Organisation and alarms

Muster list

The board that gives every person on the ship a job for each emergency and says what every alarm signal means.

Key facts

Assigns duties to every crew member and names substitutes for the key positions.
Gives the alarm signals and the actions on hearing them, including the way to the muster station.
Must be posted in conspicuous places before the ship goes to sea.
The general alarm signal is at least seven short blasts followed by one long blast, sounded on the ship’s whistle and on the bell or klaxon.

Besides the main board, every crew member has an individual card in the cabin (on board simply called the personal muster card): three scenarios (fire, abandon ship, man overboard) and concrete tasks. An example for the second officer at abandon ship: assist the Master on the bridge, transmit distress calls, take the EPIRB, the SART, the radios and the first-aid kit to the boat. Everyone also has an alarm number from the crew list.

From the deck: sea practice, not regulation. Details vary with the ship and the owner.

SOLAS III/8 and III/37 (muster list), III/6 (general emergency alarm signal).

This is not a legal text: when in doubt, the current wording of the Convention and the LSA Code decides.