(a) Each muster station must have sufficient space to accommodate all persons assigned to muster at that station. One or more muster stations must be close to each embarkation station.

(b) Each muster station and embarkation station must be readily accessible from accommodation and work areas.

(c) Each lifeboat must be arranged to be boarded and launched directly from the stowed position.

(d) Each lifeboat must be arranged to be boarded by its full complement of persons within 3 minutes from the time the instruction to board is given.

(e) Each davit-launched and free-fall survival craft muster station and embarkation station for a survival craft which is boarded before it is launched must be arranged to enable stretcher cases to be placed in the survival craft.

(f) Means must be provided for bringing each davit-launched survival craft against the side of the unit and holding it alongside to allow persons to be—

(1) Safely embarked in the case of a survival craft intended to be boarded over the edge of the deck; and

(2) Safely disembarked after a drill in the case of a survival craft not intended to be moved to the stowed position with a full complement of persons on board.

(g) Each davit-launched liferaft launching arrangement must have a means to hold the liferaft in the embarkation position that—

(1) Will hold the liferaft securely in high winds;

(2) Can be rapidly engaged in the proper position for boarding; and

(3) Can be rapidly released for launching by one person from within the loaded liferaft.

(h) Each launching station or each two adjacent launching stations must have an embarkation ladder as follows:

(1) Each embarkation ladder must be approved under approval series 160.117 or be a rope ladder approved under approval series 160.017, and must be installed in a way that—

(i) Each embarkation ladder must extend in a single length, from the deck to the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition with the unit listed not less than up to 15 degrees either way; or

(ii) Each embarkation ladder may be replaced by a device approved to provide safe and rapid access to survival craft in the water, if the OCMI permits the device, provided that there is at least one embarkation ladder on each side of the unit.

(2) An embarkation ladder is not required if—

(i) The distance from the embarkation deck to the unit's lightest operating waterline is less than 3 meters (10 feet); and

(ii) The unit is not in international service.

(3) If the embarkation ladders cannot be supported against a vertical flat surface, the unit must instead be provided with at least two widely-separated fixed metal ladders or stairways extending from the deck to the surface of the water and meet the following:

(i) Each inclined fixed ladder must meet the requirements under § 108.159.

(ii) Each vertical fixed ladder must meet the requirements under § 108.160 for fixed ladders, except that the vertical bars in cages must be open at least 500 millimeters (20 inches) on one side throughout the length of the ladder, and cages are not required in the area subject to wave action or on ladders inside the legs of a self-elevating unit.

(iii) If a fixed ladder cannot be installed, the OCMI may accept an alternate means of embarkation with sufficient capacity for all persons permitted on board to safely descend to the waterline.

(4) Alternate means of embarkation under paragraphs (h)(1)(ii) and (h)(3) of this section, such as portable slides, safety booms, moveable ladders, elevators, and controlled descent devices, must be acceptable to the OCMI. An alternate means of embarkation must have sufficient capacity to permit persons to safely descend to the waterline at a rate comparable to the device which the alternate means of embarkation replaces.

[CGD 84-069, 61 FR 25291, May 20, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 52814, Oct. 1, 1998]