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Program
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Information for YOU
As Soon As I Get It
Latest News/Info as of: 7 May
2013
Old Items removed or archieved
As the VSC Program Chair I will attempt to make news available to you, the interested District and Squadron VSC Chairs and VEs as soon as I get it.
Thanks for stopping
in.
05-01-2013 - The 2013 Life Jacket Accountability is still required by the US CG. I have made the 2013 records available for your viewing to check your District progress in this program. I will start accepting report at any time and hope to get 100% accountability by Nov 15, 2013. Please help me out here. (click here)
04-12-2013 - In researching a question for a member I found this tool which could be well used in a class-room enviroment for VSC Students. These are 'Flash Cards' referencing the ' Nav Rules' required on any vessel of 12 meters or more. ( Click Here )
04-11-2013 - As your USPS VSC Chair, I get many requests for extra 2013 Decals. I don't always approve or send them out immediately as many of you know. When you call for decals, (Only ones to be calling me are District or Squadron VSC Chairs) here is what I do when I get an email or voice call from Squadron X in District X and that VSC Chair wants 100 decals :
1. I check the decal shipment list from HQ USPS to the District and Squadron VSC Chairs to see how many decals went to a Squadron - ( Click Here ) - it's an XL Worksheet. I see that Squadron X in District X has gotten 95 decals for 5 VEs. I also check and see that the District X VSC Chair got 400 decals to back up his/her Squadrons and I see the Squadrons in the District got a total of 1445 decals. (Remember the figures)
2. Then I open the USPS VSC Report data base for 2013 which you can find
here (
Click Here ) it's a text file, then
click on Pick
2013
By District, Squadron, and VE
USPS Safety/VSC Chair
The following message was received from USCG Sector Baltimore:
USCG Marine Safety Advisory 03-13 - Surge Protective Devices Onboard Vessels:
We've all seen them and used them. Surge protective devices (SPDs), more commonly known as surge protectors or power strips help protect our expensive electronic devices from being damaged from excessive currents and allow us to deliver power to multiple devices simultaneously. This safety alert addresses the use of certain electrical protection devices onboard vessels and the inherent risks they may cause. Most commercially available SPDs are designed for use ashore and will interrupt only the hot conductor when a surge occurs. What does that mean for the ship owner/operator? It means that while these devices may provide protection in our homes and offices, these same devices may be a fire risk onboard vessels.
A marine casualty investigation of two separate stateroom fires onboard a U.S. Flag Container ship revealed that the sources of the fires were attributed to the use of SPDs plugged into a lighting circuit. It was discovered that a ground had developed on another circuit that was connected to the same distribution panel providing power to the staterooms. This ground created an imbalance of voltage between the two power conductors supplying the SPDs which caused excessive currents, overheating, and subsequently, a fire. In this instance, even if the SPDs automatically tripped as designed, only one power conductor would have been secured while the other would continue to provide power, possibly shorting to the device's ground wire and the structure of the vessel.
For shipboard applications, it is critical for a device to interrupt both power conductors. Underwriters Lab Standard - UL Marine 1449 - addresses this issue and applies to the use of SPDs.
The Coast Guard recommends that vessel Owners, Operators, Class Society Surveyors, Insurers, and other inspection personnel examine the risks associated with the use of SPDs aboard their vessels, and if necessary ensure their organizations have policies and procedures relating to their use. Vessels should have defined procedures for checking the condition and grounding capabilities of personal/portable electrical equipment, and trained shipboard personnel should be assigned to check and approve all SPDs in use or brought on board for compatibility with the vessel's electrical distribution system prior to use. Routine checks of switchboard and distribution system 120 VAC ground detection systems are necessary to detect the presence of grounds that may cause similar circumstances with non-marine type SPDs. These recommendations are not mandated rather just an advisory based on lessons learned from the casualty.
This document is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement. Developed by the Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis, United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. Questions can be addressed to b> HQS-PF-fldr-G-PCA@uscg.mil..
For more information & to view USCG Marine Safety Alert 03-13, see: http://tiny.cc/jgg8uw
03-25-2013 - A portion of the VSC Manual concerning VE Qualification and responsibilities for USPS VE and US CG Aux members of USPS ( click here )
03-25-2013 -
After a recent inquiry by a joint USPS/CG Aux member concerning VE
qualifications it has been determined the only action required to have the dual
organization member qualified as a USPS VE is to have supporting documentation
of the members qualification as a CG Aux VE. Upon presentation of any
documentation of being a VE qualified individual, the local VSC Chair fills out
the USPS VE-2 form and submits it to USPS Hq for the inclusion of the individual
into the USPS VE data base. The individual will be responsible for completion of
a 7012 VSC form as either a USPS member or CG Aux member. The inspection cannot
be qualified under both organizations.
USPS Safety/VSC Policy, Section G (click here)
03-23-2013 - The
United Safe Boating Institute ' VSC Data Collection Powerpoint. By William S.
Griswold (click
here)
02-22-2013 - New
Marpol Information
-For all the new information (
click here )
-To order marpol cards (click
here )
02-22-2013 - A power point presentation concerning a preliminary US CG Aux study concerning differences in VSC failure rates between the US CG Aux and USPS. Presentation (power point) viewed here. Comments to Bob
01-31-2013 - West Marine has again contacted me and sent me the 2013 West Marine Safety Item Discount sheets. These discount coupons are for VSC Safety Items. (click here)
01-17-2013 - The V Directorate's DVC-VE Perry Taylor has done some outstanding
anaysis of the 2012 USBI Project VSC Failure Rates. The link will show you his
report, including a summary, and charts.
(click
here)
For Your Information:
Individual
VE Totals for 2012 (click
here)
Decal
Distribution For 2013 - Districts and Squadrons (click
here)
If you are the District or Squadron VSC Chair and your name
isn't showing it is because your District or Squadron did not update the
OD-1 or OD-2 form at National. Please contact the USPS VSC Chair with full
info, ie., District #, Squadron Name and the correct Chair Persons name,
address and phone number. We'll try to get the decals sent back direct to
you. USPS HQ has no obligation to issue additional decals due to incomplete
or wrong information at District or Squadron level.
We'll certainly work with you to straighten out
any mistakes made.
01/02/2013
- The 2013 Decals shipped early in January 2013. Distribution
of decal was: District VSC Chairs
got 15% of the Districts 2012
total VSCs performed
as immediate backup to Squadrons possibly requiring additional decals during the 2013
season.
Squadron VSC Chairs got 20% over the total VSCs done in
that Squadron in the 2012 season.
Be aware that additional decals
will only be obtainable through the USPS SAFETY COMMITTEE/VSC Chair Person with justification
required. If you are not the District VSC Chair or the Squadron VSC Chair,
please contact THEM for decals.
11/02/2012 - Did you know your VSC Decal color in 2013 is going to be Blue and then 2014 will be Orange and then 2015 is Green with 2016 being Red and then back to Blue in 2017 etc. This corresponds with the same color sequence as states do with their registration stickers.
11/01/2012 - US CG is analyzing your VSC Data and has come out with a
preliminary report. See it
HERE
02/21/2012 - Returning/Disposing of Inflatable Life Jackets ( Click Me )
03/14/2012 - Inflatable Life Jacket FAQ ( Click Me )
03/27/2012 - How to do more VSCs ( Click Me )
03/28/2012 - To view the current VSC reports ( Click Me )
04/09/2012 - Due to an increase in interest in the 2012 VSC Decals, you are requested to read this letter if you need decals. ( Click Here )
04/11/2012 - There is
a new updated Online VSC Submittal form dated 07 May 2012 for your reading.
( Click Here
) ** Form
Updated 05/07/2012
05/13/2012 -
Explanation of recorded Vessel Examinations for individual
Examiners and that relationship to decal shipment. (Click
Here)
05/16/2012 -
Information on the VE Contest. You could win a trip to St Thomas in the
U.S. Virgin Islands. (
Click
Here )
Boating Is Fun, Let Us Show You How
Stf/C Lee R. Chasse
USPS VSC Program Chair
Updated: 01/26/2013
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