Freight container regulations

Under the Freight Container (Safety Convention) Regulations 2017[31], HSE is responsible for:

  • issuing approvals for firms who oversee the design and manufacture of containers and
  • upholding maintenance standards for freight containers in Great Britain through the Approved Continuous Examination Scheme (ACEP) and Periodic Examination Scheme (PES)

The Regulations apply to most types of freight container used at a place of work and require that the containers be:

  • Approved – Freight containers and their derivatives must have their design, specification and construction approved by an organisation appointed by HSE to carry out this work. Those needing to have their containers approved should approach one of the appointed organisations directly.
  • Periodically examined – Freight containers must be regularly examined by a competent person and in accordance with arrangements that are approved by HSE to determine whether the container is fit for use and to verify satisfactory maintenance.
  • Maintained – Freight containers must be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. The Regulations imply more than merely repairing defects as they become apparent through failure or examination – routine inspections should include systematic preventative maintenance to ensure the container is safe for continued use.
  • Plated – Freight containers must have a safety approval plate permanently affixed, giving information on its status and design parameters. This includes the reference number of the organisation that approved the container, the identification number of the container, its maximum gross operation weight and details of the examination arrangements.
  • Marked – so that any maximum operating gross weight shown on the body of the container is consistent with the marking on its safety approval plate.

Further information

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. Freight Container (Safety Convention) Regulations 2017https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/325/made
  32. Approval of container design and manufacture https://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-approval.htm
  33. Approval of ACEP and PES examination schemes and container examination procedureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ports/container-examination.htm
  34. International Convention for Safe Containershttps://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Pages/Containers-Default.aspx
  35. L148 - Safety in docks. ACOPhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l148.htm
  36. L155 - Dangerous goods in harbour areas Regs 2016https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l155.htm
  37. Container approval - Green guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/dis8.htm
  38. Container examination - Yellow guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/dis9.htm
  39. Quick guide to health and safety in portshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg446.htm
  40. Port Skills and Safety https://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/resources
  41. Department for Transport - Portshttps://www.gov.uk/transport/ports-harbours-and-offshore-installations
  42. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)http://www.imo.org/
  43. Port skills and safetyhttps://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/resources
  44. Logisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/index.htm
  45. Risk managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm
  46. Explosivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/index.htm
  47. Work equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/index.htm
  48. Work at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm
  49. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

DGHAR
Duties under the Dangerous Goods in Harbour Areas Regulations 2016
RAIB
Rail Accident Investigation Branch
ACOP
Approved Code of Practice

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Updated 2024-03-20