ABS set to release update of Crew Habitability Guide for Workboats

Quality of life is a critical issue for attracting and retaining workers for offshore vessel operators. Designing vessels to improve working and living conditions on board is a good place to start. This month, classification society ABS is expected to release a valuable resource for naval architects and marine engineers: the update to its crew hability guide for workboats, last issued in December 2008.

According to ABS, the ABS Guide for Crew Habitability on Workboats will redefine the standard for habitability on OSVs. It is the only single-source document, says ABS, covering guidance in the areas of accommodations design, whole-body vibration, noise, indoor climate and lighting.

Based on a specific set of metrics in the guide, the operator will have the option to design to three levels of habitability. Those levels, from lowest to highest are HAB, HAB+ and HAB++.

One vessel that was issued the ABS HAB notation was the 103.7m Siem Swordfish. The multi-purpose subsea support and construction vessel was built in 2007, classed by ABS and operated by Norway’s Siem Offshore AS, was reviewed against The ABS HAB notation covers the major aspects of habitability and impending ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 requirements.

July 22, 2011