SOLAS Regulations and Man Overboard Drills: Using Ruth Lee MOB Training Manikins for Safety at Sea

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) sets out a wide range of regulations to improve the safety of ships and those on board. An important requirement within these regulations is the regular practice of man overboard (MOB) drills. These drills help ensure that crew members are prepared to respond quickly and effectively if someone falls into the water, increasing the likelihood of a safe and successful recovery.

SOLAS Chapter III sets out requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including the regular practice of man-overboard (MOB) drills. Regulation 19 specifies that all ships must conduct drills to ensure crews are prepared to respond safely and effectively in an actual MOB situation. Key elements of these drills include:

1. Drill Frequency
MOB drills should be carried out at least once a month. For ships on short voyages where this may be impractical, drills must be completed within 24 hours of departure.

2. Realistic Scenarios
Drills should simulate real-life MOB situations as closely as possible. Using rescue manikins allows crews to practise deploying life-saving appliances and following procedures under realistic conditions, helping them develop the physical skills and situational awareness needed in an emergency.

3. Crew Training and Roles
All crew members must be familiar with MOB detection systems, life-saving equipment, and the sequence of actions required during a rescue. Drills reinforce understanding of individual roles and responsibilities, ensuring a coordinated and effective response.

4. Equipment Checks
Drills also provide an opportunity to inspect and test all relevant equipment, including lifebuoys, rescue boats, recovery slings, and communication devices. Regular use during drills ensures everything is operational and ready for immediate use.

5. Record Keeping
Detailed records of each drill—including date, type of drill, and crew performance—must be maintained. These records are vital for demonstrating regulatory compliance during inspections and audits.

Man overboard (MOB) situations present a serious threat to the safety of anyone at sea. A rapid and well-coordinated response is critical, as survival time in open water can be very limited, depending on factors such as water temperature, sea conditions, and how quickly the person can be located and recovered. Regular MOB drills are essential to ensure that crew members know the correct procedures and can use the necessary equipment effectively to carry out a rescue.

An effective man-overboard (MOB) drill begins with the sounding of the MOB alarm, alerting the crew to the emergency and initiating immediate actions. Crew members respond by deploying lifebuoys with lines, releasing a man overboard marker buoy, and maintaining visual contact with the casualty. These initial steps are crucial to ensure the person in the water is quickly located and kept safe.

Rescue coordination is led by the bridge team, which maneuvers the vessel to create a lee, slows down, or stops as necessary to facilitate recovery. At the same time, any rescue boats are prepared and launched if required.

During the recovery phase, the crew practises a range of methods, including shipboard recovery equipment and rescue boats, ensuring that the casualty can be brought back on board both safely and efficiently.

After the drill, a debriefing session should be conducted to review performance, identify any challenges or gaps, and discuss potential improvements. This feedback loop is essential for continuous improvement, helping crews maintain readiness and confidence, and ensuring that MOB recovery procedures remain effective under real operational conditions.

The Role of Manikins in Man Overboard (MOB) Training
Training Manikins are an essential tool in man overboard (MOB) training, offering a realistic and reliable way to practise recovery procedures safely. They allow crews to simulate real-life scenarios, including unconscious or incapacitated casualties, without putting anyone at risk. 

Far from being optional, manikins are widely recognised by maritime safety experts as critical for building crew confidence, improving response times, and ensuring drills are both practical and effective.

By incorporating manikins into MOB drills, ship operators can train crews under realistic conditions, test the functionality of recovery equipment, and refine procedures for a variety of recovery methods. This hands-on approach ensures that crews are fully prepared to respond swiftly and safely in actual emergencies, making manikins a cornerstone of any comprehensive MOB training programme.

Building Your Crew's Skills
Using manikins enhances the crew’s skills in several key areas. Search and recovery techniques can be practised more effectively, allowing crews to rehearse a variety of patterns and methods to locate and retrieve a person overboard efficiently. Equipment use is reinforced, as drills provide hands-on experience with lifebuoys, heaving lines, recovery slings, and other essential tools, ensuring crews are confident in deploying them correctly under real conditions. Coordination and communication also improve, as incorporating a manikin increases the complexity of drills, requiring crews to work together seamlessly, strengthening teamwork and ensuring a well-organised response in a real MOB situation.

Safe and Realistic Training
Training with live participants can carry risks such as injuries or hypothermia, but manikins eliminate these hazards, allowing drills to be conducted safely and repeatedly. Designed to withstand frequent water exposure and multiple recovery methods, manikins are durable and practical, ensuring that training remains effective over time without compromising safety.

Regulatory Compliance

Whilst SOLAS regulations do not specifically mandate the use of training or rescue manikins, they emphasise the importance of realistic and effective emergency drills. Man overboard (MOB) exercises are a core component of these drills, allowing crews to practise emergency response procedures and recovery operations under controlled conditions.

Guidance used during inspections and surveys also reinforces the importance of regular onboard emergency drills (GOV.UK, MSIS27). These exercises may include scenarios such as man overboard incidents, fire, collision or grounding, and abandon ship procedures.

In many cases, multiple drills are expected to be carried out, with at least one focusing on a man overboard recovery scenario.

The purpose of these drills is to refresh core safety training, strengthen teamwork, and ensure that crews can respond effectively during real emergencies. By introducing manikins into MOB exercises, vessels can add a realistic training element without placing crew members at risk.

This helps improve the quality of drills while ensuring that crews remain competent, confident, and fully prepared to carry out recovery procedures in line with SOLAS guidance and wider maritime safety best practice.

Our Ruth Lee Man Overboard Manikin range helps ship operators integrate these training tools into their man overboard (MOB) training, delivering enhanced realism, improved crew skills, and safer, more effective drills.

These Man Overboard manikin provides a highly realistic training experience, allowing crews to practise recovery procedures in conditions that closely mimic real-life emergencies. By training with manikins, your crew will become more confident, competent, and prepared to respond swiftly, increasing the likelihood of a successful rescue.

As maritime safety remains a top priority, incorporating manikins into MOB drills is a smart investment in crew preparedness and operational capability, helping vessels meet both regulatory expectations and best-practice standards.

See Full Range of Man Overboard Rescue Manikins here