ABS Accommodation Standards Improve Crew Safety

New ABS Guide promotes better living and working conditions for offshore personnel.

ABS, the leading provider of classification and technical services to the offshore industry, has published the ABS Guide for Habitability of Industrial Personnel on Accommodation Vessels. This industry-leading Guide establishes criteria for improving the living environment and ambient environment on board accommodation vessels.

“People are the most important resource for any organization,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “This Guide recognizes the importance of personnel living offshore for extended periods of time, addressing design and engineering considerations that can improve safety, productivity and the overall wellbeing of crews working at sea.”

Applicable to existing and new construction accommodation vessels, the ABS Guide for Habitability of Industrial Personnel on Accommodation Vessels addresses overall crew health, promoting reliable performance and safety. The Guide was developed using ergonomic and environmental design principles aimed at improving accommodation areas and ambient environmental conditions, taking into account such things as vibration, noise, indoor climate and lighting. Three optional notations, representing various levels of recommended practices, are available to vessels complying with the standards delineated in the Guide.

“Crew safety and comfort are critical to performance,” says ABS Chief Technology Officer Howard Fireman. “ABS understands how a living environment can impact crew retention and performance and has provided guidelines for improving the quality of onboard living.”