Unmanned machinery space| essential requirements,Safety precautions and checks

UMS Stands for Unmanned or Unattended machinery space. The sole purpose of UMS is to ensure safe and efficient working of all machineries on board ship under all circumstances.

UMS ships in recent years has increased rapidly. The control systems are much more reliable than they were when first applied to ships. Most owners are understanding the need for training of their crews to understand control functions. In the future, further ships will be equipped with remote control systems as a means to reduce crew.

Today, however, many other boats/ships work on UMS. Crews familiar with the systems and training are the most productive. In the immediate future owners take UMS not only as a way to reduce the crew to a minimum and reduce the operating costs, but also for security reasons.

Basic Requirements for operation of UMS:

• central control:
  A central control room, which is easily accessible, should be equiped with instrumentation and adequate equipment. The equipment installed in must be able to monitor and operate all main and auxiliary machines.
• Automatic fire alarm system:
  A fire alarm system that works very quickly, you must also be able to deliver early warning of fire in the engine rooms, in particular for the following:
  (A) The boiler
  (B) The Scavenge air belt of the Main Engine
  C)  The Crankcase of the Main Engine
  Oil mist detectors must be installed motors 2250 kilowatts or more, or if the motor is greater than 300 mm, especially in explosive areas. These sensors are numerous, well set up and react quickly.
• Integrated alarm system machines:
  This system must be able to show an abnormality of machines, to bridges and accommodation spaces including the cabin service technician, senior engineer's cabin and all public spaces.
  The power supply of the alarm system must have a standard telephone emergency help in case of power failure, and it should be an alarm to indicate this condition.
• A fire control station:
  In addition to conventional portable fire extinguishers, it is imperative to have a fire station located remotely in space machines. The station must facilitate monitoring of the emergency pumps, generators, valves, fans etc., extinguishing agent.
• Automatic alarms for bilge pump systems:
  To protect against flooding, shafts should be monitored for excessive levels under normal heel angle and trim. For the automatic bilge pumps an alarm must be provided "long-term". This indicates overloading of the wedge and the pump which Generally do not cope with the penetration of water. They must be fitted with bilge chambers manual detection devices or with automatic alarm and pump control.
• Emergency power Generators automatically starts essential services:
  This generator is connected almost always to emergency busbars on its own separate distribution box, away from the main system. The main function of such a generator automatically overcomes the power failure or a dead vessel (Within a maximum of 45 seconds).
• Local control of essential services (manual):
  Local drivers work certain machines that can not be automatically controlled or manually controlled better.
• An automatic control system for the boiler:
  The boiler system is automatically controlled using a level regulator and amplifier; There is also a combustion control system with many safety features to prevent fire.

Safety precaution for Unmanned machinery Space:

The staff must never enter or be alone in a unmanned engine room unless when approved, or was told so by the responsible engineer officer at that time. It is not possible to perform services on machinery without permission even it is expected to be completed in a relatively short time. Before entering the Engine room at regular intervals in unmanned machinery space , so that the needs to inform said on the phone or in a civil manner. Before the room enters, the procedure of the application must be explained clearly. If necessary, consider working with a work permit.

Even if you are engineer incharge on watch must notify the bridge before attending mechanical work in the machine room. Checking the safety rules for unmanned engine room, Workers need to adhere to specific locations, and all input. It is a place of machines in a sudden start.

The unmanned engine rooms must be adequately illuminated at all times. When the machine is under the control of the bridge, the bridge must always be notified when the mechanism is called a change by the staff of the engine room, and before the machine back in the engine room.

Checks Before switching to U.M.S:

Before UMS, the service technician must ensure that all tanks i.e daily fuel oil tanks, cylinder head cooling water, lubricating oil, etc. are full. There should be an inspection of all machines and operating systems and active services in all areas of the machinery, in particular for fuel and lubrication oil leakage.

1. The main engine is on the bridge control
2. Check if all bilges and barriers are empty.
3. Test the M. E. oil mist detector,  bilge wells High Levels Alarms, test Boiler High / Low / Alarms Court if necessary
4. Check the bilge pump working automatically.
5. Make sure the DG emergency power is on backup.
6. Verify that the GD is in automatic startup.
7. Check the steering geared motors are at rest.
8. Ensure that all pumps are automatic start-up.
9. OWS check valve is attached to the rail .
10. Make sure that all fire loops are activated.
11. Check that all doors / waterproof and weather openings are closed.
12. Check that the Purifier Room and Steering Gear door is closed
13. Check alarms in cabin / public spaces and in front of the engine room is working.
14. Inform bridge and confirm UMS before leaving E/R
15. Make sure that all flammable liquids in airtight containers.
16. Check whether all oil spills, etc. have been cleaned.
17. Ensure that all waste, rags and other cleaning agents are stored.
18. Ensure all the gears of the engine room, spare parts, etc. they are safe.
19. Ensure that all alarms are active.
20. Check if all fire detection sensors are active.
21. Make sure that all fire doors are closed.
22. Test the “Deadman” alarm and Engineer’s Call Alarms, ensuring they are sounding in public rooms, Bridge, Cargo Offices and appropriate cabins.

As soon as you have completed the checklist, the machine room "UMS mode" alarms must be set and the bridge has to be informed about the machine room and service technicians. A notation should be made in the logbook of the engine compartment.

*Topic "Before Going UMS" from http://www.machineryspaces.com/unmanned-machinery-spaces.html has been used as a reference during writing Topic "Checks Before switching to U.M.S" on this post. (If you have any problem regarding this post contact us!)

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Author Amit                                                                            

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