Code of safe working practices

ISM Code requires

 Company’s safety Management System should “ ensure that applicable
codes, guideline and standards recommended by administration” are
taken into account
 Safety management objectives of the Company should, inter alia …
establish safeguards against all identified risks
 The Company to “ define, and document the responsibility, authority and
interrelation of all personal who manage, perform and verify work relating
to and affecting safety and pollution prevention.”
All employers have a duty to ensure that health and safety of workers as per
above. The measures required include:
 Safe working places and environment
 Safe plant, machinery and equipment
 Health and safety training, instruction, supervision and information
 Any necessary protective clothing and equipment where risks cannot be
removed by other means
 A health and safety policy
Introduction of CODE OF SAFE WORKING PRACTICES FOR MERCHANT
SEAMEN gives regulatory framework for health and safety on board and overall
responsibilities.
Section 1 is largely concerned with safety management and statutory duties.
Section 2 begins with a chapter setting out areas that should be covered in
introducing a new recruit to safety procedures on board. It goes on to explain
what individuals can do to improve their personal health and safety.
Section 3 is concerned with various working practices common to all ships.
Section 4 covers safety aspect for specialist ship.
SECTION 1 - SAFETY RESPONSBILITIES/SHIPBOARD MANAGEMENT
Chapter 1 – Risk assessment :Guidance on main elements of risk assessment
Chapter 2 – Health surveillance:Purpose of health assessment, application and
what to do
Chapter 3 – Safety officials: Employer duties, appointment of safety officer, safety
representative, safety committees, safety inspection, record of accidents
and dangerous occurrences, accident investigation,
Chapter 4 - Personal protective equipment: Employer duties, worker duties, types
of equipment,
Chapter 5 – Safety signs
Chapter 6 - Means of access and safe movement: Safe movements, entry into
dangerous spaces,
Chapter 7 – Work equipment: Health and safety at work, guarding of machinery
and safety of electrical equipment, lifting plant, testing and examination of
lifting equipment,
SECTION 2 – PERSONAL HEATH AND SAFETY
Chapter 8 – Safety induction: Emergency procedures and fire precautions,
accidents and medical emergencies, health and hygiene, good

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 housekeeping, environmental responsibilities, occupational health and
safety,
Chapter 9 – Fire precautions: Smoking, electrical and other fittings, spontaneous
combustion, machinery spaces and galleys
Chapter 10 – Emergency procedures: Action in event of fire, musters and drills,
fire drills, survival craft drills, drills and rescue from dangerous spaces,
assisting a casualty, dangerous goods
Chapter 11 – Security on board: International terrorism, stowaways, piracy and
armed robbery, drugs
Chapter 12 – Living on board: Health and hygiene, medication, working in hot
climates, working clothes, shipboard housekeeping, substances
hazardous to health, common personal injuries
Chapter 13 – Safe movement: Drainage, transit areas, lighting, guarding of
openings, watertight doors,
Chapter 14 – Food preparation and handling: Health and hygiene, slip, falls and
tripping hazards, refrigerated rooms and store rooms
SECTION 3 – WORK ACTIVITIES
Chapter 15 – Safe systems of work: Working aloft and outboard, portable
ladders, cradles and stages, working from punts, work in machinery
spaces, boilers, unmanned machinery spaces, refrigerated machinery
Chapter 16 – Permit to work system: Entry into confined space, hot work,
working aloft/overside
Chapter 17 – Entering closed or confined spaces: Oxygen deficiency, toxicity of
oil cargoes, flammability,
Chapter 18 – Boarding arrangements
Chapter 19 – Manual handling
Chapter 20 – Use of work equipment: Use of tools and equipment, hand tools,
portable power operated tools and equipment, workshop and bench,
abrasive wheels, ropes, lifts,
Chapter 21 – Lifting plant
Chapter 22 – Maintenance
Chapter 23 – Hot work
Chapter 24 – Painting
Chapter 25 – Anchoring, mooring and towing arrangements
Chapter 26 - Hatch covers and access slides
Chapter 27 – Hazardous substances
Chapter 28 – Use of safety signs
SECTION 4 – SPECIALIST SHIPS
Chapter 29 – Dry cargo ships
Chapter 30 – Tankers and other ships carrying bulk liquid cargo
Chapter 31 – Ships serving oil and gas installations
Chapter 32 – Ro-Ro ferries
Chapter 33 – Port towage industry