Guidelines for Domestic Commercial Vessel weather safety

The Bureau’s six things you need to know about wind warnings is a useful guide on the steps to take if a wind warning is issued for your area of operation. Your procedures might include documenting the following.

• When will the wind warning conditions start?
• What wind speeds are expected? You should be familiar with what wind speeds are associated with the different levels of wind warnings and your procedures should set the criteria for what conditions are safe for your vessel and crew.
• What area is the wind warning for? You should be familiar with the names of the Coastal Waters areas and their reference points as these are mentioned in wind warnings.
• Where will the wind direction be from?
• Is there any bad weather forecast? A cold front is generally associated with heavy showers, thunderstorms, and squally winds. The Bureau’s Coastal Waters forecast will indicate what type of weather is expected, and skippers should be prepared to activate their emergency procedures as required.
• When will the wind conditions ease? Knowing when the wind warning is forecast to ease will help inform your risk management procedures.

The following procedures can assist when crossing an ocean or coastal bar:

• Determine if and when it is safe to cross the ocean bar after checking the tide, wind, and wave conditions using the Bureau’s Coastal Waters forecasts and tidal predictions on www.bom.gov.au/marine.
• The bar crossing should occur within an hour either side of high tide. This is when the water level is at its highest (for under keel clearance) and the tidal currents are weaker.
• Crossing at mid-tide (especially the outgoing tide) when tidal currents are stronger, should be avoided. When the tidal current is travelling in the opposite direction to the wave direction, waves can become steeper and closer together, creating hazardous and unpredictable conditions.
• Check the forecast for sea and swell heights above 1.5 metres, which can make crossing ocean bars more dangerous.
  • In NSW and QLD, check for forecasts and warnings mentioning Hazardous Surf, which specifically refer to hazardous conditions for crossing bars (e.g. ‘Caution: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.’)
• Skipper and crew should maintain a visual watch of wave conditions from the deck during an ocean bar crossing.
• The skipper should communicate with the local marine radio operator and advise intentions to cross the ocean bar.
• Ensure that crew and passengers are safely seated, and provisions are made to ensure their safety if there are severe vessel movements, such as instructing to wear life jackets.

Related resources for your region:

• NSW: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/using-waterways/navigation-communication/coastal-bars.html
• VIC: https://transportsafety.vic.gov.au/maritime-safety/recreational-vessel-operators/powerboat/safe-operation/operating-rules/crossing-ocean-bars
• QLD: https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Crossing-a-bar
• WA: https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/boating-guides.asp
• TAS: https://www.mast.tas.gov.au/recreational/handling-operation/crossing-barways/
• SA: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/boating-and-marine/marine-publications/sa-recreational-boating-safety-handbook
• NT: https://nt.gov.au/marine/marine-safety/marine-safety-guide

If you are operating a vessel during the daytime hours, you should consider having sun safety procedures in place for crew and/or passengers. These may include the following:

• Being aware of Cancer Council Australia’s workplace guides to skin cancer prevention (e.g. to avoid the risks of heatstroke)
• Using the Cancer Council’s guidelines to encourage passengers and crew to take action and:
  • reduce the amount of time they spend in the sun
  • use sun protection measures while in the sun, including wearing appropriate clothing for the forecast conditions.
• Understanding how to check the UV forecast and sun protection times using the Bureau’s forecast products.
• Understanding how reflection off the water, vessel, or sand can increase the amount of UV radiation you're exposed to.
• Keeping a record of sun protection times and UV levels in the ship’s log.

Severe weather poses threats to crew and passenger safety, and the vessel itself. This might be caused by lightning, hail, sudden increases in wind gusts (commonly referred to as squalls), wave heights, reduced visibility from fog, or severe ship movements. The impacts of severe weather on boating are described further on the Marine Weather Knowledge Centre.

Procedures prior to a voyage might include the following.

• Checking Coastal Waters forecasts or MetEye for mention of thunderstorms, and noting any information about the expected time of the day or specific areas that will be affected.
• Letting your emergency contact know of your voyage plans and details, including your approximate time of arrival, and notifying them when you complete your voyage.
• If severe weather conditions are expected, use criteria and decision-making processes to decide if you should:
  • cancel the voyage
  • restrict operation of the vessel to an area deemed safe
  • restrict operation of the vessel to a period of the day deemed safe.

Emergency procedures during a voyage might include:

• Instructing those aboard to wear life jackets.
• Proceeding to the nearest specified safe anchorage or alternate safe haven.
• Using VHF radio to inform the base station of your situation, current location, and plans, and maintaining communications.
• Listening to Channel 16 for any updates on the weather forecast or warning updates being broadcast.
• Establishing when to activate heightened risk vessel operating procedures, and when it is safe to resume routine operations.
• Asking non-essential crew and passengers to proceed to the safety of below deck areas.
• Securing all weather-tight hatches.
• Lowering sails if wind speed or gusts are excessive, and proceeding under propulsion power of main engine.
• Using your communication channels to call for emergency assistance, and distress signals to alert nearby vessels.