Chapter 13
SAFETY OFFICIALS
· Every person on board has a responsibility for safety:
· The Company is responsible for ensuring the overall safety of the ship and that safety on board is properly organized and coordinated.
· The master has the day-to-day responsibility for the safe operation of the ship and the safety of those on board.
· Each employer is responsible for the health and safety of their workers (Passenger ships).
· Heads of department are responsible for health and safety in their own department.
· Each officer/manager is responsible for health and safety for those they supervise and others affected.
· Each individual seafarer or worker is responsible for their own health and safety and that of anyone affected by their acts and omissions.
Que: How “Responsibility for Safety” is shared from the company to individual seafarer?
· Safety Officer is appointed by the company to ensure Safe working practices are followed on ships
· SAFETY COMMITTEE is appointed by the company on every ship. All departments are properly represented.
· Safety committee conducts regular meetings to discuss safety-related issues, records of minutes of meetings and all accidents and near misses.
The safety officer’s role is a positive one, seeking to initiate or develop safety measures before an incident occurs rather than afterward.
The safety officer does the following:
· Is on the lookout for any potential hazards and the means of preventing incidents.
· Tries to develop and sustain a high level of safety consciousness among seafarers so that individuals work and react instinctively in a safe manner and have full regard to the safety not only of themselves but also of others. The objective is to become the ship’s adviser on safety to whom the master, officers, and all seafarers will naturally turn for advice or help with safe working procedures.
· Where unsafe practice is observed, approach the individual or responsible officer concerned to suggest improvements in the method of working or use the safety committee to discuss examples of dangerous or unsafe practices in a particular area. If this brings no improvement, the safety officer approaches the head of the department or, as a last resort, the master to use their influence.
· Ensures that each worker joining the ship is instructed in all relevant health and safety arrangements, and the importance attached to them before starting work.
· Where possible, ensures that arrangements are made for each new entrant to work with a seafarer who is thoroughly safety conscious.
· Reminds experienced seafarers joining the ship, the importance of a high level of safety consciousness and of setting a good example for less experienced seafarers.
The safety officer also promotes safety on board, subject to the agreement of the master, by:
· arranging the distribution of booklets, leaflets and other advisory material on safety matters;
· supervising the display of posters and notices, replacing and renewing them regularly;
· arranging for the showing of films on safety publicity and, where appropriate, organizing subsequent discussions on the subjects depicted;
· encouraging seafarers to submit ideas and suggestions for improving safety and enlisting their support for any proposed safety measures which may affect them (the person making a suggestion should always be informed of decisions reached and any action taken); and
· effectively communicating new requirements or advice in relevant shipping legislation, marine notices and Company and ship’s rules and instructions relating to safety at work about the ship.
Investigation of accidents and dangerous occurrences
The safety officer has a duty to investigate notifiable accidents or dangerous occurrences affecting persons on board ship or during access, as well as potential hazards to health and safety and any reasonable complaints made by any personnel, and to make recommendations to the master. It is good practice to record and investigate as appropriate all incidents reported by personnel or passengers.
Additional health or safety investigations or inspections may be commissioned by the safety committee.
Safety inspections
The regulations require the safety officer to ensure that health and safety inspections of each accessible part of the ship are carried out at least once every three months, or more frequently if there have been substantial changes in the conditions of work.
Record of accidents and dangerous occurrences
The safety officer must maintain a record of all accidents and dangerous occurrences in accordance with procedures in the ship’s safety management system
Duty to stop dangerous work
The safety officer has a duty to stop any work in progress which they reasonably believe may cause an accident and immediately inform the master (or a nominated deputy) who is responsible for deciding when work can safely be resumed.
Que: What are the duties and responsibilities of a Safety Officer on a ship?
Chapter 14
PERMIT TO WORK SYSTEMS
The permit to work system consists of an organized and predefined safety procedure. A permit to work does not in itself make the job safe but contributes to measures for safe working.
The safety management system for individual ships will determine when permit to work system’s should be used, and the form of the permit to work.
In using a permit to work, the following principles apply:
· The permit should be relevant and as accurate as possible. It should state the location and details of the work to be done, the nature and results of any preliminary tests undertaken, the measures undertaken to make the job safe and the safeguards that need to be taken during the operation.
· The permit should specify the period of its validity (not to exceed 24 hours) and any time limits applicable to the work that it authorises.
· Only the work specified on the permit should be undertaken.
· Before signing the permit, the authorised officer should ensure that all measures specified as necessary have in fact been taken, or procedures are in place.
· The authorised officer retains responsibility for the work until they have either closed the permit or formally transferred it to another authorised officer who should be made fully conversant with the situation. Anyone who takes over from the authorised officer, either as a matter of routine or in an emergency, should sign the permit to indicate transfer of full responsibility.
· The competent person responsible for carrying out the specified work should countersign the permit to indicate their understanding of the safety precautions to be observed.
· On completion of the work, the competent person should notify the authorised officer and get the permit closed.
· The competent person carrying out the specified work should not be the same person as the authorised officer.
Que: What is “Permit to work” system?
Que: How does “Permit to work” system works?
Que: How is “Responsibility” transferred while using “Permit to work” system?
Permits to work would normally be required for the following categories of work:
· entry into dangerous (enclosed) space;
· gas testing/equipment;
· hot work;
· working at height/over the side;
· general electrical (under 1000 volts);
· electrical high voltage (over 1000 volts);
· working on deck during adverse weather; and
· lifts, lift trunks and machinery.
Que: Give examples of “Work permits” used on a ship.