Flares

• Flares – who must carry them?
• AS/NZ Standard
• Red hand-held flares
• Orange hand-held smoke flares
• Red parachute distress rockets
• Know how to use them
• Handling and storage
• Expiry dates
• Unauthorised use of flares
• Disposal
  

Flares - who must carry them?

All vessels operating outside protected waters must carry flares. Which type you need depends on how far offshore you go.

If you operate both inshore and offshore you only need to carry the offshore set of flares.

AS/NZ Standard

There are three main types of distress flares approved for use in Western Australia. All of them must be manufactured to either the Australian Uniform Shipping Laws Code or to Australian Standard AS2092.

Red hand-held flares

These are designed for use both night and day and burn for about 45 seconds at 15,000 candle power. Potential sighting range at night is 10-12 km and about 4-6 km during the day.

Orange hand-held smoke flares

These are designed for day use only and have no luminosity. They emit a cloud of orange smoke. Orange hand held flares burn for about 60 seconds. The buoyant canister, which is safe for use in petrol or oil covered water, burns for about three minutes. Potential sighting range by day is 4 km, although this can drop to less than 1 km in a fresh breeze. However, these flares are especially visible from aircraft, even on windy days.

Red parachute distress rockets

These are designed for use both night and day. They project a rocket to 300 metres high and then deploy a parachute-suspended red flare, which burns for about 40 seconds at 30,000 candle power. Potential sighting range is 15 km by day and 40 km at night.

Know how to use them

Flares are best used when you believe there is chance of it being seen. The means used to fire flares vary widely between flare types and between manufacturers. The firing instructions are always printed on the flare, and you should be familiar with your own flares’ methods. Hand-held red flares, especially, burn very hot and may spill glowing embers. When using them hold them downwind so that nothing spills into the boat, and tilt them in your hand so nothing burns you.

Handling and storage

Flares should always be readily accessible, stored in a waterproof container, in a place where they don’t receive too much pounding in rough conditions, away from dampness and heat sources and readily accessible. Avoid storage above 60 degrees Celsius.

Expiry dates

There will be an expiry date on your flares. This applies to flares used on commercial vessels, but it also gives you good advice. Consider getting more flares when your existing flares reach that date, but keep both old and new. Your flares must be maintained in serviceable condition at all times, check them regularly to ensure they have not been rendered un-serviceable by exposure to moisture. Mildew, or bubbling of paper coatings may indicate this.

Unauthorised use of flares

There are severe penalties for the improper use of flares. Flares have a very serious purpose. Falsely indicating distress rightly carries a severe penalty, but it also wastes a lot of time and resources – possibly weakening the ability to respond to a genuine emergency. Do not leave flares in your boat when it is not in use, and keep them away from children. 

Disposal

Do not discard un-serviceable flares in general rubbish collections or land fill.
Please only dispose of un-serviceable flares at the locations shown below. (During normal business hours)
This will ensure that the flares are safely destroyed.

Department of Transport
Marine Operations Centre, Fremantle

The Regional Transport Office in your area.

Department of Fisheries

Hillary’s Office
39 Northside Drive
Hillarys WA 6025

Rockingham Office
Suite 4
Commerce House
3 Benjamin Way
Rockingham WA 6168

Mandurah Office
15 Leslie Street
Mandurah WA 6210

Please refer to the contact us page for a full list of the Department's office locations, phone numbers and addresses.