Safety

Safety is always the highest priority onboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, but ships are full of potential hazards and inherent risk. Follow the guidelines below to stay safe while sailing.

There are many tripping hazards on the ship. All of the stairs are steep and may be slippery. Use the handrails, be careful at all times and follow the "One hand for you, one for the ship" rule. Never walk around the ship with both hands full, and always keep one hand available for steadying yourself on rails.
Proper footwear is required at all times, except in individual cabins. No open-toed shoes should be worn out on deck.
- Steel-toed shoes are required to participate in any work dealing with suspended loads, including ROV and CTD deployments and recovery. The ship does not provide steel-toed boots). If you are unsure if you will be required to bring steel-toed shoes to the ship, check with your Expedition Coordinator.
- Safety shoes are recommended for others who will be on deck working with heavy items, samples, etc.
- Wearing open-toed footwear or shoes that do not completely enclose the foot (such as sandals or clogs) outside of private berthing areas is not permitted.
Hard hats are required (and provided) when working near suspended loads and allso during all crane ops. Stay clear of the fantail and gangway during crane ops unless you are wearing a hard hat.
Work vests (lifejackets) are required when working near open railings and during small boat launch and recovery operations.

Hard hats and work vests will be provided by the ship when required.

Operational Risk Management (ORM)

For every operation to be conducted aboard the ship (NOAA-wide initiative), risk management procedures will be followed. For each operation, risks will be identified and assessed for probability and severity. Risk mitigation strategies/measures will be investigated and implemented where possible. After mitigation, the residual risk will have to be assessed to make Go-No Go decisions for the operations.

Particularly with new operations, risk assessment will be ongoing and updated as necessary. This applies not only to over-the-side operations, but also to everyday tasks aboard the vessel that pose risk to personnel and property.

CTD, ROV (and other pertinent) ORM documents will be followed by all personnel working onboard Okeanos Explorer.
All personnel onboard are in the position of calling a halt to operations/activities in the event of a safety concern.