It was noticed that some crews keep ER sounding pipe caps open and deadweight valves secured. What are the actual requirements for those caps and valves?
Caps and valves should be closed at all times, to prevent the ingress of water into the engine room in case of tank bottom damage.
Any inspector, PSC or SIRE, will file the observation for open cap, hanging weight valve or missing spring - in case of spring-loaded self-closing valve.
Besides sounding pipes, pay close attention to measuring glasses on LO tanks in ER. They always equipped with spring-loaded or weight-loaded selfclosing valves. Some crew tend to keep those valves open by mean of some “holders”. This is usless, unsafe and absolutely unacceptable. Any inspector will file an observation for such an arrangement.
