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LSU Agricultural Center
Loss Prevention and Safety Program
Section 6
Water Vessel Safety
WATER VESSEL OPERATOR SAFETY PROGRAM
LSU Agricultural Center
The LSU Agricultural Center will follow the guidelines for a water vessel operator safety program as outlined in the Loss Prevention Manual of the State Office of Risk Management. Only state owned/leased/hired vessels are to be used on state business. The following administrative procedures should be followed in carrying out this program.
Water Vessel Operator Authorization
The Chancellor of the LSU Agricultural Center, or his/her designee/s, is responsible for authorizing AgCenter employees to operate water vessels on state (Ag Center) business and for determining when such authorization shall be withdrawn. Unless specifically stated otherwise, those individuals whom the Chancellor has designated as having authority for authorizing employees to drive state vehicles shall also be designated to authorize employees to operate water vessels. Only those employees who are properly authorized shall operate water vessels on state business.
High risk operators should not be authorized to operate vessels. High risk operators are those individuals having three or more convictions, guilty pleas, and/or nolo contendere pleas for moving vessel violations or individuals having a single conviction, guilty plea, or nolo contendere plea for operating a vessel while intoxicated, careless operation, reckless operation, negligent homicide, or similar violation including any civil case for which negligence has been proven within a one-year period. All operators of vessels used on state business must attend a Louisiana Better Boating or its equivalent course at least once every three years. Operators who have violations or negligence on their boating records should be required to retake the Better Boating course or its equivalent within the previous twelve-month period. Individuals determined to be high-risk operators shall be notified in writing that they are not authorized to operate water vessels from the date of discovery for a minimum of twelve months and that they shall be required to retake a “Boat Louisiana” course within 90 days of discovery. The High Risk Operator’s immediate supervisor and the individual in charge of water vessels shall also be notified in writing that the unauthorized employee shall not be given authority or access to operate a water vessel on state business.
Water Vessel Operator Record Checks
Water vessel operator record checks are required to be made on all personnel who operate water vessels on an occasional or routine basis while on state/Ag Center business. In order for this to be accomplished, the Chancellor or his/her designee/s must approve a Vessel Authorization/Operator History Form (DA 2066) prior to authorization to operate a water vessel and on a yearly basis thereafter. Prior to approval, the Chancellor or his/her designee/s will submit a listing of the operators to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to obtain water vessel operator history records for evaluation.
Safe Water Vessel Operation Training
Successful completion of a Safe Water Vessel Operation Training (Boat Louisiana or other ORM recognized course) must be accomplished by employees prior to receiving authorization to operate a water vessel on state business. The state Office of Risk Management is available to assist with obtaining the necessary training. The training is provided through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Department heads are responsible for obtaining this training for water vessel operators, and for assuring that the training is repeated every 3 years. The training may also be scheduled as part of follow-up action when a operator has a preventable accident, or when operator performance or history reveals a need for additional training. Operators who have convictions or negligence on their boating records shall be required to retake the “Boating Louisiana” (or other ORM recognized course) within ninety days of conviction.
Employees who are authorized to operate a water vessel on state business and who are U.S. Coast Guard Captains, operators and/or pilots shall attend a basic marine safety seminar every five years.
Preventive Maintenance: Documented preventive maintenance and corrective actions as needed shall be performed on all required engines/motors/vessels.
Vessel Inspections and Repairs: A monthly inspection shall be performed on all vessels in active service and corrective actions for all deficiencies found shall be performed and documented prior to any subsequent use of the vessel.
Records of this training must be kept by the units which operate the vessels or for which vessels are operated.
Accident Reporting and Investigations
A water vessel accident is defined as:
A collision, accident, or other casualty involving a water vessel. A vessel is considered to be involved in an boating accident whenever the occurrence results in damage by or to the vessel or its equipment, in injury or loss of life to any person or in the disappearance of any person from on board under circumstances that indicate the possibility of death or injury. A boating accident includes, but is not limited to, capsizing, collision, foundering, flooding, fire, explosion and disappearance of a vessel other than by theft.
A water vessel accident must be reported and investigated in a timely manner using a Boating Accident Form and an Accident / Incident Investigation Form. All accidents shall be reported to the next level of supervision by the vessel operator having the accident on the day of the accident or as soon thereafter as possible.
Failure of an operator to report any accident may be cause for disciplinary action.
Accidents shall be reported in accordance with the instructions as listed in the State of Louisiana, Office of Risk Management Loss Prevention Manual.