33 CFR 146.115: Emergency duty assignments for facility personnel
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section covers emergency duties for people on a manned facility. The owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge must assign each person special duties and duty stations. The assigned duties must include certain listed tasks.
Applies toThe section applies to each person on a manned facility, and to the owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge who assigns duties.
What it says
The owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge must assign special duties and duty stations to each person on a manned facility, so that confusion is minimized and equipment use is not delayed in an emergency.
33 CFR 146.115(a)“shall assign to each person on a manned facility special duties and duty stations so that in event an emergency arises confusion will be minimized”
The assigned duties must, as far as possible, be comparable with the regular work of the individual.
33 CFR 146.115(a)“The duties shall, as far as possible, be comparable with the regular work of the individual.”
Duties must be assigned as necessary for the proper handling of any emergency.
33 CFR 146.115(b)“The duties shall be assigned as necessary for the proper handling of any emergency, and shall include the following:”
The assigned duties must include closing air ports, watertight doors, scuppers, and sanitary and other discharges that lead through the facility's hull.
33 CFR 146.115(b)(1)“The closing of air ports, watertight doors, scuppers, and sanitary and other discharges which lead through the facility's hull.”
The assigned duties must include stopping fans and ventilation systems.
33 CFR 146.115(b)(2)“The stopping of fans and ventilation systems.”
The assigned duties must include donning life preserves.
33 CFR 146.115(b)(3)“The donning of life preserves.”
The assigned duties must include preparing and launching life floats, lifeboats, or life rafts.
33 CFR 146.115(b)(4)“The preparation and launching of life floats, lifeboats, or life rafts.”
Common questions
Who assigns emergency duties on a manned facility?
The owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge must assign special duties and duty stations to each person on a manned facility.
“The owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge shall assign to each person on a manned facility special duties and duty stations”
Should emergency duties match a person's regular job?
Yes, as far as possible. The duties must be comparable with the regular work of the individual.
“The duties shall, as far as possible, be comparable with the regular work of the individual.”
What emergency duties must be assigned on a manned facility?
The duties must include closing hull openings and discharges, stopping fans and ventilation systems, donning life preserves, and preparing and launching life floats, lifeboats, or life rafts.
“The duties shall be assigned as necessary for the proper handling of any emergency, and shall include the following:”
The text of 33 CFR 146.115
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Duties of personnel during an emergency
(a) The owner, the owner's agent, or the person in charge shall assign to each person on a manned facility special duties and duty stations so that in event an emergency arises confusion will be minimized and no delay will occur with respect to the use or application of equipment required by this subchapter. The duties shall, as far as possible, be comparable with the regular work of the individual.
(b) The duties shall be assigned as necessary for the proper handling of any emergency, and shall include the following:
(1) The closing of air ports, watertight doors, scuppers, and sanitary and other discharges which lead through the facility's hull.
(2) The stopping of fans and ventilation systems.
(3) The donning of life preserves.
(4) The preparation and launching of life floats, lifeboats, or life rafts.
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.