Addressing a leading cause of occupational accidents within the maritime industry.
Inadequate access and egress for work, maintenance and inspection remains an area of concern, with slips, trips and falls representing a leading cause of occupational accidents withing the maritime industry.
This Guidance Note introduces additional requirements for the structural design and arrangement of common means of access on board ships. Addressing the significant hazards, the document includes considerations for the design, construction and appropriate selection and use of structures or appliances which facilitate working at height, such as work platforms; structures or appliances which facilitate transit within or between adjacent spaces on the level or across a change in elevation, such as walkways, ramps, stairs and ladders; and openings in the structure which facilitate entry to and exit from spaces, such as hatches and manholes, and scuttles, together with their closing appliances. It also provides guidance for the provision of appropriate safety controls, specifying functional and technical requirements for means of fall protection, together with their fittings; special materials of construction and coating; and safety signs and safety markings, as appropriate for the selected arrangement.
This Guidance Note is not intended to be a means to demonstrate compliance with, nor replace, existing requirements relating to means of access as given by statutory legislation or in the Lloyd’s Register (LR) Rules and Regulations, but to complement and enhance them. The requirements in this document build upon recognised ergonomics standards and industry best practices, and provide a flexible framework to assist owners, designers, and builders in facilitating the safe movement of crew within or between working and/or living spaces on board both existing and new build ships and improving safety outcomes.