- New Maritime Safety Guidelines Aim to Mitigate Risks for Class Surveyors.
- IACS Empowers Surveyors with Stop Work Authority in Safety Initiative.
- Fatigue Management and PPE Use Highlighted in IACS Safety Guidelines.
The health and safety of employees come first for any classification society. Class Surveyors are more at risk of OHS risks due to the difficulties of the environment under which they perform their inspections and surveys. Therefore, proper safety standards are required. For this purpose, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has issued Rec. 184: Guidelines on Safety Standards for Work, reports IACS.
Comprehensive Guidelines for Enhanced Safety
The guidelines provide a framework of safer working conditions for surveyors and all personnel conducting maritime operations. They help adopt a systematic method of risk mitigation, focusing on measures such as extensive risk assessment and situational awareness, which ensures surveyors are best prepared to effectively respond to all hazards, always putting their safety and well-being at the forefront.
The guidelines recognize the need for physical and mental preparedness but also emphasize regular medical checkups to ensure that the surveyor is fit to work. This further emphasizes rest, which should be adequate to ward off fatigue, the major cause of decreased performance, with a chance of accidents happening.
Empowering Surveyors and Promoting Safety
One of the key features of the guidelines is the empowerment of surveyors to take proactive action in unsafe situations. Surveyors are encouraged to use “stop work authority,” halting tasks whenever safety conditions are deemed inadequate. This ensures that corrective measures are implemented before work continues. The guidelines also mandate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), with detailed instructions on its maintenance and timely replacement to guarantee its effectiveness.
This guideline emphasizes standardized safety practices, thereby ensuring consistency among classification societies. Uniformity encourages a harmonized approach to safety, regardless of the work environment, and strengthens the overall safety culture in the maritime industry.
High-Risk Activities
The guidelines address specific activities that pose heightened risks to surveyors, such as working at heights, transferring between boats, and conducting surveys in confined spaces or on rafts. They also provide detailed protocols for managing pressure tests, handling stored and electrical energy, and participating in sea trials. Precautions for extreme weather conditions, hazardous materials, and travel-related risks are also outlined, ensuring surveyors are equipped to navigate the varied dangers associated with their roles.
Supporting a Safer Maritime Industry
The IACS guidelines represent a major leap forward in raising OHS standards across the maritime industry. Through safety focus, collaboration, and consistency in practice, IACS strives to create a safer and more sustainable industry. The guidelines are now available on the IACS website as a valuable resource for surveyors, classification societies, and industry stakeholders who are committed to upholding the highest standards of safety.
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Source: IACS
