MGN 484 (M) Amendment 3 maritime labour convention 2006, health and safety published accident statistics information and advice
Published 4 May 2022
© Crown copyright 2022
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Summary
Regulation 7 of the merchant shipping and fishing vessels (health and safety at work) regulations 1997, as amended by the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention) (health and safety) regulations 2014, requires employers and shipowners to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of risks to the health and safety of workers and other seafarers, arising during the normal course of their duties.
In carrying out such a risk assessment, shipowners are required to have regard to the statistical information and associated advice referred to in this guidance note.
This guidance note gives information about published marine accident statistics and safety advice which are currently available.
MCA expects shipowners to use the relevant information to maintain awareness of hazards and risks which are causing accidents on board ships, and of recommended best practice to avoid occupational accidents.
Amendment 3 includes the most recent information sources.
1. Introduction
1.1 The merchant shipping and fishing vessels (health and safety at work) regulations (S.I. No.1997/2962), as amended by the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention)(health and safety) regulations 2014, (the “health and safety regulations (as amended)”) require the employer and shipowner to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of risks to the health and safety of workers and other seafarers, arising during the normal course of their duties. MGN 636 (M) amendment 1 gives guidance on risk assessments.
1.2 In carrying out such a risk assessment, shipowners are required to have regard to the statistical information and associated advice referred to in this notice.
1.3 This implements for the UK Standard A4.3.8 of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
1.4 This requirement does not apply to pleasure vessels, fishing vessels, warships or naval auxiliaries, ships of traditional build, or ships not ordinarily engaged in commercial operations.
2. Published statistical information
2.1 Deaths and personal injuries on UK-register ships
2.1.1 The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) publishes an annual report which includes summary statistics and recommendations of reported accidents during the reporting year. The most recent report covers the calendar year 2020.
2.1.2 The tables in part three give some high-level statistics on the number of injuries and fatalities, the type of injury and body part affected, and the part of the ship where the injury or fatality took place.
2.1.3 The Chief Inspector’s statement highlights some themes and concerns emerging from the investigations undertaken by the MAIB during the year. Part 2 summarises investigation reports and safety bulletins produced, and recommendations made.
3. Safety alerts
3.1 MAIB safety bulletins are produced when urgent safety issues emerge during the course of an investigation and the Chief Inspector decides to disseminate this important information in advance of the main investigation report being produced.
3.2 MAIB also publishes safety digests, which contain anonymous articles involving vessels from the merchant, fishing and small craft sector, drawing attention to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents.
3.3 The Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) publishes quarterly FEEDBACK newsletters for the maritime sector containing a selection of reports (with the reporters’ consent) combined with CHIRPs response, to make a wider audience aware of situations.
Anyone that has witnessed a maritime incident or near miss that does not require reporting but feels that industry could learn from it is encouraged to confidentially report it to CHIRP.
3.4 MCA publishes on its website safety bulletins to raise awareness of recent safety issues.
3.5 The MCA has undertaken work to identify statistical trends in crew injuries and fatalities on UK flagged merchant ships, with the intention of identifying recurring themes and to allow shipping companies to compare their performance as regards personal injury rate with the average across the fleet, and within specific sectors. MAIB data (2011-2017) was used and compared to the number of UK flagged ships, however no conclusive trends could be seen. Better understanding of the population data, for example the ability to use the number of seafarers and/or operation hours rather than number of vessels, may allow us to draw conclusions. Whilst a high-level estimate of the number of seafarers is available, this is not currently accurate enough to identify trends over time. This report is not currently published, but the MCA intends to continue work in this space and publish information when accurate enough to be of value to industry..
3.6 Not all the information published will be of value to all shipowners, and other statistics or sources of advice may be available which are not listed, which are more relevant to a particular operations or shipowners.
3.7 MCA expects shipowners to use the relevant information available to maintain awareness of hazards and risks which are causing accidents on board ships, and of recommended best practice to avoid occupational accidents.
4. References to this notice in the health and safety regulations (as amended by the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention) (health and safety) (Amendment) regulations 2014)
4.1 The reference to this notice in the health and safety regulations (as amended) is identified below. This is the version of marine guidance note 484(M) amendment 3, which is considered to be relevant until further notice.
4.2 Reg 7(4)(A): The statistical information and associated advice to which shipowners should have regard when conducting a risk assessment under regulation 7 includes the information and advice listed in sections 2 and 3 of this notice.
More information
Seafarer Safety and Health Branch
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/17
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Telephone: +44 (0)203 8172498
Email: mlc@mcga.gov.uk
Website: www.gov.uk/mca
General enquiries: infoline@mcga.gov.uk
Please note that all addresses and telephone numbers are correct at time of publishing.
Published: April 2022
© Crown Copyright 2022