The aim of the investigation into the Employment of Handicapped Persons in the Maritime Industry (the HANDIAMI project funded by the European Commission DG VII Task 38 Waterborne Transport) is to produce a number of concrete recommendations concerning the safety (evacuation procedures) of passengers on board car ferries who are elderly or have disabilities, and the accessibility available to them. A discussion is presented on issues concerning the main differences between high-speed and traditional ferries and the safety management of passengers in an emergency situation. There is a concentration on how an evacuation of elderly or disabled passengers is carried out. The approach used was based on focus groups, interviews, and observations. That led to a cross analysis of ship equipment and passengers' functional abilities to highlight situations in which the crew will have to help compensate. Results are presented in tables that identify the independent relationship between functional disabilities and the ship's infrastructure. The study undertaken showed that the safe evacuation of elderly and disabled passengers can be achieved through coordination of design, deployments, and training. Means of evacuation should be considered at the concept design stage, deployments should include representative sample populations including elderly and disabled passengers, and dedicated staff should be trained to specifically meet the needs of these passengers and to provide for their safe evacuation.
Abstract