Health and safety on ships
Safe working practices
Code of safe working practices
By law, up-to-date copies of the 鈥楥ode of safe working practices for merchant seafarers鈥� must be carried on a UK ship that鈥檚 not a fishing boat or pleasure craft.
A copy of the code must be available to any seafarer who requests it.
The 鈥楥ode of safe working practices for merchant seafarers is available to buy from .
Read the 鈥楳erchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997鈥� for safety standards and requirements for merchant ships.
Safety signs
Certain health and safety signs must be displayed on ships, such as emergency escape signs or danger warning signs. Signs must meet legal requirements if they鈥檙e permanently displayed.
Read the 鈥楢mendment 1 Safety Signs and Signals Regulations 2001鈥� to find out how and where safety signs and signals must be displayed.
鈥楶ermit to work鈥�
The 鈥榩ermit to work鈥� system reduces the risk of accidents on board ship. Under this system, seafarers must get written permission from a senior officer before they can perform hazardous tasks, like:
- working at height and outboard
- working with boilers
- 鈥榟ot work鈥� (work which could result in the ignition of flammable material, for example welding)
- working in unmanned machinery spaces
- entry into enclosed spaces
- electrical testing
Read about using 鈥榩ermit to work鈥� schemes to test electrical systems in the 鈥楥ode of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers.
Read 鈥楽afety Preparations Prior to Machinery Maintenance鈥� to find out how to prepare for doing maintenance on machinery on ships.