The relevance of Chapter VIII(watchkeeping)of the code Standard of Essay

The relevance of Chapter VIII(watchkeeping)of the code Standard of Training Certification and watchkeeping STCW - Essay Example Spokespersons of the industry were unanimous in addressing the core issue of the matter, which was to ensure that an effective watch is maintained on all the seagoing ships by qualified and fit personnel under all circumstances. With a single pointed focus, the pressing need of an internationally acceptable body, which could lay the road map for outlining the guidelines for protecting its valuable assets was consensually agreed upon.The International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (Abbr: STCW) thus came into being on July 7, 1978 and its Standards were adopted for implementation on April 28, 1984 under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) – an established nodal agency for monitoring compliance and implementation by `Parties to the Convention‘; two major revisions of the Standards have since been undertaken in 1995 and 2010 respectively . It became binding on all its members to comply to its stipul ations, in which Part `A‘ measures are `Mandatory.‘ `Recommendations‘ for guidance purposes constitute its Part `B‘ regulations, however with sustained implementation efforts by its members being urged upon. STCW Standards comprise of eight chapters. Chapter I deals with General Provisions; Chapters II & III are `Marine Vessel‘- specific, while Chapters IV, V & VI deal with the Radio Communications, Specialised Manpower Training and Certification aspects. This article is aimed at examining the relevance of the last and concluding Chapter VIII , dealing exclusively with ``Watchkeeping‘‘! Watchkeeping Roles and STCW Regulations ILO (International Labour Organisation) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) Rules are the premise on which a large number of STCW Regulations have been drawn up. Drafted in tune with the MLC 2006 Rules in general, Standards pertaining to Watchkeeping are driven by the age old adage: ``Prudence is the better part of valourà ¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬Ëœ.The Maritime industry can ill afford the luxury of lack of vigilance on the part of its seafarers to be the reason for suffering losses; hence, a prudent Watchkeeping role is deemed pertinent by STCW. There had been several inconsistencies fuelled earlier by a diverse range of interpretations driven by outdated provisions on the Watchkeeping front preceding the advent of STCW, which caused administrative and operational problems. These issues needed immediate redressal. Enunciation of a slew of curative measures then became imminent. Seafarer is a sensitive biological animal too. Cut off from civilisation while on the high seas and working to the rigorous demands of the marine industry in multiple capacities, he is exposed to its occupational hazards, stresses and strains, and thereby to the dangers posed by `fatigue‘, both physically and mentally. There is therefore a lot of emphasis laid on `Rest‘ and to address this issue, STCW brought out the first lot of Amendments under Section A-VIII. It has specified a `Period of Rest’under its mandatory Regulation A-VIII/1, which stipulates

Earthquake Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Earthquake - Research Paper Example Importance of the research topic Earthquake is one of the most significant risks to the safety of structures as well as of the occupants. Every year, millions of people around the world lose their lives and property in the earthquakes. Considering the gravity of the problem, there is dire need to make the structures resistant against earthquakes as well as to have an effective disaster management system in place to counter the effects of earthquakes. Contents of the paper This paper does a detailed analysis of the research topic i.e. earthquake and explores its various aspects. The aspects discussed in the paper include but are not limited to discussion of the engineering problem, its importance, its relation with geology and engineering, impacts of the engineering problem on the society, challenges associated with it, geological analysis of the problem, and strategies that may be employed to deal with this engineering problem. In addition to that, a case study is discussed in detail . The case study is about a real life earthquake incident that occurred within the last ten years, and that had huge implications on the society. The paper discusses ways in which effects of the earthquake were dealt with, and the potential strategies to avoid the effects of such incidents in the future. Relation between earthquakes and geology Earthquakes are fundamentally related to geology because they happen as a result of movement of the tectonic plates. There are four layers of earth, that include the inner core, the outer core, the mantle and the crust when arranged in an inside out fashion. Although the crust and the mantle constitute a thin layer on the earth’s surface, that is fragmented into different pieces that may slide past each other. An earthquake occurs when two blocks of earth slip across each other. The surface across which the slip happens is known as the fault plane. Earthquake starts at the hypocenter that is directly below the surface of earth where ea rthquake happens, known as the epicenter. Relation between earthquakes and engineering Earthquakes are related to engineering because their occurrence imparts the need to engineer the structures in such a way that they can resist the effects of earthquakes. Every structure has a different foundation design that is engineered in such a way that it can effectively transfer the load of the structure to the earth and can help the building withstand all external shocks and risk factors including heavy winds and earthquakes. Foundation designs of buildings if modified appropriately, make the buildings earthquake-resistant. Impacts of earthquake on the society There are numerous impacts of earthquake on the society that include but are not limited to disrupted normal life, loss of life, loss of property, loss of housing, breakdown of the social order, damaged infrastructure, loss of business, disrupted communication channels, loss of the industrial output, and disrupted marketing systems. â€Å"The effects of an earthquake can also cause dangerous landslides, fires, gas line and electric explosions, and floodwaters from collapsing dams† (Pollard). Earthquakes have numerous short term and long term effects. Many children get kidnapped during the earthquakes. Long term effects of earthquakes include decline in the socioeconomic system of the country. â€Å"Evidence points to elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and earthquake-related fears in children