RNLI trials new slipway signage
News »
Personal Watercraft
Article Date: 2007-09-10
View Count: 814
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is testing out new slipway signage in seven locations across Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and on the River Thames in London.
The initiative has been developed with local and harbour authorities to try and better promote safety messages to water-users, as well as creating a new standard for slipway safety signage.
The trial is part of a wider pilot scheme conducted in 2006 in consultation with the UK Harbour Masters Association, UK Port Authorities and local councils to look at current slipway signage and what information they will need to display and how best to do so in the future.
It is hoped that the slipway safety signage initiative would complement the RNLI's Beach Safety signage, launched in 2005, which has now been adopted by around a quarter of beaches in the UK as part of a new international beach safety signage system.
Information in each sign is tailored to each specific slipway, including information such as local hazards and by-laws, what to do in an emergency, a map of the locality highlighting tidal areas, public information and the RNLI's tips for staying safe on the water.
Sea safety programmes manager for the RNLI, Tony Wafer commented on the scheme: "We're delighted to be working in partnership with local and harbour authorities to launch the trial of the RNLI's new slipway signage.
"We want people to be safe when they are going out on the water, so the new signage is a great way of reminding sea-users of essential safety information.
"We welcome feedback from people using the slipways in our seven trial locations, as we work towards a national set of signage guidelines at the end of this year.
"We eventually hope to encourage more local and harbour authorities to adopt RNLI signage standards to help reduce the number of preventable accidents at sea."
© Adfero Ltd
Social Bookmarking
