Carrying out routine servicing of yacht and boat electrical/electronic equipment
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out routine servicing activities on electrical/electronic equipment in yachts or boats, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to carry out the servicing activities on a range of electrical/electronic equipment, such as power supply and distribution, lighting, domestic services, alarm equipment, motor/rotating and pumping equipment, entertainment equipment, instrument systems, positioning systems, autopilot systems, communication systems and radar systems. This will involve checking equipment and cables for signs of wear or damage and reporting any defects found, replacing lifed items (such as weather seals, filters, back up batteries) and checking and servicing of battery systems.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the servicing of the yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment and to report any problems with the activities that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with either a high level of supervision or as a member of a team. You will take personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out. Where team working is involved you must demonstrate a significant personal contribution during the team activities in order to satisfy the requirements of the standard and competency in all the areas required by the standard must be demonstrated.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work and provide an informed approach to applying appropriate routine servicing procedures on yacht and boat electrical/electronic equipment. You will have an understanding of the checking and servicing procedures used and their application. You will know about the electrical/electronic equipment being serviced, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the servicing activities, especially those for isolating the equipment and taking the necessary safeguards to protect the equipment and associated systems. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace, both ashore and afloat.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety legislation, regulations, directives and other relevant guidelines
- follow the relevant servicing schedules to carry out the required work
- carry out the servicing activities within the limits of your personal authority
carry out the servicing activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed time scale
report any instances where the servicing activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
- complete relevant servicing records accurately and pass them on to the appropriate person
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety practices and procedures that you need to observe when carrying out routine checks and servicing on electrical/electronic equipment in yachts or boats (including any specific legislation, regulations/codes of practice for the activities, equipment or materials)
- the isolation procedure that applies to the servicing activities for the specific electrical/electronic equipment being worked on
- the protective equipment that you need to use for both personal protection (PPE) and protection of the equipment and vessel/craft
- hazards associated with carrying out maintenance activities on yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment (such as exposure to live conductors, misuse of tools) and how they can be minimised
- how to recognise and deal with emergencies and the procedures to be followed (such as methods of safely evacuating and closing down compartments in the case of fire or other major incident)
- the precautions to be taken to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage to circuits and sensitive components (such as use of earthed wrist straps, anti-static mats, special packaging and handling areas)
- what constitutes a hazardous voltage and how to recognise victims of electric shock
- how to reduce the risks of a phase to earth shock (such as insulated tools, rubber matting and isolating transformers)
- how to obtain the necessary job instructions and servicing schedules required for the work being carried out
- the basic principle of operation of the yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment/circuits being checked/serviced
- the different types of yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment, control equipment and peripheral devices and their maintenance requirements
- the application and use of a range of electrical components (such as module blocks, terminal blocks, multi-pin plugs/sockets, tray-mounted sockets, earth bonding points, RF and video connections) and the likely functions that will require checking
- the various cable distribution characteristics and circuit protection devices
- the different types of wiring enclosures that are used (such as conduit, trunking systems and bulkhead penetrations) and what to check during the servicing activities
- methods of checking that components are fit for purpose and the need to replace `lifed' items
- how to recognise defects in yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment (such as under or over performance)
- the procedure for obtaining consumables to be used during the maintenance activity
- the appropriate checking/testing procedures to be adopted during the servicing activity
- the importance of ensuring that the equipment is serviced to the prescribed standard of cleanliness
- why tool/equipment control is critical and what to do if a tool or piece of equipment is unaccounted for on completion of the activities
- how to compile servicing records/logs/reports which satisfy company policy and procedures
- the problems that can occur whilst carrying out the servicing activities, and how they can be avoided
- the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of materials
- the extent of your own authority and whom you should report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the servicing of the yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment and systems:
- ensure you have the necessary information to carry out the servicing activities (such as job instructions or servicing documentation)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations
- obtain clearance to work on the system and observe the appropriate power isolation and safety procedures
- maintain safe access and working arrangements for the work area
- carry out the servicing activities, using appropriate techniques and procedures
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the activities
- leave the work area in a safe and tidy condition
Carry out routine servicing activities on four of the following types of yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment:
- power supply equipment (such as batteries, generators, alternators, wind or solar generation equipment)
- power distribution panel
- lighting (such as cabin lighting, navigation lighting, cockpit and deck lighting)
- services/domestic equipment (such as heating, cooking, air conditioning and refrigeration systems)
- alarm systems (such as flood and liquid level detection, security/intruder detection, gas and fire detection)
- motor/rotating equipment (such as bow thrusters, anchor windlasses, trim tabs winches and hoists)
- pumping systems (such as freshwater systems, bilge pumping systems, sanitary systems)
- entertainment systems (such as sound systems, video entertainment systems)
- electronic system components (such as aerials, radar scanners, speaker units, hull transducers)
Carry out ten of the following activities, as applicable to the equipment being serviced:
- visual examination of the condition and security of wiring enclosures (such as conduit and trunking)
- removing excessive dirt and dust from panels
- replacing damaged or defective connectors
- making visual checks of equipment and cables
- replacing `lifed' items (such as seals, fuses, motor brushes, back up batteries)
- checking the integrity of all connections
- monitoring the condition of switches/contactors
- servicing battery systems
- inspecting and cleaning sensors
- monitoring component condition/deterioration
- making sensory checks (such as sight, sound, smell)
- making `off-load' checks before powering up
- replacing damaged or missing locking and retaining devices (cable ties, clips, proprietary fasteners)
- recording the results of the servicing and reporting any defects found
Ensure that the serviced yacht or boat electrical/electronic equipment meets all of the following:
- all components and subassemblies are fit for purpose
- all connections are safe and sound
- all cables are safe and sound
- all potential defects are identified, recorded and reported for future action
Maintain yacht or boat electrical equipment in compliance with one of the following:
- BS, EN or ISO standards and procedures
- customer (contractual) standards and requirements
- company standards and procedures
- specific equipment requirements/manufacturer's data
- recognised compliance agency/body's standards (such as Lloyds, Boat Safety Scheme, BMEA Code)
- other accepted international standards
Complete the relevant paperwork, including one of the following and pass it to the appropriate people:
- job cards
- work authorisation documents
- system log
- vessel wiring documentation
- servicing logs or reports
- other specific reporting method
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:
- strong work ethic
- positive attitude
- team player
- dependability
- responsibility
- honesty
- integrity
- motivation
- commitment