 79 Fed. Reg. 20844