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The engineer must reset the timer by acknowledging their presence in the engine room at intervals not exceeding 24 minutes. The dead man alarm system can be started at the ECR control console or at the entrance to the engine room. Should that engineer get into difficulty whilst alone in the machinery space, the dead man alarm system provides an indication to others that the engineer is in the machinery space but unable to respond by activating the response switch. The dead man alarm system provides a safeguard for the duty engineer who enters the machinery space during periods of UMS operation in response to an alarm or for any other reason.
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The time engine room has to be unattended depends on Chief Engineer’s standing orders and company’s instructions. The duty officer should always know about your whereabouts. Make sure you inform the duty officer about your location when you leave the engine room whether you are heading for your meal or to your cabin or to the gym.
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If there is a malfunction in any machinery, an alarm will be sounded in the engine room as well as in the ‘on duty’ engineer’s cabin. Unlike conventional watch system on normal cargo ships, in UMS class vessels, there are usually no engineer officers on watch in the engine room (from 1700 hrs. UMS or Unattended Machinery Spaces is a marine automation system for ship’s engine room.
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