Event Safety

Barge Crews Safety Briefing

All Barge Crew Team Members are expected to attend the Safety Briefing; however the Barge Captain must be present, which will be held on Saturday 28th June 2014 at 10:00 am prompt, in the Old Naval College Gardens. Non or late attendance will not be acceptable and the Chief Umpire will either add to penalty time to that crews overall race time or excluded from winning any trophies.

Health and Safety

Full safety briefing to be conducted by the Barge Master of each barge prior to commencement of the race which should include advice:

  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Deck obstructions
  • High grip footwear
  • The wearing of lifejackets
  • M.O.B procedures
  • The use of L.S.A equipment
  • Adequate fresh water
  • Heat exhaustion
  • Sun screen

Safety Equipment

All Barges should ensure that the following Safety Equipment is on board their barges and the Chief Umpire will check each barge prior to the Event to check that it is present. The Safety Equipment must remain on show for the duration of the Event:

  • 2 x Life rings with 30 m of floating line, one with a lineattached
  • 2 x 7m long towing ropes to be laid ready for use on top of the hatch
  • 1 x hitcher

Tugs, Launches and Northern Exposure Rescue

The TOW Thames Barge Race Committee supply a number of support tugs and launches for the safety and management of this event. We have in recent years increased our safety cover by seek Northern Exposure Rescues assistance in the provision of safety RIBs in strategically placed locations, to recover barge crews should there be a MOB situation.
Northern Exposure Rescue, Marine Safety, Photography, Event Management