Drills

(1) A muster of the crew for one abandon ship and one fire drill shall take place at intervals of not more than once a month. In addition, these musters shall take place within 24 hours of leaving port whenever 25 percent of the crew has been replaced since the last muster. (2) When holding musters, the lifesaving, fire-fighting and other safety equipment shall be examined to ensure that they are complete and in satisfactory working order. Merchant Ships (Registration) 37 (3) The dates on which musters are held shall be recorded in the official logbook and if no muster is held within the prescribed interval or a part muster only is held, an entry shall be made stating the circumstance and extent of the muster held. A report of the examination of the life-saving equipment shall be entered in the logbook, together with a record of boat used. (4) In ships fitted with lifeboats, different boats shall be swung out at successive drills. The lifeboats shall, where practicable, be lowered into the water at least once every three months at which time checks shall be carried out for the condition of all apparatus and system and the watertight integrity of the boats, as well as operation of the releasing devices. (5) The musters shall be so arranged as to ensure that the crew thoroughly understands and is drilled in the duties it has to perform including instructions in the handling and operation of liferafts, where these are carried. (6) Instructions in the form of a training manual covering the topics presented in SOLAS, Chapter II, Regulation 52, shall be available on board. This presentation may include audio visual aids as part of or in lieu of the manual.