INTERNATIONAL MARITIM E ORGANIZATION
MSC/Circ.734
28 June 1996

IMO

INTERPRETATIONS OF PHRASES ON HUMAN PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
IN SOLAS CHAPTER II-1

1	The Maritime Safety Committee, with a view to defining more specifically the phrases on human
performance criteria used in IMO instruments, approved, at its sixty-sixth session (28 May to
6 June 1996), interpretation of such phrases contained in SOLAS chapter II-1, as set out in the annex.

2 Governments are invited to take account of these interpretations when applying relevant requirements of chapter II-1 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

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ANNEX

INTERPRETATIONS OF PHRASES ON HUMAN PERFORMANCE
CRITERIA IN SOLAS CHAPTER II-1

Regulation II-1/17.9.3 - “readily accessible”

‘Readily accessible” means:

“during normal operating conditions:

.1	located in a space normally entered without the use of tools;

.2	clear of or protected from obstructions, moving equipment and hot surfaces that prevent operation or servicing; and

.3	within arm’s reach, or, within reach of a normally employed remote control device”.

Regulation II-1/17.11.2 - “easily accessible”

‘Easily accessible” means:

“during normal operating conditions:

.1	located in a space normally entered without the use of tools;

.2	clear of or protected from obstructions, moving equipment and hot surfaces that prevent operation or servicing; and

.3	within arm’s reach, or, within reach of a normally employed remote control device”.

Regulation II-1/29.12.2 - “readily observed”

“Readily observed" means "visible from positions routinely occupied by the crew”.

Regulation II-1/29.13.1 - “readily accessible”

“Readily accessible” means “accessible under all conditions except abnormal conditions which directly affect the steering gear compartment”.

Regulation II-1/29.13.2 - “suitable arrangements to ensure working access”

“Suitable arrangements to ensure working access” means “that the steering gear machinery and controls are, under normal operating conditions:

.1	clear of or protected from obstructions, moving equipment and hot surfaces that prevent operation or servicing; and

.2	within arm’s reach, or, within reach of a normally employed remote control device”.

Regulation II-1/30.3 - “situated in a conspicuous position”
“Situated in a conspicuous position” means “visible from positions routinely occupied by the crew”.

Regulation II-1/35 - “adequately ventilated”
“Adequately ventilated” means “ventilated”.

Regulation II-1/38 - “clearly audible”
A reference should be made to the Code on Alarms and Indicators, 1995 (resolution A.830(19)).

Regulation II-1/51.1.5 - “within a limited time”
The phrase “within a limited time” should be interpreted as “within two minutes’, in line with the Code on Alarms and Indicators, 1995 (resolution A.830(19)) regarding engineers’ alarms.

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