The Merchant Shipping (Hatches and Lifting Plant) Regulations 1988

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations:—

“Code” means the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen published in 1978 by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and any document amending or replacing it which is considered by the Secretary of State to be relevant from time to time and is specified in a Merchant Shipping Notice;

“competent person” means a person over the age of 18 possessing the knowledge and experience required for the performance of thorough examinations and tests of ships' lifting plant;

“employer” means the person for the time being employing the master;

“fishing vessel” means a vessel for the time being employed in fishing but does not include a vessel used otherwise than for profit;

“freight container” means a container as defined in regulation 2 of the Freight Containers (Safety Convention) Regulations 1984(1);

“hatch covering” includes hatch covers, beams and attached fixtures and fittings;

“lifting appliance” means any ship’s stationary or mobile appliance (and every part thereof including attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting that appliance but not including vehicle coupling arrangements) which is used on a ship for the purpose of suspending, raising or lowering loads or moving them from one position to another whilst suspended and includes ship’s lift trucks and similar vehicles; it does not include—

(a)

pipes, or gangways; or

(b)

screw, belt, bucket or other conveyors;

used for the continuous movement of cargo or people but does include the lifting appliances used to suspend, raise, lower or move any of these items;

(c)

survival craft or rescue boat launching and recovery appliances or arrangements; or

(d)

pilot hoists.

“lifting gear” means any gear by means of which a load can be attached to a lifting appliance and which does not form an integral part of that appliance or load but does not include pallets, one-trip slings and pre-slung cargo slings, and freight containers;

“lifting plant” includes any lifting appliance or lifting gear;

“master” includes any person in charge of a vessel during the absence of the master but excludes a watchman;

“Merchant Shipping Notice” means a Notice described as such issued by the Secretary of State;

“offshore installation” means any offshore installation within the meaning of section 1 of the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971(2);

“one-trip sling” means a sling which has not previously been used for lifting any other load and is fitted to the load at the commencement of the journey and intended to be disposed of at the destination of that journey;

“pleasure craft” means a vessel primarily used for sport or recreation.

(1)

S.I. 1984/1890.

(2)

1971 c. 61; section 1 was substituted by section 24 of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 (c. 23).