b'HOW PVA BENEFITS YOUPVA Working for YouBy Jen Wilk,Update on Coast Guard Guidance for Director, Public Affairs and Development Merchant Mariner Medical EvaluationsT his fall U.S. Coast Guard issuedlation, due to medical changes, as well.Committee, was formed to evaluate the the fi nal version of its MerchantOver the past few years, PVA hasproposal and submit feedback. Mariner Medical Manual,heard concerns from member operatorsIn the associations comments, Commandant Instruction Manualand mariners alike, seeking suchPVA 2019 President Bob Lawler said, (COMDTINST M16721.48). This policyclarifying guidance when it comesOverall, the medical manual provides guidance was created to assist marineto changes in a mariners medicaladequate guidance for the mariner employers, individual mariners,condition and determining fi tness-for- going into the physical evaluation. medical professionals and Coast Guardduty. PVA hopes this guidance will save time personnel in evaluating a marinersOver the summer, PVA had the op- with the back and forth between the medial status to meet the requirementsportunity to review and comment onmariner and the National Maritime of the merchant mariner medical certifi - the draft of this manual. An ad hocCenter (NMC) by providing the cate. The Manual outlines the processsubcommittee, made up of industrymedical evaluators with needed and not only for application and issuance ofexperts from the PVA Safety & Securityrelevant information. the medical certifi cate but also cancel- Committee as well as the RegulatoryPVA also supported the Coast Eachyear,thousandsofpreventablemaritime accidents are caused by operator inattention, cited twice as frequently as the next leading factor. The Furuno BR500 Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS) helps to prevent these accidents.Scan this code with your smart phone for a Guided Tour of the BR500.www.FurunoUSA.com36OCTOBER 2019FOGHORN'