The Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Regulations 1960

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.