Smoking on Board

[RaGe]

Wots the usual policy obv cant have smoke breaks every 2 seconds but just an idea, where when ect

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Smoking on Board

In the designated smoking areas (most likely a room indoors) outside of working hours, or at smoko and lunchtime, smoko is a half hour mid-morning/afternoon break.

[RaGe]

Re: Smoking on Board

Wow Thot we would have been shoved outside like the rest of the uk lol

Im hopefully going into north sea, month long kinda sea times, do i need to stock up on ciggys or does an enterprising person on board usual sell some?

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Smoking on Board

Some ships you can smoke outside on, we did on the Pat (Buoy tender) and on the QM there were places crew could smoke outside (although it was a bit of a trek to get there, much easier to go to the smoking bar!) But when it's blowing a hoolie and freezing cold out, you really appreciate having a smoke room! Plus, on ships where the cargo is combustable (tankers etc) you absolutely cannot smoke outside anywhere (making the ship go up in a puff of smoke is considered undesireable!)

I would stock up, cruise ships tend to sell them in the bars, but I doubt a standby vessel will! There may be some enterprising bods who are flogging them, but their supplies won't be inexhaustable and they'll probably only have one brand.

[Chiefy]

Re: Smoking on Board

On the AHTS's it's up to the Old Man, he might carry a stock in the shop, he might not.

Smoking is usually outside or in designated places however when under a rig (within the 500mtr zone) then it'll be a NO as blowing rigs up is similarly frowned upon

In the Engine Room the workshop is often a designated place the rest of the ER is not

Your cabin may or may not be a smoking zone varies a bit however usually classed as personal space and people have the choice to enter or not.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Smoking on Board

Almost all ships which operate outside the 12 mile limit will have a bonded store - that means tax free cigarettes.
At the moment, my present outfit permits smoking in bars (we have 3 onboard), public spaces and cabins. although an impending MCA rule will no doubt change all that.

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Smoking on Board

although an impending MCA rule will no doubt change all that.

EH?? What do you know Malim? Are those miserable gits going to take away one of my last few pleasures???

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Smoking on Board

There has been some discussion for quite a while as to whether there should be a blanket ban on smoking on all registered UK vessels and vessels within UK waters.
The current stopping measure is because the ship is not just a work-place, its also your home for that time period.

On my last vessel there was no smoking in the E/R (understandable) with the exception of the ECR and the Workshop. If we were doing cargo operations (we were a tanker) then it was confined to Officer's smoking room, Crew Smoking Room and Cargo Control Room. No one actually knew if we could smoke in our cabins or not, and as im still here im guessing it wasnt a major problem.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Smoking on Board

EH?? What do you know Malim? Are those miserable gits going to take away one of my last few pleasures???

Absolutely - pleasures at sea are verboten don't you know!
There was supposed to be an amendment to the Merchant Shipping Acts back in 2007 regarding a complete ban on smoking indoors (read accommodation and work spaces) on ships, but it was postponed for consultation (a ship being a home as well as a workplace), together with the problems of enforcement.
None the less it's back on the agenda again (perhaps even as early as this year), so don't be too surprised when it happens.
As I understand it the proposed law would not only apply to UK flag ships but would also apply to foreign flag ships in UK waters, ergo a foreign ship arriving somewhere like Sullom Voe would have to ban smoking indoors whilst in the 12 mile limit.
So how do you enforce that? The whole thing is absolutely barmy!

[dawg]

Re: Smoking on Board

AHTS

for those yet to read our acronym wiki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_han ... ply_vessel
Here's a pretty one:




http://www.lifeistravel.org/content/189


The future of MN smoking rooms:

[RaGe]

Re: Smoking on Board

haha

dont kno about the outboard tho, theres petrol in there

[pashton86]

Re: Smoking on Board

So how do you enforce that? The whole thing is absolutely barmy!

Self Policing, the smoking Nazis would have their way. There always seems to be someone militant about it.

[north_sea_ninja]

Re: Smoking on Board

Im working on standby for the moment at least, previously working on supply as well.

As to the bond, the standby vessels will carry a bond, its fairly limited, but hey you're only there a month! The supply lads are a little unfortunate, as they operate in and out of UK territorial waters, and so due to customs regs they cannot have a bond on board. However, depending on the mate, you may strike up some sort of a deal with either the standby vessel near the rig, or even the rig themselves. Whilst this is not to be relied upon, it can be a nice relief to get some discount cigs, especially on the wages we are on!

As to the areas, offshore vessels tend to be a little more laid back than vessels within the rest of the merchant fleet, that being said it is all down to the old man. However, there will be at least 2 places for you to be able to smoke inside the vessel, and obviously outside as well, tho as mentioned above, this is a strict no-no when within 500m of a rig, aside from the safety aspect (which should be obvious!) if the rigs staff see anyone on deck smoking within the 500m, they will report it to the company, and the master will get a chewing, followed by the master chewing the mate chewing, him chewing the second, and once all but the ships seagull has been given grief, then you will also catch a packet!

[minchmermaid]

Re: Smoking on Board

It's generally polite to ask those around you if you mind them smoking. I personally can't stand it and it's the only thing that ever causes my asthma to play up, but unfortunately I work with one of the heaviest smokers on the planet and even though he avoids smoking in the same area as me it's all I can smell. Every morning when I wake up and go out of my cabin I am met by a thick haze of stale fag smoke and everything I own stinks and it's getting to the stage where I am seriously considering asking to be transferred to another ship. Generally you can smoke in your cabin and public spaces are at the Master's discretion.

If you are in the North Sea then most of the rigs and platforms that you go too will have a bond so you can get some fags, baccy, papers or whatever you want. Don't smoke outside when you are in the 500m zone as the North Sea Ninja has already said.

[steamer]

Re: Smoking on Board

Jeepers-if a humble ciggie plays your asthma up, how did you ever pass an ENG1? Smoking at the Masters discretion is fine-but could you imagine being the Master that banned it on his ship......popular wouldn't be the word!!

I wouldn't go to sea if smoking bothered me so much, as I heard it was international maritime law to constantly smoke clay pipes and lure children aboard with fish fingers, fag ash and beard trimmings?