46 CFR 109.503
§ 109.503 Emergency signals.
United States · 46 CFR — Shipping · Status: effective
Cite this
- Citation
- 46 CFR 109.503, § 109.503 Emergency signals, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/226944
- Permanent ID
ys:prov:226944@1- SHA-256
2b925e33dc4139c9df205b522ce3075af95bad1a5ace06ea614a55ea0c665c64
The hash is SHA-256 of this version's text, with every run of whitespace collapsed to a single space and the ends trimmed. The ID always leads back here, and checking it says whether the text you cited is still the current version.
Full text
(a) Emergency stations signals are established as follows:
(1) The signal to man emergency stations is a rapid succession of short soundings of both the general alarm bell and the whistle, if a whistle is installed, for a period of not less than 10 seconds.
(2) The signal to secure from emergency stations is the sounding of both the general alarm bell and the whistle, if a whistle is installed, three times.
(b) The abandon unit stations signals are established as follows:
(1) The signal to man abandon unit stations is a continuous sounding of both the general alarm and the whistle, if a whistle is installed.
(2) If whistle signals are used to direct the handling of lifeboats and davit-launched liferafts, they must be—
(i) One short blast to lower the lifeboats and davit-launched liferafts; and
(ii) Two short blasts to stop lowering the lifeboats and davit-launched liferafts.
(3) The signal to secure from abandon unit stations is the sounding of both the general alarm bell and the whistle, if a whistle is installed, three times.
Legislative history
This is a federal regulation, adopted through agency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act — not enacted by a recorded vote of Congress.