HSE and fishing vessels

The MCA is responsible for enforcing safety on fishing vessels but HSE's legislation applies to their loading and unloading, and access to the vessels while this takes place. HSE also enforces in respect of fish farms.

The Regulations require:

  • Maintenance of a safe working place and safe access including
    • Ship to shore access
    • Ship to ship
    • Ships holds
    • Arrangements for dealing with slippery surfaces
    • Suitable and adequate lighting
    • Rescue and life saving equipment
    • Means of allowing escape from danger
    • Fire-fighting equipment
  • Safe work practices and equipment including
    • Planning and carrying out loading/unloading in a safe manner
    • Providing safe, well maintained equipment

More detailed guidance is available in the publication: A guide to the Loading and Unloading of Fishing Vessels Regulations 1988 (Health and Safety Regulations No.28)[31].

Work in fishing convention (ILO 188)

The International Labour Organization's work in fishing convention (ILO 188) came into force internationally on 16 November 2017. The UK government made legislation to implement ILO 188 in November 2018, and was ratified in January 2019.

Further information[32]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Ports and dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/index.htm
  2. Overview - Ports industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/hse.htm
  3. Key industry stakeholdershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/stakeholders.htm
  4. Enforcing authoritieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/enforcing.htm
  5. Overview - Legal requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/legal-requirements.htm
  6. Dangerous goods - (DGHAR) https://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/dangerous-goods.htm
  7. Fishing vesselshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/fishing-vessels.htm
  8. FAQs on ports and dockshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/faqs.htm
  9. Overview - Freight container safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/containers.htm
  10. Freight container regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/regulations.htm
  11. Container design and manufacture approvalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-approval.htm
  12. Container examination schemeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-examination.htm
  13. RAIB - accident reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/raib.htm
  14. Overview - Topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/topics.htm
  15. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/transport.htm
  16. Lifting operationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/lifting-operations.htm
  17. Working at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/falls.htm
  18. Dusty cargoeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/dusty-cargoes.htm
  19. Musculoskeletal disordershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/msd.htm
  20. Whole-body vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/vibration.htm
  21. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/slips-and-trips.htm
  22. Confined spaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/confined-spaces.htm
  23. Overview - Access to vesselshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/access-to-vessels.htm
  24. Linkspans and walkwayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/linkspans-walkways.htm
  25. Standards at quayside ladders https://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/quayladder.htm
  26. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/resources.htm
  27. Publications and guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/publications.htm
  28. Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/case-studies.htm
  29. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/statistics.htm
  30. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/links.htm
  31. A guide to the Loading and Unloading of Fishing Vessels Regulations 1988 (Health and Safety Regulations No.28)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr28.htm
  32. Further informationhttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ilo-work-in-fishing-convention
  33. A guide to the Loading and Unloading of Fishing Vessels Regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr28.htm
  34. Port Skills and Safety https://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/
  35. Department for Transport - Portshttps://www.gov.uk/transport/ports-harbours-and-offshore-installations
  36. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)http://www.imo.org/

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

DGHAR
Duties under the Dangerous Goods in Harbour Areas Regulations 2016
RAIB
Rail Accident Investigation Branch

Is this page useful?

Updated 2022-06-27