Lack of drills at sea

[slightly worried]

So I'm waiting for my NOE to come back and have been sorting out my operations workbook. But during my seatime only one of my ships actually did drills. This has lead me to 2 questions.

1) All of my entries for the safety section of my operations workbook are from the one ship we did drills on so the whole section is pretty limited, should I make some up or just leave it as it is?

2) I'm hoping to work on passenger ships when I qualify,however these clearly have higher safety standards than the cargo ships I have been working on so far. So far I have been involved in 4 fire drills and the only time I have ever seen a lifeboat launched was on the PSCRB course (the one ship I was on that did drills was too small to carry lifeboats) I am worried that this will mean I won't be up to the standard required to work on passenger ships. Is there anything I can do about this?

[Anonymous]

Firstly; Don't make them up, presumably you have one or two reports on drills on the ship that did do them!

To answer part two, don't worry about it. Unfortunately standards with regards to drills and training onboard ship vary considerably in all aspects of the industry - even amongst passenger ships.

To use current vessel as an example; we comply fully with the letter of the law (with regards to occurrences of drills/trainings and their content) - although in my (and other officers opinions) our trainings and drills are a disgrace - coupled with additional problem that majority of our crew barely speak english / don't care.

I would blame the officers onboard, but i'm afraid it all comes down to the company not the officers (in most cases) - there's only so much fighting you can do before admitting defeat and settling for minimising the harm and covering your own ass.

[GuinnessMan]

I would blame the officers onboard, but i'm afraid it all comes down to the company not the officers (in most cases) - there's only so much fighting you can do before admitting defeat and settling for minimising the harm and covering your own ass.

How on earth did you reach that conclusion? Under ISM the Master has over-riding authority on board, so HE/SHE says how many drills will be done, not the company so how on earth is it the company's fault?

For the OP, I would suggest you speak to someone at your college as they will be able to advise you with the best course of action to follow.

[pignutpilot]

Just flog your reports.

[slightly worried]

At the moment I have reports for 4 fire drills, and a man over board drill, It just worries as the safety section is pretty much empty compared to the other sections.

At the moment I have copies of the reports that the ship sent to the company to pretend we did drills so I could make my own reports from them quite easily but I'm just not sure whether or not I should.

[GuinnessMan]

At the moment I have reports for 4 fire drills, and a man over board drill, It just worries as the safety section is pretty much empty compared to the other sections.

At the moment I have copies of the reports that the ship sent to the company to pretend we did drills so I could make my own reports from them quite easily but I'm just not sure whether or not I should.

Like I said, give your course leader at college a call and see what they say. There are some things within the TRB you can flog, but best to be sure...

[YoungMariner]

As for being worried about going onto cruise ships, don't worry. You would join as a 4th or 3rd Officer, and with the good companies would have the opportunity for some really good mentoring to learn the ropes inside out, as long as your keen.

[HolyNougat]

While 'flogging' your reports is perhaps not a good idea, there is nothing to stop you writing about safety and drills in general, it does not have to be on something you have witnessed, perhaps just on information that you have found out through research etc.

At the end of the day Pax ship companies will not look at your training record book when they recruit you (well, I have never heard about it if they do) they will be more interested in your qualifications and experience than some drills you did or did not do as a cadet.

Anyways, big pax companies have got their heads so far up their own *rse these days that you will have to go on about 20 courses before they let you near their ships..

[Unregistered]

this sadly seems to be the way things are in the industry infact ive never even been on a ship that complies with the legal rules for life boat drills..