The Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Regulations 1960

PART IIMEANS OF ACCESS AND STAGING

Safe access in general

6.  Without prejudice to the other provisions of these Regulations there shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be provided and maintained safe means of access to every place at which any person has at any time to work in connection with the operations, which means of access shall be sufficient having regard to the number of persons employed and shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be kept clear of substances likely to make foothold or hand-hold insecure and of any obstruction.

General access to vessels in a shipyard

7.  All main gangways giving general access to a vessel in a shipyard, whether from the ground or from a wharf or quay, and all cross gangways leading from such a main gangway on to the vessel, shall—

(a)be sufficiently wide having regard to the number of persons employed on or at the vessel; and

(b)be securely protected on each side to a height of at least two feet nine inches by strongly constructed upper and lower hand-rails and by a secure toe-board projecting at least six inches above the floor; and

(c)be of good construction, sound material and adequate strength; and

(d)be stable and, wherever practicable, of permanent construction; and

(e)be kept in position as long as required.

Access to dry dock

8.—(1) Every flight of steps giving access from ground level either to an altar or to the bottom of a dry dock shall be provided throughout on each side or in the middle with a substantial hand-rail. In the case of an open side, secure fencing to a height of at least two feet nine inches shall be provided by means of upper and lower rails, taut ropes or chains, or by other equally safe means. For the purposes of this paragraph a flight of steps which is divided into two by a chute for materials, with no space between either side of the chute and the steps, shall be deemed to be one flight of steps.

(2) Such hand-rails and fencing as aforesaid shall be kept in position save when and to the extent to which their absence is necessary (whether or not for the purposes of the operations) for the access of persons, or for the movement of materials or vessels or for traffic or working, or for repair, but hand-rails or fencing removed for any of these purposes shall be kept readily available and shall be replaced as soon as practicable.

(3) This Regulation shall come into operation at the expiration of twelve months after the making of these Regulations.

Access to vessels at wharf or quay or in dry dock

9.—(1) If a ship is lying at a wharf or quay, or is in a dry dock for the purpose of undergoing any of the operations other than its construction or reconstruction, there shall be provided means of access for the use of persons employed at such times as they have to pass to, or from, the ship or to the wharf, quay or dock side, as follows—

(a)where reasonably practicable one or more ship's accommodation ladders or one or more soundly constructed gangways or similar constructions or a combination of any such ladders, gangways or constructions, being ladders, gangways and constructions not less than twenty-two inches wide, properly secured, and fenced throughout on each side to a clear height of two feet nine inches by means of upper and lower rails, taut ropes or chains or by other equally safe means, except that in the case of a ship's accommodation ladder, such fencing may be on one side only if the other side is properly protected by the ship's side;

(b)in other cases one or more ladders of sound material and adequate length which shall be properly secured to prevent them from slipping.

(2) Where at any dry dock there is a gangway giving access from an altar of the dock to a vessel which is in the dock for the purpose of undergoing any of the operations, and the edge of the altar is unfenced, adequate hand-holds shall be available for any length of the altar which persons employed commonly use when passing between the gangway and the nearest flight of steps which gives access to ground level. This paragraph shall come into operation at the expiration of twelve months after the making of these Regulations.

Access between vessels

10.—(1) If a ship is alongside any vessel and persons employed have to pass from the one to the other, safe means of access shall be provided for their use, unless the conditions are such that it is possible without undue risk to pass from the one to the other without the aid of any special appliance.

(2) Where the means of access provided consists of, or includes, a rope ladder, such means of access shall not be deemed to be safe unless in the case of the vessel with the higher free-board—

(a)the top step of the ladder is not more than twelve inches below the gunwale or top of the bulwark where the ladder gives immediate access to the vessel; and

(b)at least one adequate and secure hand-hold is available at the position of boarding the vessel; and

(c)a suitable gangway or stairway is provided leading from the top of the bulwark on to the deck, the gangway or stairway being so placed as to be as nearly as practicable opposite to the rope ladder.

Vessels used for access or as a working place

11.—(1) Where any person employed has to proceed to or from a ship by water, proper measures shall be taken to provide for his safe transport.

(2) Scows and floating platforms used for the purpose of the operations shall be of sound construction and properly maintained and shall not be overcrowded.

Access to and from bulwarks

12.  Where there is a gangway leading on to a bulwark of a vessel, there shall be provided—

(a)wherever practicable, a platform at the inboard end of the gangway with safe means of access therefrom to the deck; or

(b)where such a platform is not practicable, a second gangway or stairway leading from the bulwark on to the deck which shall either be attached to the end of the first-mentioned gangway or be placed contiguous to it, in which case means of access, securely protected by fencing, shall be provided from the one to the other.

Further provisions as to access

13.—(1) Where outside staging is erected in a shipyard, there shall be provided sufficient ladders giving direct access to the stages having regard to the extent of the staging and to the work to be done.

(2) Where a vessel is under construction or reconstruction and persons employed are liable to go forward or aft or athwartship across or along uncovered deck-beams, or across or along floors, sufficient planks shall be provided on those deck-beams or on those floors for the purpose of access to or from places of work, and sufficient and suitable portable ladders shall be provided so as to give access either from the ground or outer bottom plating to the top of the floor.

(3) Without prejudice to any other provision in these Regulations requiring a greater width, no footway or passageway constructed of planks shall be less than seventeen inches wide.

Ladders

14.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Regulation, every ladder which affords a means of access, communication or support to a person or persons employed shall—

(a)be soundly constructed and properly maintained; and

(b)be of adequate strength for the purpose for which it is used; and

(c)be securely fixed either—

(i)as near its upper resting place as possible, or

(ii)where this is impracticable, at its base, or where such fixing is impracticable a person shall be stationed at the base of the ladder when in use to prevent it from slipping; and

(d)unless there is other adequate hand-hold, extend to a height of at least two feet six inches above the place of landing or the highest rung to be reached by the feet of any person working on the ladder, as the case may be, or, if this is impracticable, to the greatest practicable height.

(2) Requirements (c) and (d) of the preceding paragraph of this Regulation shall not apply to fixed ladders of a ship or to rope ladders. Effective measures by means of roping off or other similar means shall be taken to prevent the use of fixed ladders of a ship which do not comply with requirements (a) and (b) of that paragraph.

(3) Requirement (c) of paragraph (1) of this Regulation shall not apply in the case of a small portable ladder carried from place to place in the course of his work by a person employed.

(4) Any person employed who removes any ladder and sets it up in a new position shall, as regards that ladder, comply with requirement (c) of paragraph (1) of this Regulation.

(5) Rope ladders shall provide adequate foothold and, so far as is reasonably practicable, suitable provision shall be made for preventing such ladders from twisting.

Lashing of ladders

15.—(1) A fibre rope, or a rope made with strands consisting of wire cores covered with fibre, shall not be used to secure a ladder used for the purpose of the operations.

(2) A wire rope shall not be used to secure any such ladder unless its ends are ferruled, but this provision shall not apply in the case of an end which is so situated or protected that a person using the ladder is not liable to come into contact with it so as to suffer injury.

Material for staging

16.—(1) A sufficient supply of sound and substantial material and appliances shall be available in a convenient place or places for the construction of staging.

(2) All planks and other materials and appliances intended to be used or re-used for staging shall be carefully examined before being taken into use or re-use in any staging. Every examination required by this paragraph shall be carried out by a person competent for the purpose.

Staging, dry dock altars and shoring sills

17.—(1) All staging and every part thereof shall be of good construction, of suitable and sound material and of adequate strength for the purpose for which it is used and shall be properly maintained, and every upright and thwart shall be kept so fixed, secured or placed in position as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, accidental displacement.

(2) All planks forming stages shall be securely fastened to prevent them from slipping unless they extend eighteen inches or more beyond the inside edge of the thwart or support on which they rest.

(3) All staging suspended on the inside of a vessel, all staging supported by brackets, all staging on the outside of a vessel at the fore and after ends and, where there is a gap in the staging caused by the inside uprights, any plank in the way of such gap, shall be erected and adjusted by staging gangs specially, though not necessarily exclusively, employed for the purpose.

(4) All staging used in connection with the operations shall be inspected before use, and thereafter at regular and frequent intervals, by a competent person.

(5) All dry dock altars and shoring sills on or from which persons perform work in connection with the operations shall be of sound construction and properly maintained.

(6) All parts of stages, all parts of footways or passageways constructed of planks, and all parts of dry dock altars or shoring sills, being parts on or from which persons perform work in connection with the operations, shall so far as is reasonably practicable, be kept clear of all substances likely to make foothold or hand-hold insecure.

Upright used for hoisting block

18.—(1) If any upright forming part of staging is used as a fixing for a pulley block for hoisting material—

(a)it shall be properly housed in the ground or shall otherwise be adequately secured so as to prevent it from rising; and

(b)it shall be suitably protected against damage by the action of the chain or wire or other means of securing the pulley block to the upright.

(2) No upright forming part of staging shall be used as an anchorage for a lead pulley block, unless the upright is not likely to be displaced by such use.

Support of stages on planks

19.—(1) Planks supported on the rungs of ladders shall not be used to support stages.

(2) It shall be the duty of the persons employed to comply with the foregoing paragraph of this Regulation.

Suspended stages

20.—(1) Stages suspended by ropes or chains shall be secured as far as possible so as to prevent them from swinging.

(2) A fibre rope, or a rope made of strands consisting of wire cores covered with fibre, shall not be used for suspending a stage except that fibre ropes may be used in the case of a stage of which the suspension ropes are reeved through blocks.

(3) Chains, ropes, blocks and other gear used for the suspension of stages shall be of sound material, adequate strength and suitable quality, and in good condition.

(4) Appropriate steps shall be taken to prevent ropes or chains used for supporting a stage from coming into contact with sharp edges of any part of a vessel.

Boatswains' chairs

21.—(1) Boatswains' chairs and chains, ropes or other gear used for their suspension shall be of sound material, adequate strength and suitable quality and the chains, ropes or other gear shall be securely attached.

(2) Suitable measures shall be taken to prevent where possible the spinning of a boatswain's chair, to prevent the tipping of a boatswain's chair and to prevent any occupant falling therefrom.

Rising stages

22.  All planks forming a rising stage at the bow end of a vessel shall be securely fastened to prevent them from slipping.

Width of stages

23.  Without prejudice to the other provisions of these Regulations, all stages shall be of sufficient width as is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case to secure the safety of the persons working thereon.

Stages from which a person is liable to fall more than six feet six inches or into water

24.—(1) This Regulation applies to stages from which a person is liable to fall a distance of more than six feet six inches or into water in which there is a risk of drowning.

(2) Every stage to which this Regulation applies—

(a)shall so far as is reasonably practicable be closely boarded, planked or plated;

(b)shall be so constructed or placed that a person is not liable to fall as aforesaid through a gap in the staging not being a gap necessary and no larger than necessary having regard to the nature of the work being carried on;

(c)shall be at least seventeen inches wide.

(3) Every side of a stage to which this Regulation applies shall—

(a)if it is not a side immediately adjacent to any part of a vessel, be fenced (subject to the provisions of paragraphs (4) to (7) of this Regulation) with a guard rail or guard rails to a height of at least three feet above the stage, which rail or rails shall be so placed as to prevent so far as practicable the fall of persons from the stage or from any raised standing place on the stage; or

(b)if it is a side immediately adjacent to any part of a vessel, be placed as near as practicable to that part having regard to the nature of the work being carried on and to the nature of the structure of the vessel.

(4) In the case of stages which are suspended by ropes or chains, and which are used solely for painting, the fencing required by sub-paragraph (a) of the preceding paragraph may be provided by means of a taut guard rope or taut guard ropes.

(5) No side of a stage or, as the case may be, no part of the side of a stage need be fenced in pursuance of paragraph (3) (a) of this Regulation in cases where, and so long as, the nature of the work being carried on makes the fencing of that side or, as the case may be, that part impracticable.

(6) Guard rails provided in pursuance of paragraph (3) (a) of this Regulation may be removed for the time and to the extent necessary for the access of persons or for the movement of materials; but guard rails removed for either of these purposes shall be replaced as soon as practicable.

(7) Where it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) (a) of this Regulation, the stage shall in cases where the limitations of space make this possible be at least twenty-five inches wide and, in other cases, as wide as those limitations permit.

(8) This Regulation shall come into operation at the expiration of twelve months after the making of these Regulations.