Boat Safety Scheme consults on revisions to examination checks

A PUBLIC consultation by the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) on proposals within a clarified and improved set of BSS Examination Checking Procedures (ECP) will close at 4.30pm on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

The revisions to the BSS ECP are the product of many months of work by the BSS stakeholder committees and the revisions arecommended by the BSS Management Committee. They apply to checks used in the examination of privately owned and managed boats in private use as well boats subject to the 2017 Hire Boat Requirements.

The main focus of this consultation is the introduction of two mandatory BSS Requirements by way of amendments totwoexisting BSS checks.

The two increased BSS requirements are:

· on boats with petrol propulsion engines, requiring evidence of recent servicing for any Wilderness Boats conversion of an Electrolux RM 212 refrigerator, BSS Check 8.2.2R

·clarification that ferrous/ cast iron fittings, joints and components used in LPG pipeworkare not compliant with BSS Check 7.8.3R.

It is also proposed to introduce 20 relaxations by reducing somerequirements or allowing additional compliance options. Details are provided in the consultation.

The scheme considers that the improvements are both necessary and proportionate means of risk control that will have a very positive impact on the level of consistency of the application of BSS checks by existing BSS examiners and will significantly improve the uptake of knowledge and understanding of trainees going through the New Examiner entry training programme.

Comments on the amendments are welcome from boat owners, the marine trade and all BSS stakeholders. The consultation is available at www. boatsafetyscheme. org/ECPconsultation

If you have trouble with the consultation form or a related query, please email the BSS at bss.enquiries@ boatsafetyscheme.org

The BSS will publish an online summary of the views expressed and the BSS response in summer 2022. It is intended that a communications campaign will promote the final agreed changes.