The Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) (Amendment) Regulations 1993

Statutory Instruments

1993 No. 3232

MERCHANT SHIPPING

SAFETY

The Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) (Amendment) Regulations 1993

Made

21st December 1993

Laid before Parliament

7th January 1994

Coming into force

31st January 1994

The Secretary of State for Transport, after consulting the persons referred to in section 22(2) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979(1), in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sub-sections (1)(a) and (b) and (3) and (4) of section 21 and section 22(1) of that Act and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 and shall come into force on 31st January 1994.

2.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations 1987(2) shall be amended as follows—

(2) There shall be inserted after regulation 3 the following—

“Post-1993 requirements

3A.— (1) In relation to any pilot ladder, accommodation ladder, hoist or associated equipment installed on a ship on or after 31st January 1994, these Regulations shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in the Schedule hereto.

(2) In relation to any pilot ladder, accommodation ladder, hoist or associated equipment installed on a ship before 31st January 1994 but replaced or modified on the ship on or after that date, these Regulations shall so far as is reasonable and practicable have effect subject to the said amendments.

(3) In relation to any arrangements for pilot transfer put in place or modified on or after 31st January 1994, these Regulations shall have effect subject to the said amendments.”

(3) Therre shall be added at the end the following Schedule—

Regulation 3A

“SCHEDULE POST-1993 REQUIREMENTS

1.   At the end of regulation 6(d) there shall be added:

• “having means of communication with the navigating bridge and whose duties include arranging for the pilot to be escorted by a safe route to and from the navigating bridge.”.

2.   After regulation 6(d) there shall be added the following sub-paragraph—

“(e) personnel engaged in rigging or operating any mechanical equipment are instructed in the safe procedures to be adopted and that the equipment is to be tested prior to each use.”.

3.   In regulation 7(2)(a) for the first sentence there shall be substituted the following sentence:

“Where an accommodation ladder is provided for the purposes of regulation 5(2) it shall be so sited that, where used in conjunction with a pilot ladder for embarking or disembarking pilots, officials and other persons, the lower end of the accommodation ladder rests firmly against the side of the ship and leading aft and, as far as is practicable, within the mid-ship half section, and clear of all discharges.”

4.   After sub-paragraph (b) of regulation 7(2) there shall be added the following sub-paragraphs—

“(c) The length of an accommodation ladder shall be sufficient to ensure that its angle of slope does not exceed 55 degrees.

(d) The lower platform of an accommodation ladder shall be in a horizontal position when in use, and intermediate platforms, if fitted, shall be self-levelling.The treads and steps of an accommodation ladder shall be so designed that an adequate and safe foothold is given at the operative angles.

(e) The ladder and platforms shall be equipped on both sides with stanchions and rigid handrails, or with tight and properly secured hand ropes.The vertical space between the handrail or handrope and the stringers of the ladder shall be securely fenced.

(f) Lighting shall be provided at night such that the full length of an accommodation ladder is adequately lit.

(g) If a trap door is fitted in a lower platform to allow access from and to the pilot ladder, the opening shall be not less than 750 millimetres by 750 millimetres and the after part of the lower platform shall also be fenced as specified in sub-paragraph (e) above.The pilot ladder shall extend above the lower platform to the height of the handrail.”.

5.   In regulation 7(3) after the words “trim of the ship” there shall be inserted the words “and for an adverse list of 15 degrees”.

6.   In regulation 7(4), for sub-paragraph (d) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph:

“(d) be not less than 400 millimetres between the side ropes, 115 millimetres wide and 25 millimetres in depth, excluding any non-slip device or grooving.”

7.   In regulation 7(6)(i) for the number “20”there shall be substituted the number “28”.

8.   In regulation 7(8)(a) for the words “safe and convenient” there shall be substituted the words “safe, convenient and unobstructe”.

9.   There shall be added to regulation 7(8) the following sub-paragraph:

“(d) Shipside doors used for pilot transfer shall not open outwards.”.

10.   There shall be substituted for the first two sentences of regulation 8(1) the following—

• “A mechanical pilot hoist and its ancillary equipment shall be of a type approved by the Secretary of State.The pilot hoist shall be designed to operate as a moving ladder to lift and lower one person on the side of the ship, or as a platform to lift and lower one or more persons on the side of the ship.It shall be of such design and construction as to ensure that the pilot can be embarked and disembarked in a safe manner, including a safe access between the hoist and the deck.Such access shall be gained directly by a platform securely guarded by handrails.”

11.   In regulation 8(2) the words “and clear of all discharges” shall be added before the words “taking into consideration”.

12.   In regulation 9(4)(c) there shall be inserted “or platform” after “a ladder”.

13.   At the end of regulation 9(5)(i) there shall be added the following sentence: “A portable hoist shall be equipped with an interlock which prevents operation of the hoist when the hoist is not correctly installed.”.

14.   In regulation 9(5)(j) for “30 metres” there shall be substituted “21 metres”.

15.   There shall be added to regulation 9(5) the following sub-paragraph:

“(m) The hoist shall be capable of lifting, lowering and stopping when carrying 2.2 times its working load.”

16.   There shall be added to regulation 9(6) the following sub-paragraphs—

“(d) A minimum safety factor of six shall be applied to the falls.

(e) The falls shall be so arranged that the ladder or lift platform remains level if one fall breaks.”.

17.   In regulation 9(7)(b) for the first sentence (as far as “requirements”) there shall be substituted—

“Below the rigid part mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above, a section of flexible ladder comprising eight steps shall be secured by appropriate fittings and constructed in accordance with the following requirements—”

18.   In regulation 9(7)(d) for the words “be placed as close as practicable to” there shall be substituted the words “operate against”.

19.   There shall be added to regulation 9(7) the following sub-paragraph—

“(e) The platform of a hoist designed to operate as a lift platform shall:

(i) have a non-slip surface at least 750 millimetres by 750 millimetres exclusive of the surface area of any trap door in the floor;

(ii) carry no more than one person per square metre of floor area or fraction thereof exclusive of the area of a trap door;

(iii) have a trapdoor, if provided, at least 750 millimetres by 750 millimetres, so arranged that a pilot ladder may be rigged through the trapdoor extending above the platform to the height of the handrail;

(iv) be enclosed by a guardrail a least one metre above the surface of the platform with at least two intermediate rails between the floor and the guard rail.The rails shall be set back from the edge of the platform at lest 50 millimetres and any gate in the rails shall have a latch which can keep the gate securely closed.”.”

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Caithness

Minister of State

Department of Transport

21st December 1993

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulation)

These Regulations amend the Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations 1987 to take account of amendments made to regulation 17 of Chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 by Resolution MSC.22(59) of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization, adopted on 23 May 1991. With effect from 31st January 1994 more stringent requirements apply to equipment or arrangements supplied or modified on or after that date. The requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations 1987 will continue to apply unamended to arrangements made, or equipment and installations fitted, before that date.

Copies of Resolutions of the International Maritime Organization can be obtained from IMO, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR.

(1)

1979 c. 39.

(2)

S.I. 1987/1961.