Health and safety on ships
1. Overview
If you operate a seagoing ship or small commercial vessel, you must protect the health and safety of your workers by:
- following safety standards and codes of practice
- ensuring the safety of machinery and equipment
- making sure that your vessel is safely manned and that all workers have the necessary qualifications
- having the right emergency procedures and equipment
- providing health protection and medical care for your workers
- doing regular risk assessments
- supplying any necessary protective clothing and equipment
- monitoring maritime safety information broadcasts
- consulting with your workers or their representatives on health and safety matters
Providing health and safety training
You must provide basic health and safety training for your workers. You can download advice on what this training should cover from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
Download 'Health and safety training: what you need to know' (PDF, 105KB)
Writing a health and safety policy
You must have a policy that sets out how you will manage health and safety on your ship. You can find advice on writing a health and safety policy on the HSE website.
2. Risk assessments
You must carry out regular risk assessments to see how accidents, injuries or illnesses could be caused on your ship and what you can do to reduce the chances of them happening.
You must review risk assessments every year and whenever there are significant changes to the ship, or any working activities.
Chapter 1 of the ‘Code of safe working practices for merchant seamen: consolidated edition 2010’ explains basic requirements for risk assessments on board ships.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Marine Guidance Note 20 sets out the requirements for risk assessments on merchant ships.
Risk assessment forms
You can download forms for doing risk assessments from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) site.
3. Safe working practices
Code of safe working practices
By law, you must carry up-to-date copies of the ‘Code of safe working practices for merchant seamen’ if you manage or operate a UK ship that’s not a fishing boat or pleasure craft.
You must make a copy of the code available to any seaman who requests it.
The ‘Code of safe working practices for merchant seamen (Consolidated edition 2011)’ is available to buy from The Stationery Office.
The Merchant shipping and fishing vessels (Health and safety at work) regulations set out safety standards and requirements for merchant ships.
Safety signs
You must display certain health and safety signs on ships, like emergency escape signs or danger warning signs. Signs must meet legal requirements if they are permanently displayed.
Read information on how and where to display safety signs and signals.
‘Permit to work’
You can reduce the risk of accidents on board ship by using safe working systems like the ‘permit to work’. Under this system, seafarers must get written permission from a senior officer before they can perform hazardous tasks, like:
- working aloft and outboard
- working with boilers
- ‘hot work’ (work which could result in the ignition of flammable material, eg welding)
- working in unmanned machinery spaces
- entry into enclosed spaces
- electrical testing
Read information on how to prepare for doing maintenance on machinery on ships.
Download 'Marine Guidance Note 248: Safety Preparations Prior to Machinery Maintenance' (PDF, 46KB)
Read about using ‘permit to work’ schemes to test electrical systems.
Download 'Marine guidance note 177: Accidents Involving Electrical Test Equipment' (PDF, 234KB)'
‘Permit to work’ templates
Download 'Blank permit to work form for work in unmanned machinery spaces' (PDF, 422K)
Download 'Blank permit to work for entry into enclosed or confined space' (PDF, 433KB)'
4. Protective equipment
You must give your workers suitable protective equipment if they are performing dangerous tasks.
You should only use protective equipment when risks can’t be avoided or reduced to an acceptable level by safe working practices. This equipment should:
- meet the required standards
- be a correct fit for the worker or adjustable
- be compatible with any other equipment the worker has to use
- be easily accessible, properly stored and maintained
- be provided free of charge (unless it’s also used outside the workplace)
Read information on personal protective equipment.
5. Noise and vibration
You must carry out risk assessments to identify who is at risk from noise or vibration on your ship and what can be done to reduce or remove these risks.
You need to tell your workers about:
- the nature of noise or vibration risks
- how to eliminate or reduce the risks from noise or vibration
- the correct use of any protective equipment
- how to detect and report signs of injury
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency provides information on controlling the risks of noise and vibration at sea.
Download 'MGN 446 Control of vibration at work - procedure for seeking exemptions' (PDF, 87KB)
Download 'MGN 447 Control of vibration at work - procedure for seeking exemptions' (PDF, 87KB)
6. Small commercial vessels
If you employ people on a small commercial vessel, there are certain things you must do to make the boat safe for your workers, such as:
- fitting bulwarks, guardrails or wire around the working deck to stop people falling overboard
- installing safety harnesses for anyone working on deck
- installing a means of securing the lifelines of safety harnesses
- making all working deck surfaces non-slip
Smaller commercial vessels (under 24 metres) must comply with the ‘Small commercial vessels codes’ to ensure the health and safety of workers on board.
7. Seagoing passenger vessels
Domestic passenger ships
If you own or operate a seagoing domestic passenger ship, like a ferry, you must meet minimum safety requirements regarding:
- general safety management policies
- manning levels
- proper and stable construction
- carriage of safety equipment
- pollution prevention
A passenger ship is a ship of any description that carries more than 12 passengers. There are various safety standards for seagoing passenger ships. Please contact your local Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Office for more information on these standards.
International passenger ships
Passenger ships which operate internationally should follow certain international conventions, such as:
- The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
- The International Convention on Load Lines
- The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
If you own or operate a seagoing passenger ship and are unsure about which safety standards apply to your ship, contact your local Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Office.
8. Safety on vessels on inland waters
Passenger vessels operating on inland waters - like estuaries, lakes and rivers and canals - must follow safety standards and requirements.
Inland waters or inland waterways are known legally as ‘categorised waters’. These waters are defined and listed in Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1827 (as amended) Categorisation of Waters.
Download 'Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1827 (as amended) Categorisation of Waters' (PDF, 245KB)
A passenger ship is a vessel that carries more than 12 passengers.
The requirements for passenger ships constructed from April 2010 onwards, and operating in UK categorised waters are set out in 'Merchant Shipping Notice 1823 (M) - Safety Code for Passenger Ships Operating Solely in UK Categorised Waters'.
The requirements for older passenger ships are covered by a number of different sets of regulations. Contact your local Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Office for further advice.
Vessels that carry no more than 12 passengers
Safety standards and best practice guidance for these vessels are set out in the Inland Waters Small Passenger Boat Code.
Download 'Sound practice, safer waters - the Inland Waters Small Passenger Boat Code' (PDF, 406KB)
9. Marine engineering
Marine engineering involves the design, construction, installation, and operation of systems and equipment that help to move and control ships. You must ensure the safety of any members of your crew who are using or maintaining marine engineering equipment like:
- switchboards and computerised equipment
- machinery installations
- boilers and emergency equipment
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provides information on the safe installation and use of marine engineering.
Download 'Machinery and boilers guidance from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency' (PDF, 91KB)
10. Fire prevention
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provides information on requirements for fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction on board ships.
What you need to do depends on the size of your ship.
Requirements for large ships are set out in the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Large Ships) Regulations 1998.
Requirements for small ships are set out in the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Small Ships) Regulations 1998.
You can find the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations 2003 on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) website
Contact the MCA to find out more about fire prevention and detection at sea.
MCA fire prevention and detection helpline
023 8032 9119
Find out about call charges
11. Safety in ports
You must put health and safety measures in place to ensure the safety of your workers while you are in a port.
You can find a range of publications and guidance on health and safety in ports on the Health and Safety executive website.