Special considerations for personnel

Working on vessels comes with special safety considerations. Use this page as a guide to stay safe when working with cranes on barges.

Operations on vessels have their own special safety precautions. This guide includes factors that should be considered to keep personnel safe when working on vessels.

Life jackets

All personnel working on a vessel need to wear life jackets. These are in addition to any other personal protective equipment needed for the work. For example, safety harnesses for working at height. Self-inflating life vests are recommended in these situations as they are more ergonomic.

Side railings

The vessel should have a suitable side railing system and suitable gangways for the access and egress of personnel. A floating life-saving appliance should be readily available on deck.

Ladders

Emergency ladders designed to allow a person overboard to climb back on deck should be fitted to the outside of the vessel. These are a safety precaution. These ladders should reach a minimum of 0.5m below water level with a maximum spacing of 30m between them. The ladders are to be fitted on all sides open to the water.

Equipment as hazards

Vessels are not designed as work areas. This means that in certain places a lot of nautical equipment may be in the way of unhindered walking or passage. This equipment may include:

• bollards
• winches
• capstans
• hatches
• valve actuators.

When designing the vessel arrangements and determining the crane position, there are special safety factors of the equipment to consider. These include:

• identifying the position of equipment on deck
• considering possible interaction with personnel
• preventive safety measures designed and implemented as part of the engineering plan.