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Code of Safe Working Practices
Legal Safety Requirements

Two main documents exist under U.K. law and are therefore applicable to all seafarers sailing on British flag vessels: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997
Health & Safety at Work

The Health and Safety at Work legislation covers all employees including seafarers. The main points are that the employer:
must provide a written safety policy; must create a safety management organisation (safety officer, committee etc); must as far as practicable ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees and provide safe systems of work; must as far as practical ensure that persons not in his employment are not exposed to risk.

It shall also be the duty of every employee aboard ship to: take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of others who may be affected by his acts or omissions; co-operate with his employer and other persons, so far as is necessary, to enable the employer and others to comply with their statutory duties;

not use any machinery etc other than in accordance with relevant training or instructions and should not interfere with any safety equipment; inform management (master, safety officer or other competent person) of any situation or matter which concerns safety.

The company must adopt special responsibilities for health and safety in consultation with workers including: protective and prevention services; appointment and duties of safety officers; election and powers of safety representatives; duties of the company and master.
C.O.S.W.P.
The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen is a document issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, it: is aimed at merchant seamen and more specifically those employed on United Kingdom registered ships; covers all aspects of ship operation and the various dangers posed to ships personnel; reflects the requirements of health & safety legislation.
C.O.S.W.P.
Copies must be carried on all UK registered ships other then fishing and leisure vessels so that generally the master, chief officer, chief engineer, safety officer and any safety representatives must have a personal copy, leaving at least one other copy for access by the crew.
C.O.S.W.P.
The Code is arranged in sections: Introduction gives the regulations framework for health and safety on board ship.
Section 1 Safety responsibilities and ship board management.

Section 2 Personal health and safety. Section 3 Work activities. Section 4 Specialist ship operation.
There are also two annexes.
C.O.S.W.P. - Section 1
Safety Responsibilities and Shipboard Management.
Chapters 1 - 6
Section 1 - Chapter 1
Outlines the principles of risk assessment under the following headings: principles of risk assessment; risk assessment in practice; what should be assessed; who has to carry out the assessment; how thorough should the assessment be; when to assess; recording risk assessment; elements of risk assessment.
Monitoring of employees for health problems caused by occupational hazards under the following headings: purpose of health surveillance; application; how to carry out health surveillance.
Defines a companys corporate and employees individual responsibility for safety. It defines the role and duties of: the safety officer; safety representatives; the safety committee. The chapter also outlines the requirements for accident investigation.
Outlines corporate responsibility in supplying and maintaining personal protective equipment. Outlines individuals responsibilities in the use of p.p.e.
Categories of p.p.e. head hearing face & eyes breathing hands and feet body drowning hypothermia helmets, bump caps, hair nets; ear muffs and plugs; goggles, face masks; dust masks, respirators; gloves, safety shoes; harnesses, belts, clothing; buoyancy aids; immersion suits.
Concerns signs permanently erected for the purpose of giving health & safety information and instruction:It defines the colour and symbol standards and the corporate and individuals role with respect to signs.
Prohibition
Hazard
Assistance
Instruction
Stop
High voltage
First aid
Wear ear protection
Includes details of means of access to the vessel, including: pilot access; safe movement about the vessel; entry into dangerous spaces is mentioned. (Links to Section 2 Chapters.17 & 18.)
Refers to requirements for the safe use of equipment including: guarding of machinery; the safety of electrical equipment; hatch covers; lifting equipment, including definitions, design and certification. (Links to Section 3 Chapters.21 & 26)
Personal Health and Safety. Chapters 8 - 14
Refers to requirements for the safety induction of new people joining a vessel, including instruction in: emergency procedures and fire precautions; accidents and medical emergencies; health and hygiene; good housekeeping; environmental responsibilities; occupational health and safety; employer and worker responsibilities; consultation process.
Refers to recommendations on reducing the risk of fire under the following headings: smoking; electrical and associated appliances; spontaneous combustion; machinery spaces.
Recommends actions to be taken to deal with the following emergencies: fire, including musters and drills; survival craft drills; rescue from dangerous spaces; assisting a casualty; spillage of dangerous goods.
Recommends actions to be taken to enhance on board security in the event of the following: ship security plans; security levels; terrorism; stowaways; piracy; drug smuggling. The link with the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code is important.
Recommendations regarding personal health, safety and responsibility: health and hygiene; medication; hot climates; working clothes; housekeeping; substances hazardous to health; avoiding and dealing with common personal injuries; misuse of tools; manual handling.
Recommendations regarding safe movement about the vessel: general advice to prevent tripping, slipping etc; drainage of decks; marking of transit areas on decks; lighting levels; guarding of temporary openings; watertight doors; use of vehicles on board.
Dangers associated with food handling including: hygiene; slips and trips in galleys; safe use of cooking appliances; safe use of LPG; deep fat frying; microwave ovens; catering equipment - especially sharp instruments; refrigeration.
Work Activities. Chapters 15 - 28
Protection of personnel in dangerous work situations: working aloft and overside; use of portable ladders; cradles, stages and bosuns chair; working from punts; working in machinery spaces; boilers; unmanned machinery spaces; refrigeration machinery.
Suggestions and check lists for issuing permits to work. The purpose of the permit to work system is to identify and eliminate or control any risks or hazards associated with any particular task. This is to ensure the safety of the personnel carrying out the task as well as other crew members and shore personnel.
Defining an enclosed space and detailing the safety precautions to be undertaken before entering and during work within the space: precautions on entering an enclosed space; personal responsibilities; identifying hazards; testing the atmosphere; additional requirements for entering a space with a dangerous atmosphere; use of breathing apparatus.
General safe access to the vessel, including: position of boarding equipment; lighting and safe movement around the vessel; portable and rope ladders; maintenance; special circumstances; pilot ladders and hoists;
Eliminating personal injury caused by the manual handling of heavy weights.
Safe use of hand and power tools: general use of tools and equipment; hand tools; portable power operated tools; workshop and bench machines (lathes & drilling machines abrasive wheels); high pressure hydraulic/pneumatic/and jetting equipment; ropes; computer vdus; lifts; laundry equipment.
Requirements for the testing and use of lifting plant. Lifting plant includes all tackles, chain blocks, cranes, derricks, winches, vehicles (e.g. fork lifts) as well as slings, strops, wires, hooks, shackles and eye bolts.
Details of safe maintenance procedures: access for maintenance; isolation; boilers; auxiliary machinery; main engines; refrigeration; steering gear; hydraulic and pneumatic equipment.
Details of safe maintenance procedures: electrical equipment; switchboards; high voltage systems (> 1 kV) batteries; electronic equipment.
Precautions to be taken when carrying out welding and flame cutting operations including: personal protective equipment; equipment checks; precautions against fire and explosion; electric welding equipment; gas cylinders; gas welding and cutting;
General precautions to be taken when painting.
General precautions for anchoring, mooring and towing operations.
This section lays out the responsibilities of the employer and the master to ensure that the construction, operation and maintenance of all hatch coverings is adequate for the intended purpose.
Precautions to be taken when handling hazardous substances of which the most important are probably asbestos and oils.
Lists the requirements for marking of electrical wiring, gas cylinders, pipelines and fire extinguishers.
Pipe markings.
Sea Water
Fresh Water
Fire Main
Steam
Heavy Oil
Diesel Oil
Lub Oil
Air
Other
Fire extinguishers.
Water
Foam
Dry Powder
CO2
Vapourising
Gas bottles
Oxygen/ CO2
Air
Breathing Air
Nitrogen
Acetylene
Propane
Butane
Specialist Ships
C.O.S.W.P. - Appendixs 1 &2

These give details of all relevant standards and publications referred to in the Code.

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Code of Safe Working Practices

Legal Safety Requirements

Health & Safety at Work

Health & Safety at Work

Health & Safety at Work

Health & Safety at Work

Section 1 Safety responsibilities and ship board management.

There are also two annexes.

Wear ear protection

C.O.S.W.P. - Appendixs 1 &2

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