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I N T E R N A T I O N A L LABOUR OFFICE

SAFETY
IN

DOCK WORK

)

MONTREAL,

1945

STUDIES AND REPORTS
'' J

Series F, Second Section (Safety), N o . 10

PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR O F F I C E ,

3480 University Street, Montreal, 2, Canada
Published in the United Kingdom for the INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE:

by P. S. King & Staples Ltd., London
Distributed in the United States by the INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE,.

Washington Branch, 734 Jackson Place, Washington, 6, D.C

PREFACE
To give effect to a Recommendation adopted by the Second
Inter-Governmental Conference on Reciprocal Arrangements respecting Safety in the Loading and Unloading of Ships, held in
London in July 1935, the International Labour Office decided, in
1937, to publish a monograph on Safety in Dock Work. After consultation with the members of the Correspondence Committee on
Accident Prevention, the Office appointed Mr. C. MÖRZER BRUYNS,
Chief Port Labour Inspector of Rotterdam, as "rapporteur" to
prepare a first draft of the technical part of the monograph.
Mr. Mörzer Bruyns went to work with such zeal and alacrity
that the preliminary text of Part I was completed and submitted to
the I.L.O. in exactly three months.
In conformity with the established practice, the next steps
should be revision of the draft by the I.L.O., translation into French,
and submission to the Correspondence Committee on Accident
Prevention for discussion, final drafting and adoption.
The revision and translation of the text proved- to be a difficult.
task, and when the draft was finally ready for discussion, further
progress proved to be impossible, for financial and other reasons.
Then the war broke out and the monograph had to be put aside.
However, the International Labour Office gradually resumed its
activities after the transfer of its working centre from Geneva to
Montreal in September 1940 and the preparation of Mr. Mörzer
Bruyns' text for publication was one of the first tasks to be taken
in hand again. In the summer of 1942 the draft was distributed
to all the members of the Correspondence Committee whom the
Office could reach, and it was subsequent y discussed at a meeting
of the Canadian and United States members of the Committee,.
held in New York in December of that year. The Committee
suggested certain small changes in the draft, and unanimously
expressed the wish that:
"in view of the very considerable value of the material it contains, this monograph should be issued by the International Labour
Office as quickly as it can be prepared for publication".

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Although the Office fully recognised the desirability of having
the monograph published at the earliest possible date, it was
considered essential to obtain the views of at least some of the
European members of the Committee; owing to difficulties of
communication, however, this was bound to cause considerable
delay in publication.
The International Labour Office is greatly indebted to Mr.
Mörzer Bruyns for his excellent preparatory work; it regrets that
events since the spring of 1940 have compelled it to complete the
monograph without benefiting further from his great experience
in all matters concerning dock work, and hopes to count him among
its external collaborators in this field in the future. The Office also
wishes to express sincere thanks to the members of the Correspondence Committee who assisted in the revision of the monog r a p h , and particularly to Mr. G. STEVENSON TAYLOR, London,
Mr. Cyril AINSWORTH, New York, Mr. Swen KJAER, Washington,
D.C., and Mr. R. B. MORLEY, Toronto, who submitted valuable
material for inclusion in the text.

CONTENTS
Page
PREFACE

PART I
S A F E T Y I N DOCK WORK
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I:
§
§
§
§

General Measures of Protection for Hoisting and Transport
Machinery Used in Loading and Unloading Ships
1. Fencing of Dangerous Parts
2. Safe Means of Access
3. Protection against Accidental Descent of Loads
4. • Safety Factors

CHAPTER I I :

Hoisting Machines and Gear on Board

CHAPTER I I I :

Cranes, etc., Ashore and on Pontoons and Lighters

CHAPTER IV:

Strength of Slings. Influence of the Angle between the Legs
of a Sling on the Actual Tension in the Legs

3
3
4
4
4
6
20
25

CHAPTER V:
Masls and Derricks
§ 1. Masts
§ 2. Derricks

32
32
34

CHAPTER V I :

Derrick Spans

C H A P T E R VII :

Blocks

CHAPTER V I I I :

Chains, Rings, Hooks, Shackles, Swivels, etc

The Influence of Quality, Lay, Splices and Number of
Strands on the Strength of Manilla and Steel Wire Ropes. .
§ 1. General Remarks
§ 2. Manilla Ropes
(a) Material
(b) Nominal Dimensions and Method of Measuring
(c) Method of Measuring the Breaking Strength of the R o p e . . . .
(d) Breaking Length
§ 3. Steel and Iron Wire Ropes

60
60
60
60
62
63
63
63

CHAPTER I X :

CHAPTER V X :

Testing and Examination of Lifting
before Being Taken into Use

Machines and Gear

Means of Access to Hold, from Shore to Ship, from Railing
to Deck, and to Ships not Lying Alongside a Quay or Another
Ship
§ 1. Means of Access to Hold
§ 2. Means of Access from Shore to Ship and from Railing to Deck. . .
§ 3. Means of Access to Ships not Lying Alongside a Quay

CHAPTER X I :

69
69
73
77

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
Page

CHAPTER X I I :
§
§
§
§
§
§

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Hatches,
Beams
General Remarks
Hatches
Hatchways.. ;
Hatch Coverings
Coamings
Beams

Hatchways,

Hatch

Coverings,

Coamings

and
79
79
79
80
80
83
85

•

CHAPTER X I I I : Loading and Unloading of Goods Transported in Bulk, and
of General Cargo
§ 1. Bulk Cargo
§ 2. General Cargo
(a) Machinery and Gear Belonging to the Ships
(b) Shore and Floating General Cargo Cranes
(c) Miscellaneous Appliances for Loading and Unloading

87
87
87
88
89
90

CHAPTER X I V : Inspection and Supervision
§ 1. Inspection
§ 2. Supervision

97
97
99

CHAPTER X V :
§
§
§
§
§

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Diseases, Toxic and Other Harmful
Dock Workers Are Exposed
General Remarks
Diseases
Toxic Substances
Suffocation and Burns
T h e Carrying of Heavy Weights

CHAPTER X V I :

Substances to Which

Psychotechnical Aptitude Tests

100
100
100
101
107
107
108

PART II
LEGISLATION CONCERNING DOCK WORK
Introductory

Note

INTERNATIONAL

Ill
112

AUSTRALIA

125

CHILE
GERMANY

142
145

GREAT BRITAIN

154

PORTUGAL

168

SWEDEN

176

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

195

Bibliography

222

PART I

Safety in Dock Work

INTRODUCTION
The scope of dock labour is so wide that it is impossible to deal
in a monograph of reasonable length with all the risks to which
dock workers may be exposed, and not much more than a superficial account of some of the safety problems of stevedoring can be
attempted here.
These risks may arise from different causes and can be classified
according to the place of work as follows:
I. On board sea-going and inland waterway vessels.
(a) Means of access to the hold and communication in the hold ;
(b) Hatches and hatch coverings;
(c) Lifting machinery, including masts, derricks, standing and
running rigging;
(d) Equipment used for loading and discharging;
(e) Methods of loading, discharging, stacking and unstacking,
stowing and unstowing, etc.;
(/) Electricity, e.g. lighting on deck and in the holds, and
electrical hoisting machines.
Some of these subjects are large enough for separate monographs.
Another monograph could be written on the dangers to which
dock workers are exposed when handling 1 :
1. Explosives;
2. Compressed, liquefied and dissolved gases;
3. Substances which become dangerous by reaction with water
or air (e.g. ferrosilicon, calcium carbide);
4. Substances giving off flammable vapours, which, moreover,
are in many cases poisonous;
5. Corrosive substances (e.g. caustic potash and soda, acids);
6. Poisonous substances (e.g. ammonia, ethyl fluid) ;
7. Substances liable to spontaneous combustion (e.g. celluloid,
copra, films, matches, sulphur, cotton).
One of the most difficult problems is constituted by the dust
given off during the processes, e.g. when loading and unloading
1
The list follows the classification adopted in the Report (issued in 1933) of
the Departmental Committee appointed by the British Board of Trade to consider
the existing Board of Trade Memorandum on the "Carriage of Dangerous Goods
and Explosives in Ships".

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

fertilisers such as ground basic slag, or various ores, or pitch. In
this connection the spores of the anthrax-bacillus may be mentioned
as a serious danger; and as a lesser danger, acroleine evaporated
from whale oil.
II. Floating cranes, grain elevators, bunkering appliances, shear
legs, etc.
The dangers menacing the workers here are sometimes of another
nature than those mentioned under I, but it does not seem necessary to give a separate account of them.
III. Docks, wharves, quays and sheds, including all lifting
machinery and transport appliances ashore.
A valuable paper could be written on the safety problems ashore,
•e.g. fencing of approaches over docks, wharves or quays, rescue
from drowning, measures against fire, first aid, protection against
lightning, prevention of accidents caused by wagons and trucks,
or occurring in and on sheds, etc.
IV. Means of access to or from the vessel or other workplaces.
These include accommodation ladders, gangways, wooden and
rope ladders, and tugs and other boats used for the transport of
dockers by water.
At all events, many shipbuilding details have to be taken into
account, and an efficient inspection service must supervise enforcement of the regulations and calculate the stresses in the loading
and unloading equipment.
A treatise on safety and welfare generally, including the influence of mechanisation, night work, the length of working hours,
meteorological circumstances, occupational skill, etc., would be a
valuable contribution to the subject now under consideration.
Considerations of space, however, have made it necessary to
restrict the scope of the monograph to the more important problems
of a purely technical character and only a short chapter has been
added on the various diseases and dangerous substances to which
the docker is exposed, and which sometimes cost him his life.
Some examples of national regulations for the prevention of •
accidents in dock work, together with international regulations,
will be found in Part II.
It is hoped that the present monograph, notwithstanding its
limitations, will serve a useful purpose and will help to bring about
a wider study of the manifold problems of safety in dock work.

CHAPTER I

GENERAL MEASURES OF PROTECTION FOR HOISTING
AND TRANSPORT MACHINERY USED IN
LOADING AND UNLOADING SHIPS
§ 1—Fencing of Dangerous Parts
Although most of the machinery and equipment used in the
loading and unloading of ships is of a special type, different from
that used in industry generally, there are certain general rules of
protection which are applicable in both cases.
Thus, as with industrial machinery in general, hoisting and
transporting appliances used on board ship and in docks, e.g.
winches, derricks, cranes, conveyors and transporters, must be
provided with proper fencing or other adequate protection at all
points where there is a risk of injury to the men in charge of machinery or to other persons employed in loading or unloading. All
dangerous machine parts, such as cog-wheels, chain or friction
drives, gears, shafting, etc., should either be completely enclosed
or otherwise adequately protected to prevent any person from
coming into accidental contact with them. The guards must not
be removed while the machine or apparatus is in use; if they have
to be removed they must be replaced as soon as possible, and in
any case before the machines or apparatus are again taken into
normal service.
As a general rule, it can be said that the types of enclosures or
guards ordinarily used in industry for similar purposes afford
sufficient protection for the installations that we are dealing with
here.
On steam-driven winches and other machinery the steam pipes
and all other steam-carrying or steam-heated parts must be adequately insulated or otherwise enclosed, so as to prevent burns.
Where electrically driven winches or other appliances are used,
care must be taken that all live electric conductors and other
current-carrying parts are protected in conformity with the special
regulations concerning electrical installations.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

§ 2—Safe Means of Access
Safe means of access should be provided for all drivers' platforms on cranes and other hoisting or transporting appliances, and
all such platforms and all other places on which crane operators,
winch drivers or other persons have to work, or over which they
have to pass in the course of their work, should be provided with
adequate railings so as to prevent persons from falling.
§ 3—Protection against Accidental Descent of Loads
All cranes, winches and other lifting machines should be provided with efficient brakes and with any other safety devices required to prevent accidental descent of suspended loads. This
general rule is of even greater importance in loading and unloading
operations in docks than at many other workplaces where hoisting
operations are being carried out.
Brakes and other devices installed for this purpose should be of
sound construction and of sufficient strength to hold safely the
heaviest load permissible for the crane or winch to which they
belong. All such devices should be kept in good working order and
properly examined and tested at regular intervals.
§ 4—Safety Factors
Since in many of the following chapters strength of materials
will be discussed, it may be useful to include here an enumeration of
safety factors for hoisting equipment.
In connection with the adoption of the (revised) Convention
(No. 32) concerning the protection against accidents of workers
employed in loading or unloading ships (see Part II), the International Labour Conference, at its 1932 Session, also adopted a Recommendation requesting the Governments of the principal countries concerned t o make arrangements with a view to securing reasonable uniformity in the application of the Convention.
In pursuance of this provision, meetings of representatives of a
number of maritime countries were held in London in 1932 and 1935.
The matter of safety factors was among those dealt with by these
meetings. The meeting in 1935 unanimously adopted a recommendation on this subject, as follows1:
Safely Factors.
In view of the importance of the provision by manufacturers of adequate
safety factors in their designs of hoisting machines and gear, manufacturers
'The final conclusions of this meeting were published, in extenso, in Industrial
Safety Survey, Vol. XII, No. 2, Mar.-Apr. 1936, pp. 42-45.

GENERAL MEASURES OF PROTECTION

should be given some guidance in this matter. For this purpose the adoption
of the following minimum safety factors is proposed without prejudice to account
being taken of the provisions and measures recommended by National Standards
Associations:
For all metal structural parts used in hoisting machinery:
(a) when the safe working load is 10 tons or less
(6) when the safe working load is over 10 tons
For
For
For
For

wooden structural details
chains
wire ropes as a general rule
fibre ropes

5
4
8
4K
S
7

It must be borne in mind that these figures are given as minima,
each country wishing to fix higher factors being authorised to do so.

CHAPTER II
HOISTING MACHINES AND GEAR ON BOARD
Article 9 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships
(revised 1932)1 begins with the general provision that:
Appropriate measures shall be prescribed to ensure that no hoisting machine,
or gear, whether fixed or loose, used in connection therewith, is employed in t h e
processes on shore or on board unless it is in a safe working condition.

Everyone who has to judge the safe working condition of some
part or other of ship's gear has naturally to be acquainted with the
stresses acting in that part when loading or unloading, even if
appropriate safety regulations exist.
It is not sufficient to accept the safe working load indicated by
someone who considers himself competent, or to be satisfied with a
safe working load found in a certificate: the responsible person
should be able to verify the figures, either by calculating the stresses
directly or by using the graphical method.
Such a procedure has proved to be necessary wherever a serious
examination has been made. The unreliability of many so-called
safe loads may be illustrated by the following table, relating to 12&
ships in the port of Rotterdam. Of course this table only mentions
cases that happened to be noticed during inspections; it should by
no means be assumed that it gives a list of all wrongly indicated
safe working loads.
The 128 ships in question were of 13 different nationalities.
Several vessels referred to in this table were in thé possession
of certificates, issued by competent persons, to the effect that the
derricks could be used up to the weight'marked upon them.
In no less than 26 cases these certificates proved to be of no value ;
the safe working loads had to be reduced considerably, and in some
cases permission could not be given to use the gear at all.
It is thus evident that certificates often cannot be relied upon,,
and hence it is not sufficient for the supervising persons to read the
certificates; serious investigation and verification of the safe load
are necessary.
1

The text of this Convention is given in Part I l o f t h e present report (p. 112).

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

TABLE
{Period from

Number
of

ships

2
7
8
14
3
10
1
49
3
11
4
1
10
3
2

Maximum
load
marked on
derrick
(metric
tons)
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
13

1 January

I
1934 to 1 January

1937)

Maximum loads allowable in view of the dimensions
and position of the apparatus

0.75, 1.
— * , 0.8, 0.8, 0.9, 1.4, 1.4, 1.6.
—*•*, 0.8, 0.8, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.5, 1.6.
1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.6, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2.1, 2.5, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7.
1.8, 2.5, 3.
1.3, 2, 2, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 3, 3, 3, 3.1.
1.
— * * * , 1.3, 1.3, 2, 2, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 3, 3,
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.9, 3.9, 3.9, 3.9;
4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4.2, 4.2.
3.2, 4, 5.
3, 3, 3.9, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 5, 5, 5, 5.3.
5.3, 6, 6, 6.
6.5.
3, 3, 3.5, 3.9, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6.5, 7.
4, 5.1, 7.
5, .5.

128

* Derrick split: working not allowed.
** Derrick rotten: working not allowed.
*** Mast broke when hoisting a load of 900 kg.

As a matter of fact, the scientific training of the persons who
have to judge the safe loads in the light of the approved safety
factors should be sufficient to enable them to carry out these duties.
Even persons considered to be competent often misjudge the
stresses in the gear, if they have to base their judgment on what
they observe and have no occasion, or do not know how, to calculate them. A faulty estimate of these stresses is most likely if
the derrick is much longer than the mast; examples of such cases
are given in figs. 1 and 2.
This is not the place for a detailed discussion of stresses, b u t a
few general remarks may be useful. Given the safety factors, the
dimensions of the different parts of the gear can be fixed when t h e
stresses are known. Calculation of the stresses in the gear, however,
is a very difficult task, which should be performed by naval architects, standardisation committees, classification bureaux and the
like. For practical use tables have been compiled that greatly
facilitate verification. The most elaborate of these tables are to be
found in the Vorschriften über Lade- und Lösch-Einrichtungen of the
German See-Berufsgenossenschaft, in the Grundsätze für die Prü-

S A F E T Y I N DOCK W O R K

I :h=4
Fig. 1

I: h = 1.5

Fig. 2

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

jung von Ladegeschirr u.s.w. of the Germanischer Lloyd, and in the
Report of the Netherlands Committee for Loading and Unloading
Gear, etc.
As compared with calculation, however, the graphical method
enables the stresses to be computed with relative ease. Below are
some simple examples of this method for running rigging, showing
how greatly the stresses vary according to the construction of the
gear and the angle of the derrick to the horizontal.

I :h = l

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

676^
.©.

3 t.

Fig. 5

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

In the first series (figs. 3, 4, 5) three derricks of different lengths
are fastened to the same mast at an angle of 30° and the same load
is applied. The stresses in the single span wire rise from 3,000 to
6,264 kg, and the stress on the span block and on the fastening
point of this block to the mast, from 5,200 to 8,440 kg.

/ :h = 1

I : h = 1.7

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

:h=2A

Fig. 8

In the second series (figs. 6, 7, 8) the angle is 15°. With a 3-ton
load, the stress in the single span wire rises from 3,904 to 7,500 kg
and on the span block, from 7,000 to 11,146 kg.
Here the weight of the derrick with cargo block etc. (estimated
at 40O kg) is taken into account; this should also have been done in
the first series, but was omitted in order to bring out the theoretical
stresses induced by the load.

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

In the third series (figs. 9, 10, 11) the stresses are given for 3
methods of hoisting with the same derrick at the same angle.

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

It is worth mentioning that in most cases the stresses in the
span wire, span blocks and fastening points are influenced only by
the weight of the load ; the rig or method of hoisting, e.g. by single
or double gear or by fastening the upper end of the runner to the
cargo block or to the derrick, etc., will have an influence on these
stresses only when the cargo runner is taken parallel to the span wire.
However, the stresses in cargo runner, derrick-head cargo
block; derrick-heel lead block and fastenings depend to a large
extent on the manner of hoisting.
In principle, the influence of the weight of the derrick, cargo
block, etc., should not be neglected and usually half this weight is
taken into account. It can be considerable for heavy gear {e.g. the
weight of a derrick pole with cargo and guy blocks and steel wire
f o r a 50 top derrick may amount to 6,000 kg). Moreover the fric-

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

tion of the sheaves in the blocks has to be considered, and this is
generally estimated at 5 per cent, of the load per sheave.
With multiple-sheave blocks especially, the friction can be very
considerable, and safety may be seriously endangered if no special
attention is paid to it.
In this connection it may be useful to draw attention to the fact
that in the case of a derrick rigged with the cargo runner parallel
to the span, the greatest pull developed in the span wire during
hoisting or lowering occurs, due to frictional forces developed in
the runner blocks, during lowering. This may be illustrated by the
following example :
A load of 50 t is being steadily raised and lowered by a set of
blocks, having twelve parts of rope, connected to a boom having
the derrick ratio of 1. The cargo runner is taken parallel to the
span. When the derrick is at 45° to the horizontal, the tension in
the span rope due t o the static weight of 50 t is 38.5't. In this case,
the pull in the span rope can be calculated as follows: (1) assuming
no friction, and (2) assuming a friction of 5 per cent, per sheave.
(1) Assuming no friction.
rn f
Pull in cargo runner (hoisting or lowering) =—rr— = 4.2 t.
Hence, since the cargo runner is parallel to the span wire and
therefore relieves the pull in the latter, the pull in the span
rope (hoisting or lowering) = 38.5 t — 4.2 t = 34.3 t.
(2) Assuming 5 per cent, friction per sheave.
Pull in cargo runner during hoisting = 6.5 t
Pull on span wire = 38.5 t — 6.5 t = 32 t
Pull in cargo runner during lowering = 3 t
<
Pull on span wire = 38.5 t — 3 t = 35.5 t
Hence the pull in the span wire is approximately 10 per
cent, greater when lowering the load than when raising it.
TABLE II
W :B

L : B
0.15

0.30

0.40

0.75

9,540

5,540

4,740

1.0

11,780

6,750

5,700

• 1.5

16,580

9,390

7,840

2.0

21,530

12,150

10,080

HOISTING GBAR ON BOARD

The subject of blocks is dealt with
in more detail in Chapter VII.
To give an idea of the very intricate
problem of the stresses in standing
rigging it may be useful here to give
an extract from the abovementioned
Report of the Netherlands Committee
for Loading and Unloading Gear, etc.
(figs. 12,13). Let:

KW>KW>¡

I /
B

Hh — component of stress in span,
perpendicular to mast.
=
thwartship
distance of chainB
plates in m.
L = length of mast in m, measured from the deck to the
fastening points of rigging
and stay or span (largest
distance to be taken).
distance in m from chainW
plates of main ropes to thwartship plane through mast, perpendiculartoalongshipsplane.

Figs. 12-13

Table II, on page 12, shows, for
Hh = 3 tons, the stresses in kg for a mast only supported by main
ropes fastened at a moderate distance one from another.
The influence of W, L and B is evident. The situation will of
course change fundamentally when stays are used, but the table
gives a good idea of the stresses to which main ropes are exposed.
Moreover, it is a serious warning against working with loosened
main ropes and stays, which is done rather frequently, and has been
the cause of several casualties.
In this connection it is worth mentioning that during the years
1932-1936 the Netherlands Port Inspectorate noticed 23 cases in
which a mast collapsed. This number, of course, only covers the
cases known to the writer ; the causes are shown in the following table :
TABLE

III

Period

1 J a n u a r y 1932 to
31 December 1936

Number of
derricks
collapsed

Cause
Defective
equipment
14

Faulty
handling
9

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Naturally, very many other problems have to be solved, e.g.,
the resistance of masts and derricks to crushing stresses, and
the safe working load of wires, rigging screws and fastening points.
Generally speaking, standardisation committees, classification
bureaux and manufacturers are now giving very useful indications
on these points.
Lloyds Register Rules, for instance, require the scantlings of
the masts to be in accordance with table 47 of these Rules and
these scantlings are considered suitable for the support of average
equipment of derricks of normal outreach, provided that the staying
of the masts is efficient. Shrouds and stays are required to conform,
in number and size, to the specifications in tables 48 to 57 of the
Rules.
It is not very easy to devise a method for the calculation of the
stresses in the guys, which are generally determined by practical
means. The stresses may become very high, especially when working with fixed derricks and coupled runners (with inner and outer
tackle). 1
For this method special regulations have been issued in some
countries.
The Vorschriften über Lade- und Lösch-Einrichtungen auf deutschen Seeschiffen issued by the See-Berufsgenossenschaft in 1935 contain the following regulation:
§65
3. T h e use or two ñxed derricks with runners shackled together for loading
and unloading is only allowed when the eyes on the outer guys of the derricks,
and the outer guys themselves are strong enough.

and the Netherlands Committee for Loading and Unloading Gear
on Board Sea-going Ships stated in their report of 1932 (Part I),
section 20:
When cargo gear not especially constructed for this purpose is used for
loading or unloading with inner and outer tackle, the load shall not exceed i
of the load on which are based calculations of the relevant part of the gear assuming normal use with slewing derricks.
The guys shall have a t least the actual breaking strength mentioned below.
Care shall be t a k e n that, for cargo gear, constructed for loading or unloading
with inner and outer tackle, and for which sufficient directions for the fitting up
and the fixing of the guys are carried on board, the stresses in the derricks and
spans do not exceed the maximum values for the most unfavourable working
position of the derricks.
No guy shall be subjected to a heavier load than two sevenths of the actual
breaking strength.
1
In Great Britain, this arrangement is generally known as the "Union Purchase" rig.

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

This mode of working is only allowed for single rope and for loads of 2 tons
c
or less.
Moreover, when determining the length of the derricks consideration must
be given to the capacity of the winches, the height of the bulwarks, and any other
factors that may influence the stresses in the gear, and the dimensions and the
weight of the loads to be worked.

TABLE IV. GUYS FOR SLEWING DERRICKS
Maximum load to be hoisted
with the derrick (in tons of
1,000 kg)

Actual breaking strength
of the guy (in tons
of 1,000 kg)

1
2
3
4

4
6
8
10
12
13
17
22
27
33
37
40

6
10
15
20
30
40
50

As may be inferred from various publications it is generally
accepted that when working with heavy loads the safety factor may
be lower than when working with light loads. This is quite reasonable because, when a heavy load is to be hoisted, everything is
especially examined beforehand, the work is executed very
carefully and all shocks are avoided; the higher officers of the
ship and of the stevedoring company are present. All these measures are not taken and cannot be taken during ordinary work. In
addition, the loose gear for heavy derricks is generally stowed away
and mounted when necessary. It is used only on a few occasions
during its lifetime, so that practically no wear and tear is caused.
Moreover, it is almost impossible from a practical point of view
to supply a ship that is fitted out with gear for heavy loads, with
stays, etc., calculated for the highest safety factor, since these parts
of the gear would become too clumsy, and in the light of the above
considerations it does not seem necessary to give this gear the same
relative strength as the ordinary gear, which is used under quite
different circumstances.
Profound ignorance reigns all over the world as to the stresses in
running and standing rigging; this has led to many accidents, and
it therefore seems necessary to give more instruction in the subject.
Experience has shown that visual demonstration is of great
value. This can easily be done by means of an apparatus consist-

SAKBTY IN DOCK WORK

Fig. 14

Fig. 15

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

ing of complete loading and unloading gear of small dimensions,
and allowing the stresses on each part to be read on small spring
balances. An illustration of such an apparatus is reproduced in
fig. 14.
By this means, not only officers and cadets of the mercantile
marine, but also persons in charge of stevedoring operations may
learn much about this difficult subject, the importance of which
up till now has not been properly appreciated by those concerned .
It must also be remembered that, on vessels, theplatformon which
the hoisting machinery is built is not stable. This is not of much
importance when general cargo is loaded or unloaded on large ships,
unless the ship already has a list. Smaller ships may easily list
over if the load is off the centre line, and with heavy loads the inclination may become very considerable, varying to a large extent
with the stability of the ship. The photograph in fig. 15 was taken
when a lighter of 195 tons was hoisted on board by means of the
ship's gear; the angle with the horizontal rose to about 14°. Constructors as well as users of gear must not overlook the possibility
of inclination.
Interest in rigging stresses has increased lately and in Great
Britain for instance, two instruments have been constructed which
enable the stresses to be read without calculation.
Another cause of accidents, which may usefully be discussed at
this point, is that due to the closing up of a derrick on which the
cargo runner is rigged parallel, or nearly so, to the span wire. The
derrick, with its load, suddenly swings vertically towards the mast
supporting it.
Simply, this matter may be considered as follows:

SPAN VHRE
CARGO
RUNNER

If a weight Wbn
suspended from the
framework
ABC
(fig. 16) the load on
t h e s p a n w i r e is

W .JUL. When,
M

'4S*

Fig. 16

AC
therefore,
AB=AC,
the load on the span
rope, or, if multisheave blocks are
used, the total pull
in the part of the
rope in the span,

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

equals the weight lifted. Now,-if in such a case the cargo runner
is parallel to the span wire, it is clear that the derrick would be
on the point of closing up if there is only one part of rope in the
runner. It will be seen, therefore, that in the case of a derrick in
CB
which the derrick ratio . r is approximately 1.4 (fig. 16) the derrick is on the point of closing up when at an angle of 45° to the
horizontal, if the cargo runner (one part of rope) is taken parallel
to the span rope and would close up at all angles over 45°.
The following example illustrates a handy method of readily
ascertaining the critical angle at which a derrick is on the point of
closing up.

Fig. 17

ABC (fig. 17) represents a derrick having a derrick ratio of 1.1.
The cargo runner, rigged parallel to the span, consists of four parts
of rope. To find the critical angle to the horizontal at which the
derrick will be on the point of closing up, draw de vertically to
represent the load W. Set off ef parallel to BA and since there are
four parts of rope in the runner, make ef equal to one quarter of de_

HOISTING GEAR ON BOARD

Join fd and draw/g a t right angles to de. Then, the angle <¡>, which
measures approximately 77°, is the critical angle and it follows that
at any greater angle to the horizontal than this the derrick will
close up.
Using the same method it may be shown that for a derrick
having a ratio of 1.4 and two parts in the runner, the critical angle
is about 76° and that in the case of a derrick with a ratio of 0.8 the
critical angle with one part of rope in the runner is approximately
24°, and with two parts, 60°.
In short, it may be demonstrated that the smaller the derrick
ratio and the smaller the number of ropes, the greater is the risk
of the derrick collapsing when the runner is rigged parallel to the
span.
To prevent such an occurrence, the rig should be such as to
give an ample margin of safety, especially as the effect of friction
in the blocks is to increase the pull in the runner and therefore
lessen the angle to the horizontal at which the derrick will close up
when in use.
In addition to the precautions against closing up, measures
must also be taken to prevent derricks from being accidentally
lifted out of their sockets or supports. Occurrences of this kind may
lead to very serious accidents and every derrick should therefore
have its foot adequately secured, so that it can only be lifted out
of the supports when this is necessary for the examination, repair
or replacement of the derrick.

CHAPTER III
CRANES, ETC., ASHORE AND ON PONTOONS
AND LIGHTERS
For these hoisting machines the same general rules are applicable as for those in Chapter II. Hence in the countries ratifying
the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection against accidents
of workers employed in loading or unloading ships (revised 1932)',
appropriate measures must be prescribed for these machines also,
in order to ensure a safe working condition.
Generally speaking, great differences exist between hoisting
machines on ships and those ashore (floating cranes, etc., included) 1 ,
so that very little of what has been said in Chapter II is applicable
to the latter. These two kinds of hoisting machines are built by
different manufacturers and almost the only common characteristic is that both types hoist and lower goods.
Moreover, the constructor of a floating crane has to solve
several problems that do not enter into consideration for cranes
ashore, because a pontoon or a lighter does not form a stable platform but tilts and swings under the movement of the load.
The national regulations on lifting machinery are as a rule of a
very general character:
(1) Section 18 of the British Docks Regulations, 1934, contains
the following provision:
All lifting machinery shall have been tested and examined by a competent
person in the manner set out in the schedule to these Regulations before being
taken into use.

This requirement is followed by detailed rules but nothing is
said about the construction itself.
(2) The German Unfallverhüiungsvorschriften der Grosshandelsund Lagerei-Berufsgenossenschaft, Ausgabe 1933, give the following
regulations in Chapter V I I :
§11. Cranes shall be built in accordance with the accepted technical rules.
§13. The material, construction and calculation of the bearing parts shall
be in accordance with the accepted technical rules.
1

See below, p. 112.

STRESSES IN CRANES

More details follow, but these are not closely concerned with
the construction itself.
(3) In the Netherlands the present Stevedoring Safety Decree
prescribes in Section 7 that at places where stevedoring operations
are carried on, cranes, etc., shall be in good condition. Then come
some detailed regulations including Section 16, which requires that,
if necessary and possible, tests shall be made and repeated periodically.
Similar regulations may be found in other countries, but it is
evident that nowhere are there specific official regulations as to
design and construction. In a few countries the rules of semiofficial institutions are applied.
Before going into these rules it will be convenient to classify
the machines concerned, as follows:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(/)

cranes;
bridge cranes;
coal tips;
grain elevators;
bunker appliances;
shear legs.

The dock appliances named under (a), (&), (d), (e), and (/) are
found ashore as well as mounted on pontoons, while coal tips are
naturally built on the quay.

Fig. 18

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

In order to give an idea of the complexity of the problem here,
illustrations are given of shear legs (fig. 18) and a floating bridge
crane with the arm moving horizontally (fig. 19).

Fig. 19

Modern machines ashore are as a rule driven by electricity,
but floating appliances are generally driven by steam; hydraulic
and hand-operated machines, though still in use, are obsolescent.
The safe working load of the machines amounts to from one
ton or less to several hundred tons. An idea of the enormous masses
of material that may be needed for crane construction may be
gained from the following particulars of a 30-ton (grab with contents) bridge crane, used as a transporter for ore and coal:
Weight of permanent bridge
"
" arms
" portals
'
"
" mechanical parts
"
" electrical parts
"
" travelling cabin (without grab)
Total

852
152
268
250
65
150

tons
tons
tons
tons
tons
tons

1,737 tons

the whole mounted on 48 wheels.
In view of the very difficult problems to be solved it is evident
that the calculations of the working stresses in crane structures
must be left to the constructor, who, however, should take general
safety rules into consideration.

STRESSES IN CRANES

Probably in consequence of crane accidents, in some countries
semi-official institutions have taken the initiative in framing more
detailed regulations and it seems useful to reproduce here some of
their requirements.
The British, (B.S.I.) and the German (D.N.A.) Standards
Institutions have gone rather far in making specifications, and a
committee of the Netherlands Standardisation Institution (C.N.B.)
has also been at work in this field.
While the B.S.I, have retained safety factors as a prominent
feature of their regulations, the D.N.A. have limited themselves
to prescribing the allowable working stresses.
The B.S.I, specifications read:
The crane shall be so designed and constructed t h a t when it is working under
service conditions.the stress induced in any part shall not exceed either (a) the
breaking stress of the material divided by the specified factor of safety or (b)
the allowable working stress specified hereafter.

And also:
The factor of safety for all parts of the crane structure shall not be less than
5, except when another factor or a maximum allowable working stress is . . .
specified . . . This factor and the allowable working stresses provide for impact
and inertia.

Maximum allowable stresses are specified for parts in tension,
parts in compression, parts in shear and for bearing areas, and moreover for bolts and screws other than those used in crane structures,
while for wire ropes and gearing higher safety factors are prescribed.
The D.N.A. gives several tables for the allowable stresses and
in general goes more into detail than the B.S.I., while both give
instructions as to material, testing (they both advise testing with
25 per cent, overload), brakes, fencing, atmospheric influences,
danger of collapsing, etc.
Both institutions draw a clear distinction between cranes for
heavy duty and other cranes; the B.S.I, recommends higher factors
of safety with proportionately lower working stresses for cranes
intended for specially heavy duty and/or on which grabs are employed, while the D.N.A. puts cranes working with grabs in the
highest danger classes.
. Generally speaking, the D.N.A. has treated the subject more
scientifically, and the B.S.I, more practically, including, moreover,
some provisions as to load indicators, ropes, hooks, swivels, painting, etc.
The use of cranes with grabs nearly always, and, in general cargo,
often, causes severe shocks. Special consideration should also be

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

given to the particular working conditions prevailing when beginning to unload ore and coal, when the grabs may automatically
fill themselves as full as possible, and also to the lifting out of the
beams, and the trailing of cargo from under the decks. In.view of
all these contingencies the construction should receive very careful
attention.
Particular care should be taken with the means of anchoring
to rails, platforms and the like and to the counterbalancing of the
weights, for several severe accidents have occurred owing to the
collapse of cranes and loading bridges, caused by storm and wind
stresses.
The following photograph (fig. 20) gives an idea of such a calamity
and of the dangers to which it exposes the dockers.

Fig. 20

C H A P T E R IV
STRENGTH OF SLINGS. INFLUENCE OF THE ANGLE
BETWEEN THE LEGS OF A SLING ON THE ACTUAL
TENSION IN THE LEGS
It is the merit of G. STEVENSON TAYLOR to have drawn the
attention of practical users to the relation between angle and
tension in sling legs in 1915 in his Memorandum on Chains and
Other Lifting Appliances (reprinted 1930); and in several other
countries publicity has since been given to the dangers latent in
sling angles. Notwithstanding all educational efforts, however,
much ignorance still exists on the subject.
Stevenson Taylor's Memorandum contains several tables and
diagrams. The table reproduced below clearly shows the effects of
angular changes.
TABLE V. SAFE WORKING LOADS FOR TWO-LEGGED SLINGS
MADE OP WROUGHT IRON SHORT LINK CHAINS
OF DEFINITE STANDARD OF QUALITY
Chain
diameter
(inches)
(1)

H
M
H
H
V2

Va
%
i *
i Va
! VA
1 Va
1 lÁ
1 Va
1 34
1 Vs
2
2Va
2M
2%
2M

Safe working loads in tons (2,240 lbs.) for given angles between ] egs
C°
(2)

30°
(3)

60°
(4)

90°
(5)

120°
(6)

0.42
0.75
1.16
1.68
3.00
4.66
6.75
9.16
12.00
15.18
18.75
22.68
27.00
31.60
36.75
42.18
48.00
54.10
60.75
67.60
75.00

0.40
0.72
1,12
1.62
2.89
4.50
6.52
8.85
11.58
14.64
18.10
21.85
.26.05
30.06
35.45
40.70
46.40
52.30
58.60
65.30
72.47

0.36
0.65
1.00
1.45
2.60
4.04
5.85
7.94
10.39
13.14
16.25
19.60
23.40
27.43
31.80
36.50
41.55
46.90
52.60
58.60
65.00

0.29
0.53
0.82
1.18.
2.12
3.30
4.77
6.48
8.48
10.71
13.25
16.00
19.08
22.40
25.95
29.80
33.93
38.25
42.95
47.80
53.00

0.21
0.37
0.58
0.84
1.50
2.33
3.37
4.58
6.00
7.59
9.37
11.32
13.50
15.84
18.37
21.09
24.00
27.05
30.37
33.80
37.50

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Although the sizes of chains given in this table range from
%s in. (5 mm) to 2 x/¿ m - (65 mm), it is strongly recommended
that chains made from iron less than %, in. (8 mm) should not
be used for lifting purposes, because they are more liable to overloading and to damage than chains above this size.
The safe working loads given in the table are based on the formula:
S.W.L. (tons) = 6 d2
where d is the diameter in inches of the iron in the chain link. Where
there is any special risk to life or limb a safe working load of not
more than 5 d2 should be adopted; where chains are subject to
shock or heavy wear, or work over pulleys, or where links are liable
to be bent or indented by severe local pressure, as where a single
sling is reeved ,¿mnd a load having a hard irregular surface, the
safe w o r k ^ g load should not exceed 3.5 d2.
The German Standards Association (D.N.A.) has issued a pamphy t (DIN 685, 2nd edition, October 1935) on tested chains; the
following is an extract from one of the tables (p. 4) :
Angle between the legs

Safe working load per leg
a5 percentage of the maximum

perpendicular position
45°
90°
120°

100
90
70
50

A note indicates that with an angle between the legs larger than
120°, the highest safe working load allowed is only 25 per cent, of
that for an angle of 120° and that consequently the angle should not
exceed 120°.
Several chain manufacturers and also the Association of Belgian
Manufacturers for the Prevention of Industrial Accidents (Association des industriels de Belgique pour la prévention des accidents du
travail) have issued pamphlets drawing attention to the danger
dealt with here, sometimes with diagrams applicable to different
angles between the legs. Much useful information on chain slings
and the slinging of loads is also given in a safety pamphlet bn "The
Use of Chains and other Lifting Gear", issued by the Home Office,
London. 1 As a rule all warnings are limited to chains, although
the same danger exists when steel wire or fibre rope is used; it
should be noted, however, that some regulations {e.g. the British
Docks Regulations, 1934) require the same precautions to be taken
for wire rope slings as for chain slings , whether used singly or with
multiple legs.
1
Home Office Safety Pamphlet No. 3 : The Use of Chains and other
Gear (H. M. Stationery Office, London). Price 1 s. net.

Lifting

STRENGTH OF SWINGS

Chain slings should never be shortened by tying knots in them
and care should always be taken to see that the slings are not
damaged or deformed by coming into direct contact with sharp
corners of heavy loads of hard material.
It is interesting to note that in Article 11 (7) of the Convention
(No. 32) concerning the protection against accidents of workers
employed in loading or unloading ships (revised 1932)1 there is the
following provision:
When the working space in a hold is confined to the square of the hatch, and
except for the purpose of breaking out or making up slings,
(a) hooks shall not be made fast in the bands or fastenings of bales of cotton,
wool, cork, gunny-bags, or other similar goods;

' It is evident that this prohibition is the result of bad experience
with breakages of bands or other fastenings. Although in many cases
these binders are intrinsically more than strong enough for hoisting
the bales with hooks made fast in them, the angle between the
parts of the binder on either side of the hook may be such as to
increase the tension in these parts very considerably when a bale
is hoisted in this way.
An example may illustrate this (fig. 21). Bales of compressed
wool of a weight of 450 to 500 kg were fastened with iron strips of
a width of 32 and a thickness of 2 mm, provided with two holes
in order to secure the ends with a pin or rivet, so that the cross
section at the weakest place amounted to 50 mm 2 . If the allowable
stress on this iron is taken at 6 kg/mm 2 , the safe working load of
one strip stretched between the ends may be estimated at 300 kg,
the breaking strength being about 1,500 kg. As two hooks were

160°

Fig. 21
1

See below, p. 119.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

made fast in two separate strips, no danger could be expected unless
the influence of the angle between the legs of the strips were taken
into account, this angle being 160° in this case.
For a sling with 2 legs the formula
T=

2 cos <p
is applicable.
T = actual tension in each leg;
<p = angle with the vertical line through the point of support ;
W= weight of the load.
In this case T = •
— = about 735 kg.
2X0.17
It is thus evident that it was quite wrong to hoist these bales of
wool with hooks made fast in the strips, the stresses in the latter
being much higher than could be tolerated.
As on such bales the strips are usually fastened with great force
by means of mechanical devices, the angle between their legs
when.used for hoisting may even exceed 160°; and it is interesting
to note that in the case dealt with above an increase of only 10°
in the angle between their legs would nearly double the tension in
the strips.
A.somewhat similar condition arises when a single sling is taken
around a load and the hook, ring or egg link is in the bight of the
lifting chain. This method should therefore only be used when it is
absolutely necessary ; in such cases the strength of the sling should
be at least double that of the sling used for the same weight on a
straight lift and the bight should not be forced down nearer the
load than a distance of one quarter the length of either of the inclined legs.
The strength of a sling depends on factors that may operate
together or separately. For fibre ropes these factors include:
(a)
ib)
(c)
{d)
(e)
{/)

the circumference of the rope;
the quality of the material used;
the lay of the rope;
••
• -...
splices and knots;
the number of strands; and
the cross section of the hook (or shackle bolt) where the
sling is suspended.

For steel wire ropes the influence of (a), (b) and (d) is, of course,
very important, (c) and (e) exercising comparatively little influence,

STRENGTH Ol? SLINGS

while the influence of (J) is not as important for steel wire rope as
for fibre rope.
The flexibility of the rope, however, is an important factor, while
for chain slings the diameter and quality of the material and the
form of the links are important. The flexibility of a wire rope is
determined by the number of wires per strand. Flexible rope for
shipping purposes is usually 6 X 12 and special flexible 6 X 24.
As a very large proportion of the slings used are made of manilla
rope1, the very variable factor introduced by the cross section of the
hook will be dealt with first. It is obvious that a hook with a sharp
edge (a small diameter) acts more or less as a knife and tends t o
cut the rope in two and accordingly a broad contact surface is to
be recommended.
Further, a double sling, used with both parts vertical, is not
double the strength of two single parts of the same material, as
will be proved below.
A distinct difference exists between the stresses in the two following cases:
(1) A double sling taken round
the load, with one end taken
through the other and fixed in
the hook (fig. 22) ; and
(2) A sling with the load in the
middle, both ends being fixed in
the hook (figs. 23 and 24).

&
\

Method 1 is usual for cargo of
small and moderate weight; the
sling is made of manilla rope or
sometimes of steel wire, both of
which slip sufficiently to fasten
the load in the sling. With this method it is very important that
the rope passing over the hook be kept as straight as possible. If
the loads are composed of corrosive goods liable to destroy fibre,
chain slings are sometimes used, but then method 2a (fig. 23) or
2b (fig. 24) is followed.
Methods 2a and lb are further applied with heavy loads, for
which manilla ropes are usually not strong enough, so that steel
1
During the war manilla rope has been almost entirely replaced by sisal
rope. The British Standards Institution has issued a specification for "Sisal
Ropes for General Purposes" (B.S.S. No. 908-1940). In this a factor of safety
of not less than 6 is recommended for new sisal ropes, but factors of 7 or 8 should
be used under adverse conditions of service.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

wire ropes or sometimes chains are used. Chains are not suitable
for method 1, as they do not slip sufficiently.

Fig. 23

Fig. 24

It is evident that, when working with method 1, the stresses in
the material are other and heavier than with the second method.
Hence method 1 is commoner for loads hoisted with manilla slings.
Very many tests have been carried out in this connection at
Rotterdam. The following table gives the results of 27 tests with
a single rope and 27 with a double sling each of the same coil of
manilla rope, the coils being, of various qualities and circumferences
and the legs being taken as parallel. The ropes were stretched
between two bolts of a testing machine ; the influence of differences
in the diameter of the bolts was eliminated by seeing that in all
tests one bolt had a diameter of 38 mm, the other being thicker.
Table VI, which could be completed from other tests, reveals
important differences in the results of the tests.
In No. 5, for instance, the strength of the single rope is almost

STRENGTH OF SLINGS

TABLE VI
No.

Breaking strength
of single part
in kg

Breaking strength
of double sling
in kg

Ratio of
breaking strengths,
doubîe to single

(a)

(b)

(a)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
IS
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

7,600
6,950
5,700
7,480
7,400
7,400
6,980
9,300
7,950
• 8,500
9,050
8,200
5,500
7,300
6,300
6,250
6,150
6,200
5,100
4,300
4,550
6,700
6,400
6,700
4,200
4,050
4,300

7,900
9,050
7,500
9,800
7,500
9,900
9,200
10,100
8,900
9,350
9,600
9,700
5,900
10,400
8,100
9,000
7,550
7,700
7,400
7,100
7,200
7,500
8,400
7,950
5,200
5,000
5,100

1.04
1.30
1.31
1.31
J. 013
1.33
1.31
1.08
1.12
1.10
1.06
1.18
1.07
1.42
1.28
1.44
1.22
1.24
1.45
1.65
1.58
1.12
1.31
1.18
1.24
1.23
1.18

176,510

•218,000

1.24

the same as that of the double sling, and in No. 20 the double sling
is 1.65 times as strong as the single rope.
When loading and unloading, the circumstances discussed above—
and others as well—have to be considered. The inference seems
justified that 1.235 or roughly 134 is the factor by which the breaking stress of the single manilla rope has to be multiplied to give the
safe working load of the double sling.
For double steel wire slings the results of the tests led to the
same conclusion. For double chain slings, which, however, are seldom used, the position is somewhat different. The weak point of
these appliances is to be found in the unfavourable combination of
stresses to which some links may be exposed. For the sake of uniformity it seems desirable to fix the strength of double slings with
parallel legs for all kinds of material at 134 times the strength of
the single rope or chain.
It is the safety factor that must ensure safety if the strength of
the double sling is less than 134 times that of the single fall.

CHAPTER V
MASTS AND DERRICKS
§ 1.—Masts
Although many accidents happen by crushing or breaking of
masts, inspection of these parts of the loading and unloading gear
is often neglected.
As a rule a mast stays in the vessel till the latter is broken up.
During the periodical surveys the masts are more or less superficially
examined but it cannot be denied that a really reliable examination
can only be made with the mast taken out.
The photographs in figs. 25 and 26, taken in 1937, show a mast
that was in use for loading and unloading only a few days previously.
Accidents with masts on new ships seldom occur. The following
table, relating t o the cracked masts which came to the knowledge
of the Netherlands Port Inspectorate in 1932-1936, seems to indicate that these accidents begin when the mast has reached a certain
age. The ships belonged to 10 nationalities.
TABLE VII
Age of the ships in years
Cause of accident

10 12 13 14 15 16 Í8 20 21 23 25 26 28 30 31 36 ? Total
Cracked

accessory
1

1
Bad

condition

1 1

of
2 1

1 1

Loose stay
Injudicious working
method

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 1 2

9
23

In view of the fact that these statistics relate to a few ports
only, the number of masts cracked during the same period all over
the world must have been very considerable.

MASTS AND DERRICKS

It is remarkable that no accident of any kind has been recorded
with a mast less than 10 years old. The safety factor of masts
thus seems to be sufficient for the first vears of their life.

: . - * •

V**:

•,:

ï'-jSr*

^^mmmm
.•*.-.5*fc
F/g. 25

Ä'g. 2¿

The wear and tear of this important part of ships' gear justifies
the contention that close attention must be paid to it during the
periodical surveys. For this purpose the masts should be lifted

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

out—the first time not later than during the third survey—so as to
allow of thorough investigation.
Under Lloyd's rules these surveys are required to be made at
intervals of 4 years. Special survey No. 1 specifies that masts,
spars, rigging anchors and general equipment of steam and sailing
ships are to be examined and either found or placed in good and
efficient condition.
§ 2.—Derricks
As these parts of the gear can be inspected more easily, the
situation is different from that with masts.
It has been observed that a considerable number of derricks
have fallen, but buckling or breaking of steel derricks, due to lack
of strength of the derrick itself, is rare. The cause is mostly to be
found in defective equipment or in faulty handling. This is proved
by the fact that on sea-going vessels of various nationalities, of 145
cases of collapsing derricks in the period January 1925-January
1937, 112 were due to defective equipment and 33 to faulty handling.
Thirty-two persons were injured, 7 fatally.
The steel derricks involved in these cases did not break, and the
causes of collapse were all found in spans, shackles, blocks, etc.,
or in faulty handling.
In the same period, however, 13 wooden derricks broke to pieces,
and in all these cases the wood appeared to be in a bad state or the
derricks had been used for a heavier load than the safe working load.
Consequently, it will be useful to touch on the strength of wooden
derricks. It is true that all new sea-going ships are fitted out with
steel derricks, but older ships have to be judged too, while in the
coasting trade and inland navigation wood is still often used, for
derricks. As a matter of fact the strength of wooden derricks is
often misjudged.
In 1906, Niels OLSEN published a diagram showing the strength
of wooden derricks 1 and the diagram reproduced here is based on
this (fig. 27).
In this diagram:
I = moment of inertia;
E = modulus of elasticity;
L = length of derrick in m;
D = greatest diameter of derrick in mm;
R = axial load on derrick in kg;
For European pitch-pine E = 95,000;
For American pitch-pine E = 145,000.
Schiffbau,

No. 14, p. 588.

MASTS AND DERRICKS
Length

in meters

5
o

- J

t>-

_ ¿ ° fugueur
-O

Ö"

en
y

/íiet

r e s

• •

_
W

—-^

30
.5

-w
q

C}
0

°P

. 3

•$•

mm.

-1 -

•?

250

o
o

•5

w
o

N
-w
o

•**
O

IOOOH

ro
O

PO
-£>•
O

vO ^ V \. X.

\[ N

'\ \ \

-> — (7
•
— r

~ï

Q
n

o
j\
j>

o
i-

o o

-t m t o n s

2OO0

2500

"I
«

M
O

-q' ^ s .

. 3500-

/ ni

-s

- 4000-

4500

\[//
\ 1 II7*
- D-

•

- 6OO0-

}

P= 10 0 0

kg. or I t o n .

7000

\ ]

8000

I\
i
i

m
11

o x\

Length

Ñ V
.

îy I» ç
NJ

in meters

* * î -

o»

-o

<f TI

—

Longueur

Fig. 27

IOOOO"

I2000-

o
o

a»
o

1 1

9000-

- IIOOO

m? r-

g»
5

o
-

•

!
b
w

•g

5O00

i\ s

—*—'—i—i—i—i—i—i
2 1,1 1,0 0,9 O.Q 0.7 0.6 0,5 0

t10

Y\>

<r-!•-//

•i 1
. D '
-b-

o
o

C vCSs. ^

Mast- Mât

Ol
t>

SOOO

,/0

Ns s

¡ \ \

Ol
PO

iv
•CD
O

u
0
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ISOO

NJNVV

metres

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

The diagram is constructed for European pitch-pine and the
diameter of American pitch-pine derricks is about 0.9 times the
corresponding European diameter.
Example:
If the diameter of an American pitch-pine derrick with a length
of 12 m is wanted, for a safe working load of 3 tons,
length mast
h
0
— = — = (J.o,
length derrick
/
the axial load on the derrick (i?) for a load of 1 ton is found in
the curve in the lower right-hand corner of the diagram as 2.3
tons. The safe working load being 3 tons, however, R becomes 3
times 2.3 tons '= 6.9.
For a derrick length = 12 m and R = 6.9 tons the diagram gives
a derrick diameter of 360 ram for European pitch-pine, or 0.9
times 360 = 324 mm for American pitch-pine.
Wooden derricks for a safe working load over 3 tons should not
be used.
It may be added that the rules of the Germanischer Lloyd, 1929,
page 50, require a safety factor of about 8, and at least 6, and
calculate this factor with the formula
5£>4
safety factor =
PbL*
in which :
D = diameter of derrick in cm, measured in the middle;
Pb = axial load in kg;
L = length of derrick in m, measured from centre of gooseneck to middle of neckband.

C H A P T E R VI
DERRICK SPANS
As regards stresses in the derrick spans the reader is referred to
Chapter II; in the present chapter only the span arrangements will
be dealt with.
The safest method is represented in fig. 28. After the derrick
has been moved to the angle desired with the aid of tackle a and
the winch, the manilla runner of this tackle is fixed to a bollard
on deck. The upper block of the tackle is fixed to a triangle plate
and the lower block to an iron strip on deck, the second hole in this

Fig. 28

strip being destined for the span chain b, the upper end of which is
fixed with a shackle to the triangular plate or a similar construction
for the same purpose, e.g. a socket in which the span wire has been
sealed and a hole made for fastening the span chain. During loading and unloading the derrick is carried by chain and steel wire

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

rope and the tackle may be used as a preventer. Raising or lowering
of the derrick can be done very easily and without danger for the
workers, and it is almost impossible for the runner to slip out of
their hands.
Another method is shown in fig. 29 where a special wire rope c,
running through a snatch block, replaces the manilla tackle with
the manilla runner. If this topping lift is adequately fixed on a
barrel or drum with a shackle or hook, this method also may be
considered safe.

Fig. 29

In fig. 30 the steel wire rope topping lift is taken directly around
the barrel or drum. This method is not to be considered as safe as
that shown in fig. 29. When the lift is fixed on the barrel or drum,
however, and the wire rope is of good flexible quality, it may be
considered safe, provided that the span wire is kept taut round the
cleat during hoisting or lowering so that the derrick cannot fall
down.if the man handling the lift lets it slip because it is too slippery
through oil, or his hands are too cold, or because he is struck by a
broken wire.
It is evident, however, that there is an element of danger with
this type which should not be neglected ; in fact it has caused several
serious accidents.

DERRICK SPANS

The dangers inherent in the arrangement in fig. 30 are also
inherent in the arrangement in fig. 31, and to an even greater extent,
because:

Fig. 31

SAFBTY IN DOCK WORK

(1) The span wire rope is as a rule less flexible;
(2) The wire rope is always under strain when the derrick is
used so that broken wires may more readily be expected, the more
so as a span wire rope of such dimensions is rather expensive, and
therefore is kept in use for a great many years ;
(3) The entire weight of the derrick hangs on the wire rope
when the men have to transfer the wire from the cleats to the
winch. It has often happened that for different reasons they could
not keep it tight, with the result that the derrick fell down;
(4) The stopper is often unreliable, especially when the wire
rope or the stopper is oily. "
By using a really reliable stopper the danger might be overcome. Several types have been invented, but as far as is known
they are not reliable after some years of use.
In fig. 32 an arrangement is shown which is often applied as
being much safer than that in fig. 31 since the steel wire rope may
be more flexible. The tackle enables the men to transfer the span
wire rope from the cleats to the winch and vice versa, and raise or
lower the derrick without exerting too much force.

Fig. 32

In consequence there is less danger of the wire rope slipping
out of their hands, especially when a good stopper is used.
Nevertheless, several serious accidents have happened with this
arrangement, principally because the wire rope came off the cleats

DERRICK SPANS

when the derricks were lowered by veering out the span wire rope
on these cleats instead of on an efficient bollard, but also during
the transfer of the wire rope to or from the winch.
It may be remarked here that the longer the arms of the cleats,
the smaller the danger of the wire rope coming off them.
Finally, an unusual method is shown in fig. 33 (two blocks
fixed to another). The method is safe if the topping lift is adequately fixed on the barrel or drum.

Fig. 33

The parts of the span wire ropes most exposed to wear and tear
are:
(a) The place where the span rests on the sheave of the span
block during loading and unloading;
(b) The place where the span rests on this sheave during the
voyage, especially when there is exposure to smoke and
gases from the funnel, that is if the spans are not stowed
away during the voyage.
In both cases the wire rope remains bent for a long time and
the strands are more or less twisted open at the same place, giving
admission to water and smoke and thus causing the inside of the
rope to become corroded.
Many span wire ropes have broken, sometimes causing bad
accidents to the dockers working in the vicinity.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

For this reason the periodical inspection must be carried out
•with the greatest care, and span wire ropes should be renewed as
soon as the slightest defect is observed. It is even advisable to
renew the spans on the occasion of every four-year survey or at
least every second survey if they are not condemned before.
It is worth mentioning that in 1937 the owners of a ship on
which a casualty had occurred owing to a span having broken declared before the Court that they intended to change the spans in
future at least every six years.
In the standing rigging the splice generally forms the weakest
place and it is necessary to remove the covering at every four-year
survey.

CHAPTER VII
BLOCKS
In stevedoring, blocks facilitate the hoisting, lowering and
trailing of goods and are also employed for moving the derricks.
They enable a comparatively small power to act as a much greater
power. Consequently they are greatly used in stevedoring and as
much ignorance exists concerning them, they will be considered
separately.
The number of sheaves determines the mechanical advantage
obtained in hoisting a certain load, as is shown in figs. 34 to 39.
Many practical men know that when hoisting a weight of p
tons with a rope led over one sheave it is necessary to exert a
pull of p tons at the other end, but they do not know that the
stress in the block and the fastening point amounts to 2p tons (see
fig. 34).
It is very useful to demonstrate this, and it can be done in a very
simple way by means of a spring balance as is shown in figs. 40-40c.
Men also know that when using double purchase (see fig. 35)
P
they only need a power of ~r~ tons to hoist a weight of p tons.
They are, however, often unconscious of the fact that the stress i a
3P
the block and the fastening point then amounts to ~~z" tons..
Figs. 36 to 39 inclusive speak for themselves.
Officers and petty officers on board and inspectors and foremen
of the stevedoring company, as well as seamen and dockers, should
be aware of these facts, because several severe accidents have been
due to the misuse of blocks.
When a load is hoisted, friction has to-be overcome and this is
generally estimated at 5 per cent, of the load per sheave. Whenthe safety factor is taken into account the increase in the stress is:
not very large if one sheave is used. If more sheaves are used this.
increase becomes larger and larger; in fig. 39 for instance, the increase is no less than 30 per cent.
Moreover, it is evident that greasing the blocks is a very i m portant matter that should not be neglected, otherwise the stresses.
may further increase.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

^533-«

BLOCKS

tM„mmmm0imm0im

fe,

»<v#

fe.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

O
•

BLOCKS

The stresses have been calculated in the preceding pages with the
different parts of the runner in a vertical or nearly vertical position,
or with both parts parallel and thus having the same effect.
When these parts form angles, the stresses will change more or
less, as has been demonstrated in Chapter V, but it is always reasonable and safe to calculate the stresses in cargo blocks for a vertical
position of the different parts of the runner, because:
(a) the derrick is sometimes used in an almost vertical position,
in which case both parts of the runner are almost vertical
also (fig. 41) ;
(&) the place where the load has to be hooked on is not determined (trailing from under deck, etc.) and the different
parts of the runner may be almost parallel (fig. 42).

Fig. 41

For leading and span blocks there would be more reason to take
account of the angle, but these blocks are often interchangeable with
the cargo blocks ; and even if these three types of blocks have a somewhat different form- it is often possible to put one in the place of
another. From a practical point of view, owners often prefer the
same sizes for span, cargo and leading blocks, which seems the
safest.
The principles to be followed when using snatch blocks, blocks
for guys and the like are evident from the foregoing.
It will now be useful to describe briefly the conditions that a
block has to satisfy.
(1) All parts should be constructed according to the working
stresses that they may have to support, assuming a safety factor
of at least 5 for ordinary gear with which:

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(a) the diameter of the swivel must be suited to the anticipated tension ;
(b) the centre pin may be considered as a part mainly in shear.

Fig. 43

BLOCKS

(2) The runner must be prevented from coming between the
sheave and the housing.
(3) The lubricating system must work perfectly.
As it is sometimes the practice to use another material for the
swivel and pin than for the housing and sheave, specification of the
material is necessary.
Multiple-sheave blocks are often
designed with a shackle and bolt or
similar construction instead of a swivel. In this case the bolt may be
calculated in the same way as for the
centre pin. Figs. 43 and 44 may
explain this.

f W

^n ^

& if J] F^Ä

chapter only swivel blocks

' " ' :)e considered.
A standardised design for a singlesheave cargo block is reproduced in
figs. 45-48 in which the swivel and pin
are clearly shown.
A most important question is the
safe working load of a block.
As
always, the weakest part determines
the strength of the whole', and as the
centre pin is practically a part in
shear, the swivel, which is a part in
tension, forms the weakest part of the
construction, provided that the other
structural parts such as the shell
Fig. 44
and sheave have been calculated
correctly.
The diameter of the sheave, the size of which usually designates
the block, has nothing to do with the safe working load of the block,
as can be seen in the following table compiled by a world-renowned
manufacturer:
i flHUMaiV II C*

10 in. diameter single—tested to 10 tons on private machine
for 8 tons working load
12 in. diameter single—
idem
14 in. diameter single—
16 in. diameter single—
Swivel bolt and centre pin are generally of the same or almost
the same diameter, and the rupturing tensile stress may be calculated at half the breaking stress when shearing is taken into account.

S A F ß T Y I N DOCK WORK

Moreover, the swivel is generally forged, and hence the breaking
strength of the material cannot be much more than 34-42 kg/mm 2 ,
while the centre pin is sometimes made of material with a higher
breaking strength.
Considering what has been said above, the swivel bolt may as
a rule be taken as the weakest part of a block. Persons desirous of
ascertaining the approximate strength- of a block will do well to
measure the diameter of this bolt, and then the tensile strength
can be very easily calculated by multiplying the cross-sectional area
34-42
by — — kg/mm 2 , which may be taken for this purpose as the
breaking strength of material used for such bolts. If the specification of the material is known, the actual breaking strength has
naturally to be taken. If an inspector takes one fifth of the tensile
strength, he will have a sufficient idea of the strength of the block.
Moreover, it is quite clearly of the utmost importance to enter the
dimensions of the swivel bolt (if not the centre pin as well) on the
certificate.

Fig. 45

Figs. 46, 47 and 48

As to the marking of blocks much misunderstanding exists.
Practical users must know what load may be hoisted with a certain
block, and this should be indicated on the block.

BLOCKS

For single-sheave blocks used with a single runner this could be
done in a simple way by putting on the shell:
Load (to be hoisted)

tons.

With a double purchase, with one end of the runner fastened
to the upper or the lower block, and with multiple-sheave blocks
the question is not so simple.
The Netherlands Committee for Loading and Unloading Gear
etc. on Board Seagoing Ships advised in its Report of 1932 the marking of blocks as indicated in figs. 34 to 39. This method has the advantage of mentioning not merely the load that may be hoisted but
also the maximum allowable stresses in the principal parts of the
block. 1 Some manufacturers make a habit of marking their blocks
with the test load, but this should be discouraged.
The diameter of the sheave has to be determined in connection
with the wear of the wire. Most manufacturers designate their
blocks according to the diameter measured at the outer circum-.
ference of the sheave (e.g. 16 in. block). In practice, however,
the diameter of the sheave measured at the bottom of the groove
is of more importance, since the bending of the wire depends
on the inner diameter. (À 16 in. block measured by the first
method would become a 15 in. block by the second method.) To
avoid misunderstanding, uniformity should be established.
Several countries have rules concerning the relationship between
sheave and wire and between wire and groove.
GERMANY: Vorschriften der See-Berufsgenossenschaft,
1935, page 34 (Sonderabdruck) :

No. 13,

The sheaves must have a diameter of about 15 times the diameter of the
wire.
GREAT B R I T A I N : British Standard Specification for Ships' Cargo
Lifting Blocks, No. 408, 1931 :
To increase the working life of wire ropes, it is recommended t h a t where the
angle of embrace is 90 or more [see figs. 49-51] the minimum diameter of each
sheave should be as follows for the various sizes of ropes:
1
In some countries, e.g. Great Britain, the competent authorities do not
agree with this method, as they consider t h a t it may give rise to confusion in
the minds of users. -See British Docks Regulations 1934 (sees. 23 and 33), and
British Standard Specification for Ships' Cargo Lifting Block, No. 408, 1931.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Size of wire rope circumference
in.

Under 2
2

-2V2

2K-3
3-4
4 and over

Diameter of
sheave

in.

Under 50.8
50.8 - 63.5
63.5 - 76.2
76.2 - 101.6
101.6 and over

10
12
14
16
18

254
305
356
406
457

The minimum diameter of sheaves for any other conditions
should be not less than four times the circumference of the rope,

Fig. 49
Angle of embrace
more t h a n 90°

Fig. 50
Angle of embrace
90°

Angle of embrace
less than 90°

N E T H E R L A N D S : Report of the Committee for Loading and Unloading Gear on Board Seagoing Ships, 1932:
The diameter of the sheave, measured at the bottom of the groove, must
be a t least:
For single-sheave topping blocks, 4 to 4.5 times the circumference of the
wire rope to be used, if it is composed of 6 X 12 wires with 7 cores of hemp or
6 X 19 wires with 1 core of hemp; and 3.5 to 4 times t h a t circumference if it
is composed of 6 X 24 wires with 7 cores of hemp;
For load and derrick lowering blocks, 5.5 to 6 times the circumference of
the wire to be used in a construction of 6 X 12 wires with 7 cores of hemp,
or 5 to 5.5 times t h a t circumference if composed of 6 X 24 wires with 7 cores
of hemp.
If the wire rope is composed of a larger number of wires than 6 X 24, the
diameter should be that for wire rope consisting of 6 X 24 wires with 7 cores' of
hemp.
I t is recommended not to have the width of the groove of the sheaves more than
1 to 2 mm larger than the diameter of the thickest rope for which the block is
made.

BLOCKS

This is not the place to go into further details, which can be
found in the publications of several standardisation committees.
Finally, the test loads as stipulated by the Reciprocity Conference, London, 1935, are as follows:
Pulley blocks:
Single-sheave block

Í300 per cent, in excess of
[the safe working load.

Multiple-sheave block with
safe load up to and including
20 tons

100 per cent, in excess of
the safe working load.

Multiple-sheave block with
safe load over 20 tons up to
and including 40 tons

20 tons in excess of the
safe working load.

Multiple-sheave block
safe load over 40 tons

50 per cent, in excess of
the safe working load.

with

CHAPTER VIII
CHAINS, RINGS, HOOKS, SHACKLES, SWIVELS, ETC.
This subject has been elaborately dealt with in the Memorandum on Chains and Other Lifting Appliances by G. Stevenson
Taylor, already mentioned, in the publications of several standardisation committees and elsewhere; on the whole, it seems sufficient
to refer to these publications and to Article 9 of the Convention
(No. 32) concerning the protection against accidents of workers
employed in loading or unloading ships (revised 1932).l
It may be useful, however, to reproduce here the conclusions
reached a t the Reciprocity Conference, held in London, July 1935,
as regards testing and annealing with a view to amending and
completing regulations under the Dockers Convention. They read
as follows:
In substance the Conference recommended t h a t chains, shackles, rings, hooks
and swivels should be tested with a proof load 100 per cent, in excess of the safe
working load, b u t pitched chains, used with hand-operated pulley blocks and
shackles, rings, hooks or swivels permanently attached thereto should be tested
with a proof load SO per cent, in excess.
Every chain, shackle, ring, hook or swivel after it has been lengthened, altered
or repaired by welding should be tested and examined.
T h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s t h e n c o n t i n u e a s follows:
Chains, shackles, rings, hooks and swivels made of wrought (i.e. puddled)
iron should as a general rule be annealed.
T h e following classes of special gear may be exempted:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

Chains m a d e of malleable cast iron;
Plate-link chains;
Pitched chains;
Rings, hooks, shackles and swivels permanently attached to pitched
chains, pulley blocks or weighing machines;
(5) Hooks a n d swivels having screw-threaded parts or ball bearings or other
case-hardened parts;
(6) " B o r d e a u x " connections.

In the present state of knowledge steel gear may also be exempted.
In all cases annealing should be carried out in a suitably constructed closed
furnace and n o t in an open fire.
1

See below, pp. 116-118.

CHAINS, RINGS, HOOKS, ETC.

For wrought iron gear the temperature should be between 600 and 700 C
and the exposure should last for between 30 and 60 minutes. Should new steel
gear be annealed the temperature should be t h a t generally employed for normalising, i.e. not less than 900°C.
*
After being annealed the article should be allowed to cool slowly and should
be carefully inspected.

The Conference evidently was not in a position to give a definite
opinion on annealing steel gear, and left the matter t o be dealt
with in national regulations. In fact, several countries have regulated
the annealing of steel gear with good results.
It now remains to deal with shackles. Careful attention should
be given to the bolts of shackles used at places where it is not
possible to keep them constantly under notice, and further they
should be securely fastened. For cargo and span block shackles,
for instance, fig. 52 shows a« adequate fastening.

Fig. 52

This type of shackle, however, is not practical for fastening the
runner hook, as it is too easy for the nut to catch under the coamings or elsewhere, and so cause an accident. Such shackles should
be of a type without protruding parts as shown in fig. 53. With
this type the bolt is screwed into the shackle, the rounded head of
the bolt being provided, for this purpose, with a square recess
into which a key can be inserted.
Mention must be made of a type of shackle, which is still to be
found on several merchant ships, and in which the fastening of the

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

bolt is inadequate for rigging purposes, as has been proved by at
least one fatal accident. The bolt of this shackle had been fastened
by a cotter pin only, which had come out during the work; the
shackle bent open and consequently the derrick fell down, hitting
a dock worker, who died a few minutes afterwards.
The construction was as indicated in fig. 54. Shackles of this
type should never be used.

Fig. 53

Fig. 54

The standardisation committees in several countries have
done splendid work in designing good chains, shackles, hooks, etc.,
and the attention of all concerned is drawn to their publications.
The permissible wear of chains, etc., is also a matter for consideration. In some countries regulations on this subject have
been issued.
The Germanischer Lloyd for instance laid down in 1929 that
chains, etc., should be renewed when the section at certain places
has so diminished that it must be considered dangerous to use them.
As a rule they should be renewed if the wear at certain places has
reached 10 per cent, of the original diameter.

CHAINS, RINGS, HOOKS, ETC.

The German See-Berufsgenossenschaft laid down in 1935 that
parts (of the gear) that are worn down should be renewed when
the wear has reached 10 per cent, of the original diameter or of the
original dimensions.
In the Netherlands, the Report of the Committee for Loading
and Unloading Gear on Board Sea-going Ships expresses the opinion that chains, shackles, hooks, rings, swivels, rigging screws,
fastenings on deck, eyes, bolts and other forged material should
be renewed when one of the dimensions has diminished by more
than 15 per cent.
G. Stevenson Taylor states in his Memorandum that some
firms in his country have adopted standards of permissible wear,
e.g. a reduction in diameter of the iron of -^ inch for' chains up
to 1 inch, and Xs inch for chains over 1 inch, but the general
condition of the chain should also be taken into account.
Wear up to 15 per cent, of the diameter of the iron is allowed
in another standard, and even 25 per cent, wear may be permitted,

Fig. 55

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Fig. 56

- Fig. 57

when safe working loads are fixed so as to correspond with the
reduced sizes.
It is not sufficient, however, to have regulations about the permissible wear; every link, shackle, hook, etc., should be submitted
to frequent inspections and examinations. A great advantage of
periodical annealing is that it offers an opportunity for careful
examination of the chain, etc., since after all grease and dirt has
been removed by fire, the bare metal is exposed.1
•See G. STEVENSON TAYLOR: Memorandum on Chains and Other Lifting
Appliances, 1930, pp. 36-37.

CHAINS, RINGS, HOOKS, ETC.

It is regrettable that on many ships more frequent inspections
and examinations of cargo lifting gear are not carried out by the
responsible ships' officers, particularly when such gear has been
subject to severe usage or employed on cargoes such as sand, ore,
etc., which have a marked abrasive effect. Figs. 55, 56 and 57
show examples of grossly excessive wear of gear which came to
notice on sea-going ships in the port of Rotterdam; fig. 55 represents a bow shackle, fig. 56 a span swivel, and fig. 57 the bolt of a
leading block.

CHAPTER IX

THE INFLUENCE OF QUALITY, LAY, SPLICES AND
NUMBER OF STRANDS ON THE STRENGTH OF
MANILLA AND STEEL WIRE ROPES
§1.—General Remarks
An enormous quantity of fibre and steel wire rope is used in
dock work, both for standing and running rigging and for loading
and unloading appliances, and above all for slings.
Stresses in material have been touched upon in Chapter II and
the strength of slings in Chapter IV.
Further consideration of manilla and steel wire ropes may find
a place here, and what applies to these ropes applies more or less to
other kinds of rope. For more extensive study reference may be
made to the literature on the subject.
Nowadays in the shipping world fibre ropes are almost always
made of manilla, but occasionally sisal, hemp, flax, coco and other
fibres are used. During the present war, sisal has been extensively
used in place of manilla, which has become practically unobtainable.

§2.—Manilla Ropes
When judging manilla ropes the following points have to be
considered :
(a) material: outward appearance, weight per unit, length,
quality and breaking strength of the fibre and of the rope,
addition of oil and chemical composition of the oil used;
(b) nominal dimensions and method of measuring;
(c) method of measuring the breaking strength of the rope;
(d) breaking length.
(a)

Material

Ropes display great differences in quality, and it is of the utmost
importance t h a t the certificates should mention the breaking
strength, and here a clear distinction must be drawn between the
real and the calculated breaking strength. For practical purposes

MANILLA AND STEEL WIRE ROPES

it is necessary to know the former, which is as a rule the lower
of the two.
The weight of the rope'per unit length is in proportion to the
quantity of fibre utilised in its manufacture.
A soft laid manilla rope of some six strands may have a high breaking strength when used as a single fall, since the fibres, yarns and
strands are not much bent. The same rope may, however-, have a
low breaking strength when used as a sling, as the loose lay causes
the rope to be flattened on the bolt or hook of the testing machine.
If on the contrary a four-strand rope is hard laid the breaking
strength of the single fall may be lower, as the fibres, etc., are bent
more, and the breaking strength of the sling may be greater, as the
rope remains more or less round when stretched between the hooks
or shackles of the testing machine.
Of course on the whole, soft laid rope is weaker than rope with
relatively more fibre (hard laid), the difference varying with the
size and firmness of the yarns and strands and with the lay.
The addition of oil, which is made to preserve the rope and to
lubricate the fibres, may have a great influence on the weight,
and'this point should be considered carefully. No corrosive substance may be added, nor any substance for weighting purposes.
The quantity of lubricant used should form 8 to 12 per cent.
of the weight of the rope.
For good rope the fibre used in manufacture should consist
solely of new genuine long fibre manilla, when this is obtainable.
The fibre shall be well hackled and free from shorts. Though the
longest fibres are 3 to 4 m in length, fibre used in the manufacture
is seldom longer than 2 in. Indeed, shorter fibres and even very
short fibres are often used, a fact that influences the breaking
strength considerably. The strands of the rope shall be well formed
and shall be free from grooves and sunken yarns. As it is not always
possible to judge the rope from its appearance, a heavy responsibility rests on the shoulders of the dealers who sell inferior manilla
to customers who, considering price, outward appearance and
sometimes certificates, may think they have bought good rope and
use it as such. On the other hand, shipowners, captains and stevedores bear great responsibility, if out of misplaced thrift they
buy cheap rope and thus endanger the lives of their workers, who
have to use it without being aware of its inferior quality.
Sometimes the charter party requires the stevedore to use the
ship's manilla slings. This is to be deprecated as it is the stevedore
who has the responsibility. The interests of the two parties are
opposite in such cases, the captain wanting to keep his expenses
as low as possible, and the stevedore wanting to work as quickly

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

as possible. T h e latter, then, must make his sling loads as large as
the circumstances permit.
If no certificates are available and there is no occasion to test
the ropes, the following table, based on a medium quality of manilia, may give some guidance.
TABLE

Circumference

50
56
63
69
75
82
88
94
100

Number of strands

in.

2
2^
2M
3

Safe working load of
single rope with a
safety factor of 8
kg

2M
3M
3K
3M

VIII

•

3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

200
250
325
375
425
525
625
725
850

(b) Nominal Dimensions and Method of Measuring
Manilla rope is generally designated according to the circumference; in some countries the diameter is given too.
The circumference should be measured when the rope is slack
and taken as the mean of a t least five separate measurements made
with a steel or paper strip, so that the strip follows a bent line
(fig. 58). It is not usual to take as the circumference a circle which

Fig. 58

Fig. 59

touches the outer edges of the rope (fig. 59). For a three-strand rope
the measurements obtained by these two methods would differ
by about 10 per cent.

MANILLA AND STBBL WIRB ROPßS

Instruments exist on which the circumference can be read
immediately, but not as accurately as with the strip.
The circumference of a used rope may differ very considerably
from that of the rope when new.
(c) Method of Measuring the Breaking Strength of the Rope
The best method is to stretch the rope between two holdfasts
(vices) of the testing machine, which enables the more or less incalculable influence of the splices to be left out of account. The
results will be different according as a long or a short length of
rope is gripped by the vice.
Factors influencing the strength of a rope, include the strength
of the yarns in combination with the length of the piece which is
tested, and the lay of the rope.
As the average length of the fibres may be estimated at 1,000
to 1,500 mm it seems reasonable to make the test piece the same
length.
(d) Breaking Length
A good idea of the strength of a rope is given by the "breaking
length", meaning the number of km of rope, the weight of which
is the same as the breaking strength.
The breaking length of ropes of the same material and of the
same lay is constant and independent of the diameter. Consequently it is very easy to compare the quality of ropes of different sizes
and qualities when the breaking length is known.
So far the breaking length has not often been used but the
advantages that it offers for the future justify some mention of it.
§3.—Steel and Iron Wire Ropes
In some countries the term "iron" has been dropped and only
the term "steel wire rope" is in use, but as in several important
countries "iron" still remains and many manufacturers make use
of it, iron wire may appropriately be discussed here.
By reason of their lower breaking strength so-called iron wire
ropes have to be thicker than steel wire ropes. Some shipowners,
especially of small ships, prefer them for their standing rigging,
because they look steadier than the comparatively thin steel wire
ropes of the same breaking strength. Moreover, they deem it an
advantage that the same degree of wear causes a smaller decrease
in the total breaking strength. These considerations make them
forget the advantages of steel wire.
As the safe load of the gear of new ships; both large and small,
is gradually increasing, iron wire ropes are becoming too clumsy

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

and are steadily disappearing, but in. their turn, steel wire ropes,
especially for heavy gear, have found a serious competitor in steel
rods.
As a rule, material of a breaking strength of 130-180 kg/mm 2
is in use for steel wires, 130-140 kg/mm 2 being most common;
material of a lower breaking strength is generally called iron.
Iron wire is generally made of material with a breaking strength
of 40-45 and 60-70 kg/mm 2 .
The ropes should be of a composition suited to the operations
for which they are intended.
For the standing rigging, steel wire ropes of 7 strands with 7,
12 or 19 wires to the strand are recommended, the choice of the
number of wires depending on the circumference of the rope, and
the diameter of the wires, as it bears on the suitability of the rope
for splicing.
For runners, the ropes should be more flexible and the 6 X 1 2
quality with 7 hemp cores is considered more suitable when the
circumference is 51 mm (2 in.) or less, and the 6 X 24 quality with
7 hemp cores for greater circumferences.
For spans and guy pennants with a circumference of 51 mm
(2 in.) or less, the 6 X 12 construction with 7 hemp cores or the
6 X 1 9 with one hemp core is recommended, and for a greater circumference, the 6 X 24 construction with 7 hemp cores, or the 6 X 1 9
with 1 hemp core.
The choice of the strength and composition of the rope depends
on the anticipated strain in conjunction with the safety factor, the
diameter of the drum or sheave for which the rope is intended, and
any special circumstances in the operations. The completed rope
shall be securely and evenly laid.
Ropes should be adequately greased at regular intervals, care
being taken t h a t the grease is entirely free from acid.
All wires have to be galvanised, which lengthens the life of the
rope considerably but decreases the strength by about 10 per cent.
In some countries; however, galvanising is only advised for standing rigging.
As to the tensile test (it should not be forgotten that the actual
breaking strength must be known, which is about 85-90 per cent.
of the calculated breaking strength), the wrapping test and other
tests which may be prescribed, attention is drawn to Government
regulations and to those issued by standards associations and
classification bureaux.
Even if the core of a steel wire rope is made of metal, it is not
always made of the same metal as the other strands. If it consists
of a strand of steel wires, it may increase the real breaking strength,

MANILLA AND STEEL WIRE ROPES

but it must not be forgotten that the twisting of this central strand
is different from that of the other strands, while splicing is difficult
and often neglected. If on the contrary the wires are melted in,
this factor is of no account.
At the same time it seems reasonable to assume that as long as
the core is not broken, it increases the strength of the rope.
Some countries have prescribed that in calculating the breaking
strength the core may only be partly taken into account.
The question of when a wire rope has become unfit for use has
been dealt with by various countries.
The British Docks Regulations, 1934, contain the following
regulation :
Section ZO—(c). No wire rope shall be used in hoisting or lowering if in any
length of eight diameters the total number of visible broken wires exceeds 10 per
cent, of the total number of wires, or the rope shows signs of excessive wear,
corrosion or other defect which, in the opinion of the person who inspects it,
renders it unfit for use.

In the Netherlands, iron and steel wire ropes have to be renewed
when extensive corrosion has occurred or when more than 10 per
cent, of the total number of wires have been broken over a length
of 10 times the diameter of the rope.

CHAPTER

TESTING AND EXAMINATION OF LIFTING MACHINES
AND GEAR BEFORE BEING TAKEN INTO USE
Article 9 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading
ships (revised 1932)1 provides for the issue of appropriate regulations to ensure t h a t no hoisting machine, or gear, whether fixed
or loose, used in connection therewith, is employed in stevedoring
operations ashore or on board ship unless it is in a safe working
condition.
This provision of the Convention has been supplemented by
the recommendations of the Reciprocity Conference, London,
1935, as follows:(1) T e s t s and e x a m i n a t i o n s of h o i s t i n g m a c h i n e s and gear o n board.
Before being taken into use:
(a) Every winch with the whole of the gear accessory thereto (including
derricks, goose-necks, eye-plates, eye-bolts or oilier attachments) should be
tested with a proof load which should exceed the safe working load as follows:
Safe working load
Up to 20 tons
20 — 50 tons
Over 50 tons

Proof load25 per cent, in excess
5 tons in excess
10 per cent, in excess

The proof load should be hoisted with the ship's normal tackle with the derrick a t an angle which should not be more than 15 to the horizontal, or when
this is impracticable, at the lowest practicable angle. The angle a t which the test
was made should be stated in the certificate of the test. After the proof load
has been hoisted, it should then be swung as far as possible in both directions.
As a general rule all tests should be carried out in this way by dead load, and
no exception should be allowed in the case of gear on new ships. In the case
of replacements or renewals, however, spring or hydraulic balances may be used
where dead loads a r e not available. Where a spring or hydraulic balance is
used it should be reliable and accurate and the test should not be regarded as
satisfactory unless t h e indicator remains constant for a period of at least several
minutes.
Thorough examination for the purposes of Article 9 (2) of the Convention
should be understood to mean a visual examination, supplemented if necessary
by other means such as a hammer test, carried out as carefully as the conditions
1

See below, p. 116.

TESTING AND EXAMINATION

permit in order to arrive a t a reliable conclusion as to the safety of the parts
examined; and if necessary for this purpose, parts of the machines or gear must
be dismantled.
(b) Every crane and other hoisting machine with its accessory gear should be
tested with a proof load, which should exceed the safe working load as follows:
Saje working load

Proof load

Up to 20 tons
20 — 50 tons
Over 50 tons

25 per cent, in excess
5 tons in excess
10 per cent, in excess

The said proof load should be hoisted and swung as far as possible in both
directions. If the jib of the crane has a variable radius, it should be tested with a
proof load as defined above a t the maximum and minimum radii of the jib. In
hydraulic cranes where, owing to the limitation of pressure, it is impossible to hoist
a load 25 per cent, in excess of the safe working load, it will be sufficient to hoist
the greatest possible load.
(c) Wire ropes should be tested by sample, a piece being tested to destruction.

Chains, shackles, rings, hooks, swivels and pulley blocks have
already been dealt with in this connection in Chapter VIII.
There is sometimes a difficulty in finding a dead load for the
purpose, but fig. 60, showing the testing of a 50-ton derrick with

Fig. 60

a proof load of 55 tons, suggests that with a little good will it is
always possible to find the necessary load.
The component parts of the test load must of course be adequately fastened, as is shown in fig. 61.

SAFBTY IN DOCK WORK

A test with the aid of a spring or hydraulic balance does not
allow the- test load to be swung as far as possible from port to
starboard. Moreover, stays, shrouds, guys, fastening points of span
and guy blocks, etc., or in short the gear as a whole, are not submitted to a test that can be relied upon when hoisting and lowering a load equal to the safe working load under working conditions..

Fig. 61

Owing to the risk of breakage of a part of the gear during the
test, the load should not be hoisted higher than is absolutely necessary and a preventer wire should be attached. Hatches must be
kept closed, so that if anything breaks the load will fall only a
short distance and will not damage the bottom of the ship.

CHAPTER X I
MEANS OF ACCESS TO HOLD, FROM SHORE TO SHIP,
FROM RAILING TO DECK, AND TO SHIPS NOT LYING
ALONGSIDE A QUAY OR ANOTHER SHIP
§ 1.—Means of Access to Hold
Inadequate means of access have been the cause of many accidents. An example of very dangerous ladders and cleats is seen
in fig. 62.

Fig. 62

Article 5 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(revised 1932)l contains a fairly complete set of regulations on
ladders.
It should be borne in mind that most of the dimensions specified
in this article are minima, e.g. the width of the rungs of a ladder
must not be less than 10 inches (25 cm), but for new ships a width
of 30 cm is recommended and in fact accepted in several countries.
A very important point is the number of ladders available in
a hold. The increasing size of hatches raises the question whether
in hatches above a certain length two ladders should be installed,
one fore and one aft, and alongships or thwartships, according to
the conditions in the hold. Some countries have already issued
regulations on this point; in Germany the limit of 5 m is fixed,
subject to certain exceptions (See-Berufsgenossenschaft) ; and in
the Netherlands the limit is 10 m. If shifting boards are placed a
second ladder is always necessary, partly because ladders are often
rendered inaccessible by having goods stowed around them, especially in ships tarrying general cargo for many destinations. It
is advisable to build the ladders off the centre line, especially if
there is any likelihood of grain being carried, and hence shifting
boards being required.

Fig. 63

If separate small deck openings have been made or ventilators
are used for the entrance to the hold, as is often the case on ships
built for carrying ore and coal, the dimensions of these openings
1

See below, p. 114.

MEANS OF ACCESS

and any manholes should n o t . b e too small, because the ladder
should enable the workers to escape quickly from the hold in emergencies (explosion, fire, etc.). The minimum should be 60 X 60 cm,
or 60 cm inner diameter in the case of round openings.
Fig. 63 shows a good deck opening, giving access to the iron
hold ladders behind the deck stanchions (seen in fig. 64).

Fig. 64

The means of access to the ladder on deck has to be wide enough
to enable the workers to reach the ladder without endangering
their lives. It should be at least 40 cm wide; and if it leads along
moving parts, 50 cm is recommended.
' The increasing depth of the holds creates a very difficult problem; on big passenger ships the ladder in a trunk hatchway mav
be 30 or 40 m long. When the dockers in the hold have to escape
quickly (fire, explosion, poisonous gases), an old or asthmatic
man may not be able to reach the top of the ladder without taking
a rest, thus blocking the way for his mates. Moreover, this long

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

unprotected ladder may be dangerous for men who are not accustomed to it and are liable to giddiness. For these reasons such
ladders should be interrupted at certain distances (e.g. at every
10 or 15 m), but a system of sloping ladders near the hatchway is
preferable.
Shipbuilders have been aiming at ladders that facilitate access
to the hold; fig. 65 shows ladders sloping from deck to deck on a
cargo ship.

Fig. 65

MEANS OF ACCESS

Fig. 66 shows a means of protecting a vertical hold ladder.
Every precaution should be taken to facilitate the escape of
the workers employed in the hold. Means to this end include escape
hatches and semicircular tubes with rungs, hung at the top of

Fig. 66

the coamings. These tubes also possess the advantage of allowing
supervisors to enter and leave the hold easily.
Figs. 67 and 68 illustrate this.

§2.—Means of Access from Shore to Ship and from
Railing to Deck
Article 3 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading,
ships (revised 1932)1 contains several provisions on this subject.
1

See below, p. 113.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Fig. 67

Fig. 68

MEANS OP ACCBSS

The permissible slope of the gangways depends on several circumstances.
A steep gangway may be
climbed without any danger
if it is provided with stepping
laths of a practical form and
of adequate dimensions, as
shown in fig. 69.
The same gangway without or with inadequate laths
would be unsafe at the angle
shown.
A dangerous spot some/
"" times exists where the ganging. 69
way reaches the ship's railing, and the steeper the
gangway the greater the danger.
Sometimes a person boarding the ship has practically no handhold when he leaves the gangway for the stepladder leading from
railing to deck, unless a stanchion is placed on the railing or on the
stepladder, or other means are provided to protect this spot, which
is all the more dangerous when there is a gap between the end of
the gangway and the top of the railing.
Fig. 70 illustrates access by means of a stepladder with stanchion, but as the ship's accommodation ladder is used here, the
danger is not so obvious as with a gangway.

Fig. 70

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

A practical improvement, shown in figs. 71-72, is often used on
smaller German ships. The last stanchion is of a special form and
movable, and thus always provides a firm handhold.

Fig. 71

Fig. 7.2

A similar though less serious danger exists when the quay is
higher than the top of the railing; the German system obviates this
danger also.

MEAN'S OF ACCESS

Further, appropriate measures should be taken to prevent the
foot of a stanchion from being accidentally lifted out.
Special attention should be given to rope ladders. With round
rungs they should not be used for stevedoring work. Steps should
be of sufficient width to provide a good foothold, and the ladder
should be so constructed that the steps remain horizontal.
•If in an exceptional case a rope ladder has temporarily to be
used for entering a hold, it should be fixed at the bottom also to
prevent it from swinging or turning round. Rope ladders used on
the outside of a ship should have one or more horizontal laths fixed
at the back to prevent them from turning round.
§ 3.—Means of Access to Ships not Lying Alongside a Quay
Article 4 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading
ships (revised 1932)1 has something to say on this subject, which
is a very important one, for the lives of many dockers are endangered
by failure to take appropriate measures to ensure their safe transport.
Vessels loaded or perhaps overloaded with dockers going to or
coming from their work may be exposed to serious danger, owing
to conditions of navigation, especially in stormy weather when a
strong current is running, or visibility is decreased by fog, snow or
rain. Other sources of accident are vessels in a bad state or insufficiently manned.
In a few countries regulations have been issued concerning the
conveyance of dockers by ship. As far as is known the regulations
in force at Rotterdam are the most detailed and an extract from
them is given below:
Section 3
1.—When dockers have to be conveyed by water to or from a sea-going ship
or other vessel, wharf, shed, warehouse, or depot, the direction or management of
the stevedoring undertaking concerned shall provide for this purpose free of
charge suitable vessels in good condition and well equipped for safe conveyance,
t h a t is to say, either: .
(a) vessels with mechanical propulsion; or
(b) vessels without mechanical propulsion.
A rowing boat may only be used when conveyance can be effected without
increasing the normal risks and neither the distance to be covered nor the weather
is a source of difficulty.
2.—The vessels mentioned in 1 (a) shall comply with the following requirements:
(a) they shall be so built t h a t with a full complement and in normal weather
water cannot come on deck either through the hawse holes or scuppers or over the
bows in such a way as to inconvenience the dockers.
1
See below, p. 114.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(6) the persons a n d loads to be carried shall be properly distributed over the
vessel;
(c) during the r u n the watertight bulkheads shall be closed;
(¿) they shall be manned by a sufficient and experienced crew;
(e) the helmsman's stand shall be such as to afford him a sufficiently clear
field of vision on all sides;
(/) if the railings of the vessel are lower than 60 cm a t the place allotted to the
passengers, adequate protection shall be installed to a height of a t least 75 cm
above the deck. This protection shall be so constructed t h a t even if it is leaned
against over the whole length there is no danger of its breaking;
If stanchions, supports and the like are used, they shall not be more than
2 m apart;
(g) the number of lifebuoys on deck shall be a t least equal to the number of
the crew;
All lifebuoys shall be kept in good condition and so placed that if the vessel
sinks they remain afloat;
One of these buoys shall be in the immediate reach of the master and one as
near as possible to the stern;
(Ä) a suitable d r a g weighing a t least 2 kg with a line of suitable dimensions
and in good condition shall be provided and kept in readiness;
(*) the maximum number of persons to be carried shall be indicated as
follows a t a conspicuous place on deck:
S T E V E D O R E S ACT
Total
persons
In calculating the number of persons to be carried on deck, it shall be reckoned
that for every 2m 2 available deck space (after deducting the space taken up
by refrigerators, wheelhouses, ventilator cowls, ship's lights, etc., from the total
deck space) not more than three persons shall be carried ; if these breaks in the
deck surface are usually used as seats, persons may also be carried on them subject
to the undermentioned rules concerning seats.
In a cabin the number of persons shall not exceed the number of fixed seats.
For every seat a t least 60 cm width per person shall be reckoned.
3.—The vessels mentioned in 1 (b) shall comply with the following requirements:
(o) the vessels shall be kept in good condition and be adequately equipped;
(6) metal rowing boats shall be provided with air tanks if the circumstances
in which these boats are usually used make this desirable;
(c) the m a x i m u m number of persons to be carried shall not be more than
safety allows, and shall be indicated a t a conspicuous place as follows:
S T E V E D O R E S ACT
Total
persons
4.—If dockers make use of vessels other than those provided by the direction
or management of the stevedoring undertaking concerned, these vessels shall
comply with the provisions of 2 and 3.
5.—All the notices required by this section shall be in distinctly legible
letters or figures a t least 40 mm high with strokes a t least 8 mm thick . . . .
6.—If on the vessels mentioned in 1, bicycles or goods are carried, the maximum
number of persons t h a t may be carried by the vessel shall not exceed the number
allowed by subsection 1, less one for every bicycle or every 75 kg of goods carried.

CHAPTER XII
HATCHES, HATCHWAYS, HATCH COVERINGS,
COAMINGS AND BEAMS
§ 1.—General Remarks
The purpose of hatchways and their equipment is not at all
the same on sea-going as on inland-waterway vessels.
On sea-going vessels they are subject to the requirements regarding the seaworthiness of ships, whereas on inland-waterway vessels
their principal purpose is the protection of the cargo. In some
cases, however, when inland-waterway vessels have to sail on broad
rivers or lakes, seaworthiness is an important matter. In this
chapter only sea-going ships are considered.

Fig. 73

§ 2.—Hatches
The dimensions of hatches have steadily increased. This does
not endanger the lives of the workers, unless the remaining deck
space is insufficient for safety. In this connection it should be

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

remembered that hatch coverings and beams when lifted out are
often put on deck. They should preferably be stowed as near as
possible to the sides. Sufficient space should be left around the
coamings for workers to pass, and for signal men, tally men, supervisors and other people concerned with the cargo to stand safely
near the hatch. The working space around the hatches of 'tweendecks should also be sufficient to enable the workers to remove and
replace beams and hatch coverings in safety.
Fig. 73 illustrates an example that should not be followed:
the deck cargo had been stowed sufficiently far from the coamings,
but the stevedore has used the free space for the beams.
§ 3.—Hatchways
Larger hatches have meant larger hatchways. This is an advantage for the workers in that loads cannot so easily bump against
the coamings and by falling injure those in the hold.
If, however, there is practically no place left for the workers
to take shelter under the decks when loads are hoisted or lowered,
they may be in danger, the more so as the increased size of the
hatchways may induce the stevedoring company to put more
shifts in the hold than can be deemed safe, in order to hasten the
work.
Persons responsible for safety should keep a sharp watch on
these points.
§4.—Hatch Coverings
Up to a few years ago hatches were covered by means of wooden
coverings resting on fore and aft beams and thwartship beams.
When the hatches were small the beams were sometimes of wood,
but on modern ships only steel thwartship beams are to be found,
and fore and aft beams have disappeared. Consequently, wooden
hatch coverings are always placed alongships.
Moreover, since shipbuilders have been convinced of the advantage of making all hatch coverings of the same dimensions,
so that .they can be interchanged without the slightest danger to
the workers, the risk of being hit by badly fitting coverings has
diminished considerably, but the greatest care should be taken to
avoid these accidents on older ships. (If the construction does not
allow the last section of a hold to be covered in the same way as
the others, the difference should be so apparent that no mistake is
possible.)
Another advantage of making all hatch coverings interchangeable is that marking becomes unnecessary.

HATCHES, HATCHWAYS, ETC.

Fig. 74 illustrates the danger to the dockers when the hatches
have not been covered in a safe way. It is easy to see that a load
touching coverings that are too long or placed in an unsafe way
may displace them and cause serious accidents.

Fig. 74

Hatch coverings should be kept in good repair and should not
therefore be used in the construction of deck or cargo stages or for
any other purpose which may expose them to damage.
Special attention should be given to the parts of the coamings
and beams on which the ends of the hatch coverings rest.
According to the International Loadline Convention, London,
1930, these parts should be 63mm wide, and the German SeeBerufsgenossenschqft prescribes that they should be at least 75 mm
for hatch coverings lying alongships on vessels built after 1 January
1925.
Sometimes, to give the top of the beam an even surface, the
coverings touch each other and are kept in their place by wooden
cleats underneath. This is quite inadmissible. Inspection of these
cleats can only take place after part of the hatch has been opened
and an accident may occur while this is being done. Moreover,
this inspection will often be neglected.
The fatal and other severe accidents to a great many workers
through being hit by falling hatch coverings, together with the
loss of time incurred when opening or closing the larger hatches,
have led naval architects and many private inventors to seek an
adequate solution to the problem of safe hatch coverings.
Figs. 75 and 76 show systems that have been applied in practice.
However, the choice of a system of hatch coverings for a particular ship is not influenced merely by the time required to open

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

»c.
K g . 75

Ftg. 76

HATCHES, HATCHWAYS, ETC.

and close the hatches and the safety of the operation, but also by
the possibility of damage to the cargo by leakage or by the temperature, which is likely to be higher under iron coverings than under
wooden ones.
Not only owners but also, and more especially, underwriters,
have an interest in the system adopted.

§ 5.—Coamings
Danger for the workers exists:
(1) When the coamings around the- hatch are not sufficiently
high; and
(2) When there are no coamings at all, this being the case on
several passenger ships or ships with passenger accommodation,
where a flush deck is wanted for purposes of recreation.
The Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection against
accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships (revised
1932)1 has the following regulations on this point:
Article 6 •
(1) While the workers are on a ship for the purpose of the processes, every
hatchway of a cargo hold accessible to the workers which exceeds 5 feet (1.50 m)
in depth from the level of the deck to the bottom of the hold, and which is not
protected to a clear height of 2 feet 6 inches (75 cm) b y the coamings, shall, when
not in use for the passage of goods, coal or other material, either be securely
fenced to a height of 3 feet (90 cm) or be securely covered. National laws or
regulations shall determine whether the requirements of this paragraph shall be
enforced during meal times and other short interruptions of work.
(2) Similar measures shall be taken when necessary to protect all other
openings in a deck which might be dangerous to the workers.

These regulations are found in the same or nearly the same
wording in several countries interested in the protection of dockers.
Besides the danger that this article provides against, there is
another inherent in the flush deck. Objects falling out of the hands
of a person standing near the coaming or from a scale may roll or
slide into the hatch and injure the workers in the hold. A fatal
accident has been caused by a barrel of paint rolling into the hold
on to a dockworker's head. The same danger may threaten persons
slipping on the deck when it is frozen, or slippery from oil, linseed
or water.
General agreement is lacking on this question, for in one country
the flush deck is absolutely forbidden, in other countries there are
1

See below, pp. 112 ff.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

no regulations on the point, and elsewhere the absence of a fixed
coaming is allowed, provided that loose but strong and adequately
fixed coamings are placed when the hatch is opened.
The following illustrations give an idea of a protecting system
that has proved satisfactory for several years (figs. 77 and 78).

L-v.

î?é$fÂ
Fig. 77

Fig. 78

'•/•:/•: Y.

r/.

HATCHES, HATCHWAYS, ETC.

§ 6.—Beams
It is evident that displacement of beams used for wooden hatch
coverings may cause the beam itself and also the coverings to fall
into the hold with disastrous results to the workers below. Hence
beams that are not removed should be adequately secured to prevent displacement.

Fig. 79

Fig. SO

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

For this purpose the ends of the beam and the cleats in the
coamings are generally provided with corresponding holes, through
which a bolt is p u t . This bolt should be secured by a nut, as it has
happened several times that the bolt has worked loose with fatal
results.
I t is advisable to give an oval form to the hole so that the bolt
can be put in even when the coamings have moved a little, or
when dirt has prevented the beam from resting on the whole length
of the cleat.
The same serious accidents that led to the invention of new
types of hatch coverings prompted the invention of automatic
means of fastening the beams.
Some of these systems have proved efficient and the types shown
in figs. 79 and 80 are among them.
In the course of time these appliances pay for themselves, since
not only do fewer accidents happen, but also there are no bolts
and nuts, articles that very often disappear and have to be renewed.
No person should be allowed to go upon beams for the purpose
of adjusting the gear for removing and replacing them, because
experience has proved this to be very dangerous. The holes in the
beams required for lifting them should therefore be made sufficiently near the ends.

Fig. 81

On some ships removal of the beams is unnecessary, as is shown
in fig. 81.

CHAPTER XIII
LOADING AND UNLOADING OF GOODS TRANSPORTED
IN BULK AND OF GENERAL CARGO
§ 1.—Bulk Cargo
The safe handling of bulk cargo largely depends on the safety
of the machinery used. As this subject has been dealt with in
Chapter III and elsewhere, here it will only be necessary to supplement what has already been said.
When unloading with the aid of grabs, stevedoring undertakings, in order to save wages, often omit to post a signaller on deck.
When nobody is in the hold this may be exempt from danger, but
if trimmers are working in the hold a signaller is indispensable even
with large hatches. Moreover, a signaller is always necessary when
members of the crew and other persons have to pass over the deck.
When, too, goods are unloaded from lighters and loaded into a
sea-going ship, or vice versa, a signaller should be present, because
neither crew nor trimmers can see when the grab returns.
A second man should be placed on the shaft tunnel in order to
guide the grab and to give the necessary indications.
No grab should be hoisted, lowered or unloaded while anyone
enters or leaves, the hold along a ladder in the hatchway; for this
kind of work, access to the hold by means of small but adequate
separate hatches is advisable.
Grabs, even when empty, are heavy (an empty grab of a 30-ton
bridge crane weighs 20 tons).
Great care should be taken to avoid protruding parts on the
inside of grabs, since it frequently happens that small pieces of
coal or ore do not fall directly out of the opened grab but stay
behind a rivet head or nut and fall out as the grab swings back.

§2.—General Cargo
An immense variety of methods for handling general cargo is
applied all over the world in the loading and unloading of tens of
thousands of sea-going and hundreds of inland-waterway vessels.
These methods may be grouped in three main classes according
to the equipment used, namely:

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(a) machinery and gear belonging to the ship;
(b) shore and floating general cargo cranes;
(c) miscellaneous appliances for loading and unloading.
(a) Machinery and Gear Belonging to the Ship
A method t h a t is becoming more and more general is loading
and unloading with coupled derricks (with the aid of inner and outer
tackle).
The stresses in the runners may vary considerably, owing to
the weight of the load, the capacity of the winch and the angle
between the runners (depending on the length of the derricks in
connection with the height of the bulwarks and the dimensions of
the load). If the gear has not been specially constructed for this
method of working, the load should not be heavier than ¡Hs of the
safe working load of the slewing derrick and should never exceed
2 tons.
The stresses in the guys, moreover, may become very high,
according to the stresses in the runners and to the place on deck
or on the railing where the guys have been fastened.
When working with inner and outer tackle, preventers should
be placed on the guys, the top of which should be fastened at the
nock of the derrick and not at the guy pennant as is often done.
Further, this method of working should only be allowed with single
runners.
Many derricks have arrangements for working with double
purchase in order to lift heavy loads, and even three arrangements
are sometimes found, so that one derrick may have three different
safe working loads.
The stevedoring firm has to consider carefully which method
to apply for a certain load, and to make sure that all parts of the
gear that should be changed have actually been changed.
It is necessary to know the actual weight of the load and in
this connection reference must be made to thé Convention (No. 27)1
concerning marking of the weight on heavy packages transported by
vessels, adopted by the International Labour Conference in 1929.
If the dimensions of load, derrick and hatch do not allow the
load to be brought to its proper place in the hold by the derrick
only, one or more blocks and a manilla runner are sometimes used.
This method may also be applied when loading in lighters lying
alongside sea-going vessels, and for quay work.
The stresses in these blocks and runners are often underestimated
and the stevedores should take careful stock of the situation. 2
1
2

See below, p. 122.
For stresses in blocks, see Chapter V I I .

GOODS IN BULK AND GSNBRAL CARGO

Several accidents have occurred when dragging a load in the
hold to its place under deck with the aid of a winch ; the persons in
charge should keep a sharp watch on such operations.
The following sketch shows
the arrangement, seen from
above, found on board a ship
where a fatal accident had
occurred while the stevedore
tried to drag a load under deck
after it had been lowered into
the hold (fig. 82).
Tackle had been fastened
with a block B to the load, and
with another block A t o a n eye,
fixed to the ship. The runner
had been led through a snatch
block C to the 3-ton winch.
Owing to the weight of the load and to friction, the steam valve
had to be opened fully to move the load, so that the stress in the
runner amounted to at least 3 tons, and in block A and in the eye,
to about 9 tons. The eye proved to be the weakest place and
broke; the docker D was hit by block A and killed on the spot.
It may be generally stated that when a block is used, men
should never stand in the angle between the runners.
If the man who was fatally hit in the case quoted had not stood
in that angle but at a safer place, only material damage would have
been caused.
(b) Shore and Floating General Cargo Cranes
Much of what has been said under (a) applies also to loading and unloading with shore cranes. It may be worth while, however, to give an idea of the influence which a slight deviation of the
runner from the vertical may have on the movement of the load
itself when cranes with very long jibs are used, as is becoming more
and more frequent nowadays (see fig. 83).
A fatal accident occurred owing to the load bumping against
a part of the ship during discharge of a load measuring 1.6 X 2.2 m,
which would not have been too much if the load had risen vertically.
However, a deviation of the runner of one degree from the vertical
•caused the load to swing through 2 m in the horizontal plane during
the passage through the hatchway, and this nobody had foreseen.
This shows that the discharging of loads of such large dimensions
with all cranes should be allowed only through sufficiently large
hatchways and with guide ropes attached to the loads.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Fig. 83

(c) Miscellaneous Appliances for Loading and Unloading
Appliances including trays, buckets, nets and other combinations of wood, iron, steel or manilla ropes, chains, etc., are used for
loading and unloading general cargo.
There are many types of tray—long, square, without sides,
with low sides, and with high sides. The modern type in use for
loading and unloading general cargo that is not slippery or in any
other way dangerous when being handled by trays, is almost square
and without sides and often constructed in such a way that when
loaded it may easily be transported from the quay to the shed, or
vice versa, by means of a combined electric truck and crane.

GOODS IN BUUC AND GENERAL CARGO

Trays without sides naturally increase the danger of parts of
the load falling off when bumping against the coamings or another
part of the ship ; but a tray properly loaded with small or large
wooden cases, or with other goods suitable for being hoisted in this
way, is not more dangerous without than with sides, if the load is
protected by the four-legged sling with which the tray is hoisted,
or otherwise. In fact, it is not the bottom but the top cases that
fall first when the tray touches a part of the ship, as has been proved
by a series of tests undertaken at Rotterdam.
Hence the precautions to be taken should consist in protecting
the whole load against displacement, and not primarily that part
of it which is directly placed on the tray, the friction against the
tray being often greater than between the parts of the load.
Fig. 84 illustrates the loading of long bags, effectively kept
together with the four legs of the sling.

Fig. 84 _

Slippery or round cargo or paving stones and patent fuel should
not be handled in this way, nor should such goods as glass or earthenware and; containers filled with corrosive substances.
Loads hoisted on these trays may be protected in different
ways, as shown in figs. 85 and 86, which speak for themselves.
When loading and unloading small, more or less square objects
such as coal briquettes, e t c , special measures should be taken.
If the goods are likely to be damaged, as is the case, for instance,
with soft building bricks, which are worthless when even a corner

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

GOODS IN BULK AND GBNERAL CARGO

is missing, they should be stacked on the tray in such a way that
the danger of falling off is reduced to a minimum. Fig. 87 gives an
example of such stacking.

Fig. ¿7

This method, however, cannot be recommended unreservedly
and some protection round the tray is sometimes necessary.
A very safe method of loading coal briquettes is shown in fig. 88.
The container has a movable bottom, carried by springs; the bottom
comes to the top when the container is empty, and descends as the
briquettes are put into it. Consequently, there is no risk at all of a
briquette falling out, even if a part of the ship is touched during
loading or unloading.
If such goods have an uneven surface, e.g. granite paving
bricks, it is too dangerous to stack them on a tray; they should be
handled in containers or the like. The utmost care should be taken
that these containers are loaded safely and that no goods can fall
out of them.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Fig. 88

The following photograph gives an idea of a type often used
for unloading paving stones (fig. 89).

\w$W«
ijSg&té*

^Wv?*Sii-"

Fig. 89

GOODS IN BULK AND GENERAL CARGO

Fig. 90

Fig. 91

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Round and slippery goods should be put in steel wire nets as is
shown in fig. 90.
In order not to damage the load it is sometimes necessary to
keep the legs of a sling spread as is shown in fig. 91.
Care should be taken, however, that enough pressure remains
on the component parts of the load or that other measures are taken ;
here, canvas has been used as protection to prevent anything from
'falling.

S-

Fig. 93

When working with long iron, such as rails, etc., the following
method may be recommended. The ends of the iron are put in a
steel bucket, which is fastened to the load, as is shown in fig. 92
and there is no danger of a piece slipping out, while fig. 93 illustrates
the danger of hoisting the same load without a bucket.

CHAPTER XIV
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION
§ 1.—Inspection
Article 17 of the Convention (No. 32) concerning protection
against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading
ships (revised 1932)1 prescribes that provision shall be made for an
efficient system of inspection. 2
The establishment of an efficient port inspection service is of
extreme importance, not only for those countries that ratify the
Convention, but for all other maritime countries as well.
The port inspection service should preferably be organised under
the administration of the department responsible for the protection
of industrial workers throughout the country. Such an arrangement would have several advantages: labour inspection would.
form a complete whole within the framework of the department,
covering all branches of work in industry, commerce, transport,
etc.; the assistance of the medical, electrical, chemical and other
special auxiliary services attached to the department would be
directly available to all branches of the labour inspection force;
and these auxiliary services would then cover the entire field of
occupational accident prevention.
The inspection service should be responsible for the protection
of all workers employed on ships, in so far as their work is not
connected with the fitting out or navigation of the vessel. The
exact scope of its work must be determined by local conditions and
experience.
The inspection service should be autonomous, although under
the authority of the chief of the industrial inspection service. I t
should be entitled, on its own responsibility, to consult and call
on the services of shipping registration companies, technical associations, semi-official institutions, committees, etc.
In the larger ports the inspectorate should be under the orders
of an official with a sufficient technical and scientific training to
enable him to deal with any problem that may arise. He must
1
2

See below, p. 120.
On this subject, see also "Inspection of Stevedoring Undertakings", by
C. MÖRZER BRUYNS, in Industrial Safety Survey, Vol. XI, No. 2, Mar.-Apr. 1935,
pp. 37-40.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

have a thorough knowledge of all the national and foreign laws and
treaties affecting his work and must himself be competent to draft
legislation and orders. He must be tactful in his dealings with
employers and workers, whether individually or through their
associations, and he must have a thorough knowledge of working
conditions in his own district and elsewhere.
He must be fully acquainted with the economic problems with
which the inspection service is increasingly being brought into
contact. He must be able to speak for the service on technical
subjects, labour questions, etc., at committee meetings and to represent his country at international conferences. He must be able
to maintain the necessary relations with foreign authorities and
other parties concerned.
In addition to his native language, he should have a sound
knowledge of the languages chiefly used in international dealings.
The chief inspector in a large seaport must have at his disposal
not only the necessary administrative staff but also a sufficient
number of inspectors to ensure efficiency.
Some of these inspectors must be capable of calculating, in so
far as this is possible without complicated mathematics, the strength
and stresses of hoisting gear and other appliances on land and on
board ship. They must be able to judge sketch plans—a very important matter in the case of new structures—and must have a
wide knowledge of materials. In short, their scientific training
must be sufficient to enable them to carry out all the duties entrusted to them and to submit detailed reports on their work, labour
conditions and any special subjects on which they are consulted.
Since it is essential for them to remain in close connection with
working conditions, they should exchange duties periodically with
the officials mentioned below.
The remaining inspectors must have sufficient technical knowledge to understand all the problems connected with the loading
and unloading of ships and must, like the others, be able to get on
with the workers and their foremen. They should be specially
responsible for supervising hours of work and must be able to
draft simple reports.
All the officials must know at least one of the chief languages
in addition to their own.
As cases frequently arise in connection with the loading and
unloading of ships (breaking of materials, dangerous methods of
work, excessive hours of work, etc.) in which immediate action and
decisions must be taken because of the short stay of the vessels
in port, the inspectors, or at least some of them, should have a
telephone at their disposal.

INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION

If many ships have to be inspected when moored away from
the quay, the inspectors should have one or more launches at their
disposal.
When small ports are situated near larger ones, the former
can be supervised by the inspection service of the latter. Otherwise,
or when this arrangement is considered undesirable, the inspection
duties in the small port, which will occupy only a very few hours
daily, may be carried out by an official of some other service who is
resident there and is acquainted with shipping matters. This can
be considered a subsidiary appointment for which some slight extra
remuneration may be paid! In this capacity the official will be
attached to the inspection service of a larger seaport.
§ 2.—Supervision
Dock work is fundamentally different from work in a factory
for the following reasons among others:
(a) The arrangements are different on almost every vessel and
as the ship often stays only a few hours in port, the dockers have
to work practically every day, and sometimes twice a day, with
different gear and under different circumstances.
(b) The ship may arrive at any hour of the day, and the work
has to begin as soon as possible to save time.
(c) In order to save time the stevedore has to hurry his work
as much as possible, and often too little time is given to matters
of safety. Quickness is wanted by the owners because the ship
represents a big capital item and has to be used for transport as
continuously as possible; the time spent in a port is often considered as lost time.
In view of all this, it is clear that the supervisors who are to be
responsible for the safety of the work must be carefully selected from
persons competent to direct loading and unloading. Moreover,
they should be capable of calculating stresses, judging difficult
situations and possibilities, and should realise that it is in the
interest of all concerned to avoid accidents, not only from a social
but also from an economic point of view.
It is a responsibility of the employers to choose the right supervisors and foremen. As there is a lack of such persons, owing to
the fact that hardly anywhere has anything been done to train
them for their difficult and complicated task, the creation of an
educational system for the persons from whom supervisors are
selected is a very urgent necessity.

CHAPTER XV
DISEASES, TOXIC AND OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES
TO WHICH DOCK WORKERS ARE EXPOSED
§ 1.—General Remarks
Dock workers are exposed to several occupational diseases and
to toxic and other harmful substances and, though this is not the
place for a detailed discussion of them, the frequent injuries and
considerable loss of time for which they are responsible justify some
mention of them.
The dangers present during loading and unloading are different
from those during the voyage and may therefore be dealt with
separately.
§ 2.—Diseases
(a) Anthrax (from Hides, Wool, Hair, etc.)
Hides, wool and other products of animal origin are transported
from places all over the world to seaports and discharged from
the sea-going ships into lighters, sheds, wagons and trucks.
The danger to which transport workers are exposed by the very
resistant anthrax spores is obvious.
In an article on this subject in Reichsarbeitsblatt, 1932, No. 11,
Part III, Dr. A. B R A N D T concludes from the statistics of anthrax
infections at Hamburg in the years 1910-1914 and 1925-1931,
that it is the dockers and warehouse workers who are most exposed to this serious risk. The infection has rather frequently
(in about 25 per cent, of all cases) a fatal termination.
The following table gives the cases of anthrax infection in
Hamburg for the years 1930-1936:
Year

1930
1931
1932
1933)
1934/
1935
1936Total

Number of
anthrax infections

15
10
3
„
y

7
47
3

DISEASES, HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

101

(b) Diseases of the Respiratory Organs, Generally Caused by Dust .
(from Various Kinds of Ore, Fertilisers, etc.)
Some cases are known of dock workers who have died of pneumonia after discharging certain kinds of ore. Ground basic slag
has caused numerous casualties in the course of some years. In
1936, for instance, nine dock workers who had discharged this
fertiliser from a sea-going ship died of pneumonia and several others
were ill.
(c) Inflammation of the Mucous Membranes of the Nose and Throat
(from Bone Dust, Dry Clay, Cement, Certain Ores, Fertilisers)
The throat may become dry and red and the workers are entirely
or partly prevented from breathing through the nose.
(d) Skin Burns, Eye Inflammation,
(from Pitch, etc.)

Conjunctivitis

Handling these substances is one of the most disagreeable jobs
that a docker has to perform, at least in certain circumstances.
With pitch of certain compositions severe conjunctivitis may
ensue and there may be rather painful inflammation of the skin.
(e) Skin Injuries, Skin Burns, Eye Burns (from Corrosives, etc.,
such as Soda Ash, Caustic Soda, Acetic Acid, some Fertilisers,
Whale Oil Residue)
The dangers of acid and alkaline substances are well known,
and the hands and necks of dock labourers are often exposed to
them. It is essential not to employ any person on this work who
is already suffering from skin injuries.
Sulphur dust may cause slight eye burns.
In some circumstances acrolein is formed in whale oil residue,
which may cause injuries to the mucous membranes, conjunctivitis,
etc.
§ 3.—Toxic Substances
(a) Phosphoretted Hydrogen (Impurities in Ferro-Silicon with a
Certain Percentage of Silicon)
Phosphoretted hydrogen may be given off by ferro-silicon and
similar substances containing a certain percentage of silicon, especially through the action of water. Although up to now the
health of dock workers has not suffered much from this risk it
should not be overlooked, for there is always a possibility that the
workers will go to sleep in the neighbourhood of such substances.
Slight inconveniences have in fact been experienced during loading

102

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

and unloading. During sea and inland waterway transport, however,
very many serious accidents have occurred, and several seamen and
lightermen, together with members of their families and passengers,
have died through breathing phosphoretted hydrogen. Having
regard to the close connection between stevedoring and water
transport, it may be of interest to reproduce the most recent
regulations on this subject, those of the former Central Committee for Navigation on the Rhine (members: Belgium, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland) 1 :
Packing

and Transport

of Poisonous

Substances

The following poisonous" substances shall only be transported on the Rhine
subject to the following conditions:
I
II
Ill
IV. Ferro-silicon and mangano-silicon, with a silicon content of more than
30 and less than 90 per cent, and alloys of ferro-silicon containing admixtures of
other substances amounting in all to over 30 and less t h a n 90 per cent., including
silicon and excluding iron.
(1) The substances shall be packed in strong wooden or metal containers.
(2) The containers shall be provided with a clear and durable inscription
"Ferro-silicon", "Mangano-silicon" or "Alloy of Ferro-silicon", with the
addition "Poison, T o be kept dry. Do not overturn." The inscription
shall be affixed in the languages of the countries through which the ship
will pass. T h e inscription"may mention the silicon content. The addition of
a trade n a m e shall also be allowed.
(3) The substances shall not be transported by vessels carrying passengers.
(4) As far as possible, the substance and the packing shall be loaded and kept
in a d r y condition.
(5) The containers shall only be stowed in the following manner:
(o) on deck: protected against d a m p ;
(b) in the hold; in all holds if they are separated from the living accommodation by a gas-tight cofferdam; if there is no cofferdam, in the holds
not adjacent to the living accommodation provided t h a t these holds
are separated from the living accommodation by a tight metal bulkhead.
All holds and living accommodation shall be continuously ventilated
as well as possible.
(6) On board vessels transporting the substances mentioned under IV, there
shall be adequate means of ascertaining in a simple way whether phosphoretted hydrogen (PH3) has filtered into the living accommodation
and whether the cofferdams are sufficiently airtight.
Directions for using these means shall be kept on board.
1
Regulations for the transport of corrosive and poisonous substances on the
Rhine. Last amended 13 Nov. 1936 with effect from 1 Apr. 1937. (Commission
Centrale pour la Navigation du Rhin, Protocoles des Séances 1934, 1ère session avril, p , 59, 1936, 2me session - novembre, p. 40.)

DISEASES, HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

103

(b) Carbon Monoxide (CO) (Incomplete Combustion, e.g. inj the
Mess Rooms of Floating Cranes, when Unloading Fruit from
Stove-Heated Holds, etc.)
Some dockers who spent their break in the mess room of a
floating crane were affected by carbon monoxide from the stove.
Some dockers who were unloading bananas from the hold of
a motor ship, in which several small stoves had been burning to
keep the bananas at the right temperature, became ill and one of
them lost consciousness. The symptoms were: headache, weakness in the legs, loss of control.
(c) Poisoning by Carbon Dioxide (Heating or Refrigerating of Cargo)
Sometimes, if the cargo has been on board for a long time or
has become more or less heated, fermentation may have started
and it has often proved dangerous to enter the hold before it has
been well ventilated.
On the other = hand, when perishable cargo is refrigerated by
means of so-called "dry ice" (solidified carbon dioxide) the hold
may become partly or entirely filled with carbon dioxide gas; and
unless special precautions are taken the dockers unloading the
cargo will be exposed to a very serious danger of asphyxiation.
An accident of this kind occurred in 1937 in New York where
four dockers died and two others, together with a mate and a
deck hand, were removed unconscious to a hospital after entering
the hold of a fruit ship in which dry ice had been used as a refrigerant.
(d) Vapours from the Holds, etc., of Ships that have Carried Liquid
Cargo, such as Gasoline or Benzol
It is well known that the vapours from petroleum products
and benzol are very dangerous; they may cause intoxication, and if
their flash point is below, a certain temperature (usually taken as
65.6°C) they may explode.
(e) Emanations from Ship's Paint in Spaces that have been Closed
for a Long Time or are Difficult to Ventilate, e.g. Double Bottoms,
Tanks
The dangers mentioned under (d) and (e) have been well explored. In addition to testing for gas by sampling or the use of a
gas detector, adequate ventilation is an important precaution. " In
spite of precautions, however, accidents still occur and the utmost
prudence should always be displayed.

104

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(f) Produce of Vegetable Origin (Stomach Disorders)
Cases are known of illness among transport workers due to
eating kratok, rangoon, calabar or castor beans, bitter peach and
apricot kernels and bitter almonds (stomach and intestinal disorders, collapse).
The highly dangerous prussic acid may form in bitter kernels.
Twenty castor beans may prove fatal to an adult; two children
of a lighterman died after eating some of these beans.
Dried copra may give off irrespirable gases, especially at tropical
temperatures, and several casualties among coolies are known to
have been due t o this cause.
Turpentine leaking from barrels or drums may give off dangerous
vapours which cause giddiness and loss of consciousness; it is especially dangerous when a man feels ill and tries to leave the hold by
climbing up the hold ladder. Severe injuries have resulted from
falls from ladders in such circumstances.
A tallyman who happened to get a very slight quantity of nicotine in his mouth when sampling the cargo became dangerously ill.
(g) Lead (Ethyl

Fluid)
a

Up to now no accidents have occurred on board ship with
this cargo, but, as it is being conveyed in steadily increasing quantities, there should be adequate supervision of the precautions taken
during loading and unloading.
In the United States and in the Netherlands, the precautions
are as follows:
(1) Special inspection of the gear before unloading;
(2) Use of a tray for unloading;
(3) As an extra precaution, the tray is enclosed in a strong net
of steel or manilla rope fixed on the runner hook ;
(4) Exercise of the utmost care in loading or unloading.
It should be borne in mind that these dangerous goods need not
always be feared, the degree of risk depending on the circumstances.
T h e very disagreeable consequences of working with pitch, for
instance, depend to a large extent on the composition of the pitch
b u t perhaps to a still larger extent on the sun and the wind. For
d u s t and gases in general, ventilation and the degree of concentration
are very important factors.
If the goods here considered are packed in drums, barrels, casks,
bags, sacks, etc., their condition is a determining factor, and the
danger may be reduced or even be absent entirely when the containers are in good condition.

DISEASES, HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

105

On the other hand, the manner in which the goods are discharged
or loaded, and the fixed arrangements on board (for instance, small
coamings, sharp edges, etc.) may easily spoil the condition of bags
and sacks. For example, on an'old ship loaded with nitrate of lime
in special double jute and paper bags, no less than 52 bags were
damaged and their contents were strewn all over the hold during
hoisting.
The workers had a very disagreeable time with this cargo, which
was not at all the case on another ship from which a similar cargo
was discharged but where the fixed arrangements on board were
modern and better.
Paper bags should be kept dry : wet spots may cause holes and
tears.

Fig. 94

It would take too long to indicate in detail what should be done
when handling every dangerous commodity in every . conceivable
circumstance, but the following general precautions against these
dangers may be taken, separately or in combination:
(1) Allow short interruptions of work to enable the workmen
to breathe fresh air.

106

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(2) Work in two shifts, relieving each other every half hour.
(3) Use gas masks, respirators, wet sponges, coverings for face
and neck, gloves; fig. 94 shows the unloading of ground basic slag.
(4) Rub bare parts of skin with talcum powder, vaseline clay,
etc.
(5) Do not load or unload during sunshine or wind but only at
night.
(6) Handle goods very carefully and never throw bags and sacks
below.
(7) Ventilate holds and tanks as well as possible.
(8) Never rest or sleep in a closed room, especially when a coal
stove is burning.
(9) Do not enter holds or compartments without a safety belt
unless it has been ascertained that no danger exists.
(10) Do not enter silo bins in grain elevators without taking the
same precautions.
(11) Never use fire and never smoke in the neighbourhood of
flammable or explosive vapours and goods.
(12) Never eat or drink any of the cargo.
(13) Always keep a first-aid box ready for immediate use; when
there is a risk of suffocation (fire on board, working in double
bottom or tanks, unloading of goods which have been on fire) an
oxygen apparatus should be kept ready for use.
(14) When handling fruit such as bananas, be careful to keep
clear of snakes and other pests that may be hidden in the fruit.

Fig. 95

(15) Never touch dead rats with bare or even covered hands,
but use a pair of tongs.

DISEASES, HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

107

(16) Wash thoroughly with soap after finishing the work.
(17) Ask the doctor's advice immediately a pustule appears,
especially after working with hides, wools and bones.
(18) Give the workmen who work in dust an allowance of milk
or other suitable beverage in order to protect the mucous membranes of the throat. Milk, moreover, tends to promote physical
well-being in general, and people who are fit are less liable to disease
than those who are not.
These beverages, however, are by no
means an antidote; other health measures must not be neglected.
Fig. 95 illustrates the precautions mentioned under 3 for dockers
entering a hold to sweep up whale-oil residue.

§4.—Suffocation and Burns
Other suffocations and burns than those due to the causes
mentioned in §2 and §3 have often occurred, for instance owing to:
(a) Fire (e.g. spontaneous ignition of celluloid, copra, films,
matches, sulphur, cotton, ignition of flammable vapours);
(b) Explosions (e.g. of metal containers of compressed gases,
explosives, methane gas given off by certain "gassy" coals,
etc.);
(c) Drowning (special precautions should be taken against
drowning in oil tanks on board cargo ships) ;
(d) Gases escaping from refrigerating installations and cold
storage plant;
(e) Bites of insects, snakes and pests in general.

§5.—The Carrying of Heavy Weights
The carrying of heavy weights has also resulted in physical
injuries to dock workers and it would therefore be useful to have
an internationally recognised maximum weight of load to be handled
manually. However, the progress of mechanisation of dock labour
has eliminated a great part of this work.

CHAPTER

XVI

PSYCHOTECHNICAL APTITUDE TESTS
In several industries psychotechnical research has become a
commonplace, and the value of such research is by now generally
recognised, not only for promoting efficiency, but also, and not
least, for preventing accidents.
Dock work has become gradually more and more mechanised;
its tempo has been very much accelerated and it has been found
that for supervisors, crane and truck drivers, winch drivers, signallers, etc., an initial psychotechnical test is very useful. It seems
even not improbable that in future the aptitude of ordinary dockers
for their work will also be subjected to a test of this kind.
Some years ago the Scheepvaart-Vereeniging Zuid (Shipping
Federation) at Rotterdam established a psychotechnical laboratory
under the superintendence of a specialised medical practitioner.

Fig. 96

PSYCHOTECHNICAIy APTITUDE TESTS

109

Fig. 96 shows an apparatus for testing crane drivers. A load
is fastened to 2 runners. The two horizontal lines represent upper
and 'tweendecks with coamings; the long vertical line, the outside
of a sea-going ship with railing; this ship is being loaded from a
lighter, which is represented at the left of the screen.

Fig. 97

Fig. 97 shows several appliances for testing winchmen.
It would be outside the scope of the present monograph to treat
this question in further detail and it may suffice here to bring it
to the notice of those interested in the safety of dockers.

PART II

Legislation concerning Dock Work

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Safety in dock work is a matter that has received much attention from rule-making authorities. Several countries have issued
national or regional regulations in this matter and there are also
a number of voluntary safety codes in operation. International
regulations are embodied in the Convention (No. 32) concerning
the protection against accidents of workers employed in the
loading and unloading of ships, adopted by the International
Labour Conference in 1932, and the Convention (No. 27) concerning the marking of the weight oh heavy packages transported by
vessels, adopted by the International Labour Conference in 1929.
The present Part gives the text of these Conventions, the relevant
statutory regulations of Australia, Chile, Germany, Great Britain,
Portugal and Sweden, and voluntary safety codes in operation in
the United States. These texts may be considered to provide good
examplesof the rules that have been found necessary for the prevention of accidents to dock workers.

INTERNATIONAL
Convention (No. 32) concerning the Protection against Accidents of Workers Employed in Loading or Unloading Ships
(Revised 1932)
The General Conference of the International Labour Organisation of the League of Nations,
Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Bod)'
of the International Labour Office, and having met in its Sixteenth Session on 12 April 1932, and
Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals
with reg*ard to the partial revision of the Convention concerning the protection against accidents of workers employed in
loading or unloading ships adopted by the Conference at its
Twelfth Session, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the
Session, and
Considering that these proposals must take the form of a
Draft International Convention,
adopts, this twenty-seventh day of April of the year one thousand
nine hundred and thirty-two, the following Draft Convention for
ratification by the Members of the International Labour Organisation, in accordance with the provisions of Part XIII of the Treaty
of Versailles and of the corresponding Parts of the other Treaties
of Peace:
ARTICLE

For the purpose of this Convention:
(1) The term "processes" means and includes all or any part
of the work performed on shore or on board ship of loading or unloading any ship whether engaged in maritime or inland navigation, excluding ships of war, in, on, or at any maritime or inland
port, harbour, dock, wharf, quay or similar place at which such
work is carried on; and
(2) The term "worker" means any person employed in the
processes.
ARTICLE 2

Any regular approach over a dock, wharf, quay or similar
premises which workers have to use for going to or from a working place at which the processes are carried on and every such
working place on shore shall be maintained with due regard to the
safety of the workers using them.

LEGISLATION:

INTERNATIONAL

113

In particular,
(1) Every said working place on shore and any dangerous
parts of any said approach thereto from the nearest highway
shall be safely and efficiently lighted;
(2) Wharves and quays shall be kept sufficiently clear of goods
to maintain a clear passage to the means of access referred to in
Article 3;
(3) Where any space is left along the edge of any wharf or
quay, it shall be at least 3 feet (90 cm) wide and clear of all obstructions other than fixed structures, plant and appliances in
use; and
(4) So far as is practicable having regard to the traffic and
working,
(a) All dangerous parts of the said approaches and working
places (e.g. dangerous breaks, corners and edges) shall
be adequately fenced to a height of not less than 2 feet
6 inches (75 cm);
(b) Dangerous footways over bridges, caissons and dock
gates shall be fenced to a height of not less than 2 feet
6 inches (75 cm) on each side and the said fencing
shall be continued at both ends' to a sufficient distance
which shall not be required to exceed 5 yards (4.5 m).
(5) The measurement requirements of paragraph (4) of this
Article shall be deemed to be complied with, in respect of appliances
in use at the date of the ratification of this Convention, if the actual
measurements are not more than 10 per cent, less than the measurements specified in the said paragraph (4).
ARTICLE 3

(1) When a ship is lying alongside a quay or some other vessel
for the purpose of the processes, there shall be safe means of access
for the use of the workers at such times as they have to pass to or
from the ship, unless the conditions are such that they would not
be exposed to undue risk if no special appliance were provided.
(2) The said means of access shall be:
(a) Where reasonably practicable, the ship's accommodation ladder, a gangway or a similar construction ;
(b) In other cases a ladder.
(3) The appliances specified in paragraph (2) (a) of this Article
shall be at least 22 inches (55 cm) wide, properly secured to prevent their displacement, not inclined at too steep an angle, constructed of materials of good quality and in good condition, and
securely fenced throughout to a clear height of not less than 2 feet
9 inches (82 cm) on both sides, or in the case of the ship's accommodation ladder securely fenced to the same height on one side,
provided that the other side is properly protected by the ship's
side.

114

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Provided t h a t any appliances as aforesaid in use at the date
of the ratification of this Convention shall be allowed to remain
in use:
(a) Until the fencing is renewed if they are fenced on both
sides t o a clear height of at least 2 feet 8 inches (80 cm) ;
(6) For two years from the date of ratification if they are
fenced on both sides to a clear height of at least 2 feet
6 inches (75 cm).
(4) The ladders specified in paragraph (2) (b) of this Article
shall be of adequate length and strength, and properly secured.
(5) (a) Exceptions to the provisions of this Article may be
allowed by the competent authorities when they are satisfied
that the appliances specified in the Article are not required for
the safety of the workers.
(b) The provisions of this Article shall not apply to cargo
stages or cargo gangways when exclusively used for the processes.
(6) Workers shall not use, or be required to use, any other
means of access than the means specified or allowed by this Article.
ARTICLE; 4

When the workers have to proceed to or from a ship by water
for the processes, appropriate measures shall be prescribed to
ensure their safe transport, including the conditions to be complied
with by the vessels used for this purpose.
ARTICLE 5

(1) When the workers have to carry on the processes in a
hold the depth of which from the level of the deck to the bottom
of the hold exceeds 5 feet (1.5 m), there shall be safe means of
access from the deck to the hold for their use.
(2) The said means of access shall ordinarily be by ladder,
which shall not be deemed to be safe unless it complies with the
following conditions: •
(a) Provides foothold of a depth, including any space behind the ladder, of not less than 4 ^ inches (11.5 cm)
for a width of not less than 10 inches (25 cm) and a
firm handhold ;
(b) Is not recessed under the deck more than is reasonably
necessary to keep it clear of the hatchway;
(c) Is continued by and is in line with arrangements for
secure handhold and foothold on the coamings (e.g.
cleats or cups) ;
(d) The said arrangements on the coamings provide foothold of a depth, including any space behind the said
arrangements, of not less than 4J^ inches (11.5 cm)
for a width of not less than 10 inches (25 cm) ;
(e) If separate ladders are provided between the lower
decks, the said ladders are as far as practicable in line
with the ladder from the top deck.

LEGISLATION: INTERNATIONAL

115

Where, however, owing to the construction of the ship, the
provision of a ladder would not be reasonably practicable, it shall
be open to the competent authorities to allow other means of
access, provided that they comply with the conditions laid down
in this Article for ladders so far as they are applicable.
In the case of ships existing at the date of the ratification of
this Convention the measurement requirements of subparagraphs
(a) and (d) of this paragraph shall be deemed to be complied with,
until the ladders and arrangements are replaced, if the actual
measurements are not more than 10 per cent, less than the measurements specified in the said subparagraphs (a) and (d).
(3) Sufficient free passage to the means of access shall be left
at the coamings.
(4) Shaft tunnels shall be equipped with adequate handhold
and foothold on both sides.
(5) When a ladder is to be used in the hold of a vessel which
is not decked it shall be the duty of the contractor undertaking
the processes to provide such ladder. It shall be equipped at the
top with hooks or with other means for firmly securing it.
(6) The workers shall not use, or be required to use, other
means of access than the means specified or allowed by this Article.
(7) Ships existing at the date of ratification of this Convention shall be exempt from compliance with the measurements
in paragraph (2) (a) and (d) and from the provisions of paragraph
(4) of this Article for a period not exceeding four years from the
date of ratification of this Convention.
ARTICLE 6

(1) While the workers are on a ship for the purpose of the
processes, every hatchway of a cargo hold accessible to the workers
which exceeds 5 feet (1.5 m) in depth from the level of the deck
to the bottom of the hold, and which is not protected to a clear
height of 2 feet 6 inches (75 cm) by the coamings, shall, when
not in use for the passage of goods, coal or other material, either
be securely fenced to a height of 3 feet (90 cm) or be securely
covered. National laws or regulations shall determine whether
the requirements of this paragraph shall be enforced during meal
times and other short interruptions of work.
(2) Similar measures shall be taken when necessary to protect
all other openings in a deck which might be dangerous to the
workers.
ARTICLE 7

When the processes have to be carried on on a ship, the means
of access thereto and all places on board at which the workers
are employed or to which they may be required to proceed in
the course of their employment shall be efficiently lighted.
The means of lighting shall be such as not to endanger the
safety of the workers nor to interfere with the navigation of other
vessels.

116

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
ARTICLE 8

In order to ensure the safety of the workers when engaged
in removing or replacing hatch coverings and beams used for
hatch coverings,
(1) Hatch' coverings and beams used for hatch coverings shall
be maintained in good condition;
(2) Hatch coverings shall be fitted with adequate hand grips,
having regard to their size and weight,-unless the construction
of the hatch or the hatch coverings is of a character rendering
the provision of hand grips unnecessary;
(3) Beams used for hatch coverings shall have suitable gear
for removing and replacing them of such a character as to render
it unnecessary for workers to go upon them for the purpose of
adjusting such gear;
(4) All hatch coverings and fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams
shall, in so far as they are not interchangeable, be kept plainly
marked to indicate the deck and hatch to which they belong and
their position therein;
(5) Hatch coverings shall not be used in the construction of
cargo stages or for any other purpose which may expose them
to damage.
ARTICLE 9

Appropriate measures shall be prescribed to ensure that no
hoisting machine, or gear, whether fixed or loose, used in connection therewith, is employed in the processes on shore or on
board ship unless it is in a safe working condition.
In particular:
(1) Before being taken into use, the said machines, fixed gear
on board ship accessory thereto as defined by national laws or
regulations, and chains and wire ropes used in connection therewith, shall be adequately examined and tested, and the safe working load thereof certified, in the manner prescribed and by a competent person acceptable to the national authorities;
(2) After being taken into use, every hoisting machine, whether
used on shore or on board ship, and all fixed gear on board ship
accessory thereto as defined by national laws or regulations shall
be thoroughly examined or inspected as follows:
(a) To be thoroughly examined every four years and inspected every twelve months: derricks, goose necks,
mast bands, derrick bands, eyebolts, spans and any
other fixed gear the dismantling of which is specially
difficult;
{b) T o be thoroughly examined every twelve months: all
hoisting machines (e.g. cranes, winches), blocks,
shackles and all other accessory gear not included in (a).
All loose gear (e.g. chains, wire ropes, rings, hooks) shall be
inspected on each occasion before use unless they have been inspected within the previous three months.

LEGISLATION: INTERNATIONAL

117

Chains shall not be shortened by tying knots in them and
precautions shall be taken to prevent injury to them from sharp
edges.
A thimble or loop splice made in any wire .rope shall have at
least three'tucks with a whole strand of rope and two tucks with
one half of the wires cut out of each strand; provided that this
requirement shall not operate to prevent the use of another form
of splice which can be shown to be as efficient as the form hereby
prescribed.
(3) Chains and such similar gear as is specified by national
laws or regulations (e.g. hooks, rings, shackles, swivels) shall,
unless they have been subjected to such other sufficient treatment as may be prescribed by national laws or regulations, be
annealed as follows under the supervision of a competent person
acceptable to the national authorities:
(a) In the case of chains and the said gear carried on board ship:
(i)

Half inch (12.5 mm) and smaller chains or gear in
general use once at least in every six months;
(ii) All other chains or gear (including span chains but
excluding bridle chains attached to derricks or masts)
in general use once at least in every twelve months;
Provided that in the case of such gear used solely on cranes and
other hoisting appliances worked by hand, twelve months shall be
substituted for six months in subparagraph (i) and two years for
twelve months in subparagraph (ii);
Provided also that, if the competent authority is of opinion that
owing to the size, design, material or infrequency of use of any of
the said gear the requirements of this paragraph as to annealing
are not necessary for the protection of the workers, it may, by certificate in writing (which it may at its discretion revoke), exempt
such gear from the said requirements subject to such conditions as
may be specified in the said certificate.
(b) In the case of chains and the said gear not carried on board
ship:
Measures shall be prescribed to secure the annealing of
the said chains and gear.
(c) In the case of the said chains and gear whether carried on
board ship or not, which have been lengthened, altered or
repaired by welding, they shall thereupon be tested and reexamined.
(4) Such duly authenticated records as will provide sufficient
prima facie evidence of the safe condition of the machines and
gear concerned shall be kept, on shore or on the ship as the case
may be, specifying the safe working load and the dates and results
of the tests and examinations referred to in paragraphs (1) and
(2) of this Article and of the annealings or other treatment referred to in paragraph (3).

118

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Such records shall, on the application of any person authorised for the purpose, be produced by the person in charge thereof.
(5) The safe working load shall be kept plainly marked on
all cranes, derricks and chain slings and on any similar hoisting
gear used on board ship as specified by national laws or regulations. The safe working load marked on chain slings shall either
be in plain figures or letters upon the chains or upon a tablet or
ring of durable material attached securely thereto.
(6) All motors, cogwheels, chain and friction gearing, shafting, live electric conductors and steam pipes shall (unless it can
be shown that by their position and construction they are equally
safe to every worker employed as they would be if securely fenced)
be securely fenced so far as is practicable without impeding the
safe working of the ship.
(7) Cranes and winches shall be provided with such means
as will reduce to a minimum the risk of the accidental descent
of a load while in process of being lifted or lowered.
(8) Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent exhaust
steam from and, so far as practicable, live steam to any crane
or winch obscuring any part of the working place at which a worker
is employed.
(9) Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent the foot
of a derrick being accidentally lifted out óf its socket or support.
ARTICLE

Only sufficiently competent and reliable persons shall be employed to operate lifting or transporting machinery whether driven
by mechanical power or otherwise, or to give signals to a driver
of such machinery, or to attend to cargo falls on winch ends or
winch drums.
ARTICLE

(1) No load shall be left suspended from any hoisting machine
unless there is a competent person actually in charge of the machine
while the load is so left.
(2) Appropriate measures shall be prescribed to provide for
the employment of a signaller where this is necessary for the safety
of the workers.
(3) Appropriate measures shall be prescribed with the object
of preventing dangerous methods of working in the stacking,
unstacking, stowing and unstowing of cargo, or handling in connection therewith.
(4) Before work is begun at a hatch the beams thereof shall
either be removed or be securely fastened to prevent their displacement.
(5) Precautions shall be taken to facilitate the escape of the
workers when employed in a hold or on 'tween decks in dealing
with coal or other bulk cargo.
(6) No stage shall be used in the processes unless it is substantially and firmly constructed, adequately supported and where
necessary securely fastened.

LEGISLATION : INTERNATION AL

119

No truck shall be used for carrying cargo between ship and
shore on a stage so steep as to be unsafe.
Stages shall where necessary be treated with suitable material
to prevent the workers slipping.
(7) When the working space in a hold is confined to the square
of the hatch, and except for the purpose of breaking out or making
up slings:
(a) Hooks shall not be made fast in the bands or fastenings
of bales of cotton, wool, cork, gunny-bags, or other
similar goods;
(b) Can hooks shall not be used for raising or lowering a
barrel when, owing to the construction or condition of
the barrel or of the hooks, their use is likely to be
unsafe.
(8) No gear of any description shall be loaded beyond the
safe working load save in exceptional cases and then only in so
far as may be allowed by national laws or regulations.
(9) In the case of shore cranes with varying capacity (e.g.
raising and lowering jib with load capacity varying according
to the angle) an automatic indicator or a table showing the safe
working loads at the corresponding inclinations of the jib shall
be provided on the crane.
ARTICLE

National laws or regulations shall prescribe such precautions
as may be deemed necessary to ensure the proper protection of
the workers, having regard to the circumstances of each case,
when they have to deal with or work in proximity to goods which
are in themselves dangerous to life or health by reason either of
their inherent nature or of their condition at the time, or work
where such goods have been stowed.
ARTICLE

At docks, wharves, quays and similar places which are in frequent use for the processes, such facilities as having regard to
local circumstances shall be prescribed by national laws or regulations shall be available for rapidly securing the rendering of first
aid and in serious cases of accident removal to the nearest place
of treatment. Sufficient supplies of first-aid equipment shall be
kept permanently on the premises in such a condition and in such
positions as to be fit and readily accessible for immediate use
during working hours. The said supplies shall be in charge of a
responsible person or persons, who shall include one or more persons
competent to render first aid, and whose services shall also be
readily available during working hours.
At such docks, wharves, quays and similar places as aforesaid
appropriate provision shall also be made for the rescue of immersed
workers from drowning.

120

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
ARTICLE

Any fencing, gangway, gear, ladder, life-saving means or appliance, light, mark, stage or other thing whatsoever required
to be provided under this.Convention shall not be removed or
interfered with by any person except when duly authorised or
in case of necessity, and if removed shall be restored at the end
of the period for which its removal was necessary.
ARTICLE

It shall be open to each Member to grant exemptions from
or exceptions to the provisions of this Convention in respect of
any dock, wharf, quay or similar place at which the processes
are only occasionally carried on or the traffic is small and confined to small ships, or in respect of certain special ships or special
classes of ships or ships below a certain small tonnage, or in cases
where as a result of climatic conditions it would be impracticable
to require the provisions of this Convention to be carried out.
The International Labour Office shall be kept informed of
the provisions in virtue of which any exemptions and exceptions
as aforesaid are allowed.
ARTICLE

Except as herein otherwise provided, the provisions of this
Convention which affect the construction or permanent equipment
of the ship shall apply to ships the building of which is commenced
after the date of ratification of the Convention, and to all other
ships within four years after that date, provided that in the meantime the said provisions shall be applied so far as reasonable and
praticable to such other ships.
ARTICLE

In order to ensure the due enforcement of any regulations
prescribed for t h e protection of the workers against accidents:
(1) The regulations shall clearly define the persons or bodies
who are to be responsible for compliance with the respective regulations;
(2) Provision shall be made for an efficient system of inspection and for penalties for breaches of the regulations;
(3) Copies or summaries of the regulations shall be posted
up in prominent positions at docks, wharves, quays and similar
places which are in frequent use for the processes.
ARTICLE

Each Member undertakes to enter into reciprocal arrangements on the basis of this Convention with the other Members
which have ratified this Convention, including more particularly
the mutual recognition of the arrangements made in their respective
countries for testing, examining and annealing and of certificates
and records relating thereto;

LEGISLATION: INTERNATIONAL

121

Provided that, as regards the construction of ships and as
regards plant used on ships and the records and other matters
to be observed on board under the terms of this Convention, each
Member is satisfied that the arrangements adopted by the other
Member secure a general standard of safety for the workers equally
effective as the standard required under its own laws and regulations ;
Provided also that the Governments shall have due regard
to the obligations of paragraph (11) of Article 405 of the Treaty
of Versailles and of the corresponding Articles of the other Treaties
of Peace.
ARTICLE

The formal ratifications of this Convention under the conditions set forth in Part X I I I of the Treaty of Versailles and in
the corresponding Parts of the other Treaties of Peace shall be
communicated to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations
for registration.
ARTICLE

This Convention shall be binding only upon those Members
whose ratifications have been registered with the Secretariat.
It shall come into force twelve months after the date on which
the ratifications of two Members of the International Labour Organisation have been registered with the Secretary-General.
Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any
Member twelve months after the date on which its ratification
has been registered.
ARTICLE

As soon as the ratifications of two Members of the International Labour Organisation have been registered with the Secretariat, the Secretary-General of the League of Nations shall so
notify all the Members of the International Labour Organisation.
He shall likewise notify them of the registration of ratifications
which may be communicated subsequently by other Members
of the Organisation.
ARTICLE

A Member which has ratified this Convention may denounce
it after the expiration of ten years from the date on which the
Convention first comes into force, by an act communicated to
the Secretary-General of the League of Nations for registration.
Such denunciation shall not take effect until one year after the
date on which it is registered with the Secretariat.
Each Member which has ratified this Convention and which
does not, within the year following the expiration of the period
of ten years mentioned in the preceding paragraph, exercise the
right of denunciation provided for in this Article, will be bound
for another period of five years and, thereafter, may denounce
this Convention at the expiration of each period of five years
under the terms provided for in this Article.

122

SAFETY, IN DOCK WORK
ARTICLE

At the expiration of each period of ten years after the coming
into force of this Convention, the Governing Body of the International Labour Office shall present to the General Conference
a report on the working of this Convention and shall consider
the desirability of 'placing on the agenda of the Conference the
question of its revision in whole or in part.
ARTICLE

Should the Conference adopt a new Convention revising this
Convention in whole or in part, the ratification by a Member
of the new revising Convention shall ipso jure involve denunciation of this Convention without any requirement of delay, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 22 above, if and when the
new revising Convention shall have come into force.
As from the date of the coming into force of the new revising'
Convention, the present Convention shall cease to be open to
ratification by the Members.
Nevertheless, this Convention shall remain in force in its actual
form and content for those Members which have ratified it but
have not ratified the revising Convention.
ARTICLE

The French and English texts of this Convention shall both
be authentic.

Convention (No. 27) concerning t h e Marking of t h e Weight
on Heavy Packages Transported by Vessels
The General Conference of the International Labour Organisation of the League of Nations,
Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of
the International Labour Office, and having met in its Twelfth
Session on 30 May 1929, and
Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with
regard to the marking of the weight on heavy packages transported by vessels, which is included in the first item of the
Agenda of the Session, and
Having determined that these proposals shall take the form
of a draft international convention,
adopts, this twenty-first day of June of the year one thousand nine
hundred and twenty-nine, the following Draft Convention for ratification by the Members of the International Labour Organisation, in accordance with the provisions of Part X I I I of the Treaty
of Versailles and of the corresponding Parts of the other Treaties of
Peace :

LEGISLATION: INTERNATIONAL

123

ARTICLE 1

Any package or object of one thousand kilograms (one metric
ton) or more gross weight consigned within the territory of any
Member which ratifies this Convention for transport by sea or
inland waterway shall have had its gross weight plainly and durably marked upon it on the outside before it is loaded on a ship or
vessel.
In exceptional cases where it is difficult to determine the exact
weight, national laws or regulations may allow an approximate
weight to be marked.
The obligation to see that this requirement is observed shall rest
solely upon the Government of the country from which the package
or object is consigned, and not on the Government of a country
through which it passes on the way to its destination.
It shall be left to national laws or regulations to determine
whether the obligation for having the weight marked as aforesaid
shall fall on the consignor or on some other person or body.
ARTICLE 2

The formal ratifications of this Convention under the conditions set forth in Part X I I I of the Treaty of Versailles and in the
corresponding Parts of the other Treaties of Peace shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations for
registration.
ARTICLE 3

This Convention shall be binding only upon those Members
whose ratifications have been registered with the Secretariat.
It shall come into force twelve months after the date on which
the ratifications of two Members of the International Labour
Organisation have been registered with the Secretary-General.
Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any Member twelve months after the date on which its ratification has been
registered.
ARTICLE 4

As soon as the ratifications of two Members of the International
Labour Organisation have been registered with the Secretariat, the
Secretary-General of the League of Nations shall so notify all the
Members of the International Labour Organisation. He shall likewise notify them of the registration of ratifications which may be
communicated subsequently by other Members of the Organisation.
ARTICLE 5

A Member which has ratified this Convention may denounce it
after the expiration of ten years from the date on which the Convention first comes into force, by an Act communicated to the
Secretary-General of the League of Nations for registration. Such
denunciation shall not take effect until one year after the date on
which it is registered with the Secretariat.

124

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Each Member which has ratified this Convention and which
does not, within the year following the expiration of the period of
ten years mentioned in the preceding paragraph, exercise the right
of denunciation provided for in this Article, will be bound for
another period of ten years and, thereafter, may denounce this
Convention at the expiration of each period of ten years under
the terms provided for in this Article.
ARTICLE 6

At the expiration of each period of ten years after the coming
into force of this Convention, the Governing Body of the International Labour Office shall present to the General Conference a
report on the working of this Convention and shall consider the
desirability of placing on the Agenda of the Conference the question
of its revision in whole or in part.
ARTICLE 7

Should the Conference adopt a new Convention revising this
Convention in whole or in part, the ratification by a Member of
the new revising Convention shall ipso jure involve denunciation
of this Convention without any requirement of delay, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5 above, if and when the new
revising Convention shall have come into force.
As from the date of the coming into force of the new revising
Convention, the present Convention shall cease to be open to ratification by the Members.
Nevertheless, this Convention shall remain in force in its actual
form and content for those Members which have ratified it but have
not ratified the revising Convention.
ARTICLE 8

The French and English texts of this Convention shall both be
authentic.

AUSTRALIA
Navigation (Loading and Unloading)
Regulations.
Dated 16 July 19411
1. These Regulations m a y b e cited as the Navigation (Loading
and Unloading) Regulations.
2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the first day
of September 1941.
3. The Navigation (Loading and Unloading) Regulations,
being Statutory Rules, 1928, No. 20, as amended by Statutory Rules,
1928, No. 89; 1930, No. 126; 1931, No. 121; 1932, No. 20; 1936,
No. 126 and 1937, No. 40 are repealed.
4. (1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention
appears—
"approved" means approved by the Director;
"cargo" includes bunker coal;
"cargo gear" includes masts and stays, derricks, booms,
gaffs and the like, winches, cranes and other hoisting
appliances, mast bands, goosenecks, blocks, gins,
standing and running gear of derricks and cranes, and
slings, used in connection with the loading or unloading
of any ship;
"competent person" means a properly qualified person
responsible to the master or owner of the ship as regards
ship's gear, or to the owner of gear taken on a ship for
use in connection with loading or unloading of the ship,
but does not include any person to whom the Director
has given notice in writing that such person is in his
opinion not technically qualified to carry out the tests,
examinations or annealing required to carry out the
tests, examinations or annealing required by these
Regulations;
"Inspector" means a person appointed as a Surveyor under
the Navigation Act 1912-1935 to survey ships and their
equipment;
"person-in-charge", in relation to the loading or unloading
of any ship, means any person directly or indirectly
in control of the persons actually engaged in the process
of loading or unloading that ship;
"principal port" means the Port of Sydney, Newcastle,
Melbourne, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Fremantle, or
Hobart;
1

Statutory Rules, 1941, No. 164.

126

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

"Schedule" means a Schedule to these Regulations;
"the Docks Regulations of the United Kingdom" means
the Docks Regulations 1934, being Statutory Rules
and Orders 1934, No. 279, made under the Imperial
Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, and includes any
regulations amending or superseding those regulations.
(2) Any reference in these Regulations to a form shall be read
as a reference to a form in the Second Schedule.
5. These Regulations shall apply to all ships, British and
foreign (except ships engaged wholly in the domestic trade of a
single State or river and bay ships) loading or unloading cargo
at a port in Australia, and to the cargo gear (whether belonging
to the ship or not) used in connection with the loading or unloading
of cargo into or from those ships.
6. The ships to which these Regulations apply shall be divided
into classes as follows:
(a) Class 1. Ships registered in Australia, or licensed to engage
in the coasting trade, holding a Commonwealth Certificate
of Survey or Equipment;
(&). Class 2. Other British or foreign ships the cargo gear on
which complies with:
(i)
• (ii)

(iii)

The provisions of the Docks Regulations of the United
Kingdom ; or
In the case of ships registered.in a country other than
Great Britain or the Commonwealth of Australia,
Regulations issued by the Government of that country if they are, in the opinion of the Director, substantially equivalent in their requirements to these
Regulations or the Docks Regulations of the United
Kingdom ; or
In the case of ships belonging to a country in which
no Regulations in the matter, have been issued by
the Government thereof, Regulations made by any
corporation or association for the survey and*registry of ships recognised for that purpose byfthe
Government of that country if they are, in the opinion of the Director, substantially equivalent in their
requirements to these Regulations or the Docks
Regulations of the United Kingdom ; and

(c) Class 3. British and foreign ships not included in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Regulation.
7. (1) Before cargo is loaded on, or unloaded from, Jany ship
to which these Regulations apply, the cargo gear to be used shall
have been tested, examined andannealed in the prescribed manner.
(2) The cargo gear'shall be maintained in safe working condition and records of the gear shall be kept in the prescribed manner.

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

127

8. (1) In the case of ships of Class 1 :
(a) All derricks, and permanent attachments, including
spans, goosenecks and bands to the derrick, mast and
deck, used in hoisting or lowering in connection with
the loading or unloading of the ship shall be thoroughly
examined, tested, and certified by a competent person
once at least in every four years, and thoroughly inspected every twelve months;
(b) Every winch or hoisting appliance used for loading or
unloading cargo shall be tested, examined and certified
by a competent person once at least in every four years
and shall be thoroughly overhauled annually and examined ;
(c) The tests, examinations and inspections required by
this subregulation shall be carried out so far as is
practicable at a principal port during a survey of the
vessel for a Certificate of Survey or of Equipment ;
(d) Every certificate issued by a competent person shall
be signed by him and countersigned by the owner of
the gear or master of the ship, as the case requires;
and
(e) The testing and examination of cargo gear shall be
performed in the manner prescribed in the First
Schedule.
(2) A Register of Cargo Gear, in accordance with Form L.U.-l
shall be provided by the master and kept on board each ship of
Class 1, and shall be made available for inspection and endorsement by an Inspector at any time.
(3) A certificate in accordance with Form L.U.-2, signed by
the competent person who made the test, specifying the proof
load, method of applying the proof load, and angle at which each
of the derricks was tested, and the safe working load as regards
each derrick, winch or other lifting appliance, shall be attached to
the ship's Register of Cargo Gear, in which shall also be entered
in Part I or Part II of that Register, as the case requires, the dates
on which the tests, examinations and inspections were carried out.
(4) The safe working load for which each derrick has been
tested in the manner prescribed in the First Schedule shall be indicated by conspicuously painting, on the side of the derrick, the
words "Safe working load
T."
(5) The minimum safe working load of any chain, link, ring,
hook, shackle, swivel, block, span, stay or tackle comprising the
component parts of permanent equipment of any derrick when it
is tested shall not be less than the maximum strain imposed upon
any such part when the derrick is being proof-tested:
Provided that nothing in this Regulation shall prevent a derrick
being used at any time with certified cargo gear appropriate to the
loading or unloading operations being carried out.
(6) All ring bolts for use with permanent derricks, bands on
masts or derricks, and derrick heel connections and fittings, when
not subject to any prescribed test, shall be of suitable material and

128

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

construction and of strength proportionate to the maximum load
which may be imposed on the derrick and designed in accordance
with approved engineering standards.
(7) Shackles, hooks, chains, links and swivels used to connect
a single sheave block (including a gin, heel, and topping lift block)
to a derrick shall have a safe working load of at least twice the
safe working load of the single sheave block:
Provided that this subregulation shall not apply to hooks or
swivels which were attached to, and proof-tested with, the single
sheave block.
(8) The proof test applied to any item of cargo gear to determine a certified safe working load under these Regulations shall
not exceed a proof load appropriate to the design and strength of
t h e item, in accordance with'the approved engineering standards
set out in the publications specified in the Third Schedule.
(9) A pulley, gin, block or other similar gear, and a chain,
ring, hook, shackle or swivel shall not be used for hoisting or lowering in connection with the loading or unloading of a ship unless a
certificate of test and examination in accordance with Form L.U.-3
has been obtained from the manufacturer or other qualified person
having the proper testing apparatus t o make the prescribed test. •
(10) The certificate specified in the last preceding subregulation shall be kept attached to the ship's Register of Cargo Gear.
(11) Cargo gear which cannot be identified in the Register of
Cargo Gear shall not be used until the requirements of this regulation are complied with.
9. (1) Except as hereinafter provided, all chains, rings, hooks,
shackles and swivels used for hoisting or lowering in connection
with the loading or unloading of a ship shall be annealed, and after
annealing, carefully examined, by a competent person:
(a) In the case of half-inch and smaller chains, rings,
hooks, shackles and swivels in general use—once
a t least in every six months; and
(b) In the case of all other chains, rings, hooks, shackles, and swivels in general use—once at least in
every twelve months:
Provided t h a t if, on the report of an Inspector, the Deputy
Director is of opinion that, owing to the size, design, material or
infrequency of use of the gear the requirements of this subregulation as to annealing are not necessary for the protection of the
persons employed, he may, by certificate in writing (which he may
in his discretion revoke), exempt the gear from the requirements
of this subregulation, subject to such conditions (if any) as are
specified in the certificate.
(2) A Certificate of Annealing in accordance with Form L.U.-4
of any annealing carried out shall be obtained from the annealer.
(3) The certificate shall be kept attached to the Register of
Cargo Gear, and there shall also be entered in Part III of the
Register the dates on which the annealing was carried out.
(4) Nothing in this regulation shall apply to bridle chains
attached to decks or masts.

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

129

(5) The following classes of gear, namely:
(a) chains made of malleable cast iron;
(b) plate link chains;
(c) chains, rings, hooks, shackles and swivels made
of steel;
(d) pitched chains;
(e) rings, hooks, shackles and swivels permanently
attached to pitched chains, pulley blocks or weighing
machines;
(/) hooks and swivels having screw-threaded parts or
ball-bearings or other case-hardened parts,
are exempted from annealing subject to the conditions that such
gear is thoroughly examined by a competent person once at least
in every twelve months and that, before the gear is subsequently
taken into use, certificates of such examination are attached to
the prescribed Register of Cargo Gear.
(6) Annealing should, whenever practicable, be carried out in
a suitably constructed furnace heated to a temperature between
1100° and 1300° Fahrenheit, or 600° and 700° Centigrade, for a
period between 30 and 60 minutes.
10. (1) In the case of a ship of Class 2, the following documents
relating to the cargo gear shall be kept on board and shall be available for inspection by an Inspector at any time :
(a) a copy of the regulations applicable to the cargo
gear of the vessel together with, in the case of
regulations in any language other than the English
language, an English translation thereof;
(6) current certificates of test of the cargo gear made
in conformity with those regulations; and
(c) a register of the cargo gear, as prescribed by those
regulations or in accordance with Form L.U.-l.
(2) The Register of Cargo Gear on a ship of Class 2 shall be
properly kept, and the various items of cargo gear shall be readily
identifiable therefrom.
(3) All articles of cargo gear on a ship of Class 2 shall be maintained in accordance with the Regulations applicable thereto and
shall be available for inspection by an Inspector at any time.
11. (1) In the case of the first visit to a Commonwealth port
of a ship of Class 3, the following requirements shall be complied
with :
(a) All cargo gear shall have been closely examined by
a ship's officer directed by the master to conduct
the examination within the preceding six months;
and
(b) A statement, drawn up and signed by the ship's
officer who made the inspection and countersigned
by the master, specifying the gear inspected and
the safe working load of each derrick and winch

130

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

or hoisting appliance, and declaring that the cargo
gear is in good condition and fit for the purpose
intended, shall be kept and made available for
inspection and endorsement by an Inspector at any
principal port at which such vessel loads or
unloads cargo.
(2) Cargo shall not be loaded or unloaded with the ship's gear
at any port in the Commonwealth until such statement has been
so prepared, signed and countersigned.
(3) In the case of any subsequent visit to a Commonwealth
port of a ship of Class 3, the requirements in respect of cargo gear
for a ship of Class 1 shall be complied with by the master:
Provided that, if the laws of the country to which the ship
belongs, relating to cargo gear, are in substantial compliance with
these Regulations, the Deputy Director may, on the report of an
Inspector t h a t those laws have been complied with, exempt the
cargo gear carried on board the ship from any or all of the requirements of these Regulations, as he thinks fit.
12. In the case of cargo gear not belonging to a ship, but stored
on shore and taken on board, as required, for use in connection
with its loading or unloading, the requirements of Regulation 8 of
these Regulations as to examinations, inspection, testing, and
certifying of gear, and as to the keeping of a Register of Cargo
Gear and the making of entries therein, shall apply, so far as they
are applicable, and the owner of any such cargo gear who fails so
to comply with those requirements shall be guilty of an offence.
13. All chains attached to derricks or masts, and all rings,
hooks, shackles and swivels, shall be inspected by a competent
person before each occasion on which they are used in hoisting or
lowering, unless the gear has been so inspected within the preceding
three months.
14. All chains, rings, hooks, shackles, swivels, derrick or mast
fittings used in connection with hoisting or lowering which have
been lengthened, renewed, distorted, worn, altered or repaired by
welding shall be adequately tested and re-examined by a competent person and a record of the test made and kept in the ship,
or gear store on shore, as the case requires, before that gear is again
put into use.
15. (1) Wire or other rope shall not be used in hoisting or
lowering in connection with loading or unloading cargo unless:
(a) It is of suitable quality and free from patent
defects; and
(6) In the case of wire rope, a certificate in accordance
with Form L.U.-5 has been obtained from the
manufacturers, and is attached to the Register of
Cargo Gear.
(2) Every wire rope in general use shall be inspected by a competent person a t least once in every three months:
Provided that, after any wire in the rope has been broken,
the rope shall be inspected once at least in every month.

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

131

16. A copy of the manufacturer's certificate, given in accordance with Form L.U.-3 or Form L.U.-5, as the case requires, and
signed by the person who imported or supplied the gear mentioned
in the certificate, shall:
(a) In the case of cargo gear manufactured outside the
State of the Commonwealth in which the gear is
. being used; and
(b) In the case of a length of wire rope or of chain cut
from a full coil or length in respect of which the
manufacturer's certificate was given,
be deemed, for the purposes of subregulation (10) of Regulation
8 or of paragraph (b) of subregulation (1) of Regulation 15 of these
Regulations, to be a certificate specified in that subregulation or
paragraph, as the case may be.
17. Wire rope shall not be used for hoisting or lowering in connection with loading or discharging cargo if in any length of eight
diameters the total number of visible broken wires exceeds 10
per centum of the total number of wires or the rope shows signs
of excessive wear,.corrosion or other defect which, in the opinion
of the competent person who inspects it, renders it unfit for the
service intended.
18. A thimble or loop splice made in any wire rope shall have
not less than three tucks with a whole strand of the rope and not
less than two tucks with one half of the wires cut out of each strand
and the strands in all cases shall be tucked against the lay of the
rope :
Provided that this Regulation shall not operate to prevent the
use of another form of splice which, in the opinion of a DeputyDirector, is as efficient as that prescribed by this Regulation.
19. A pulley, gin, block, or similar gear shall not be used in
hoisting or lowering in connection with loading or unloading, unless
the safe working load is clearly stamped upon it:
Provided that, in the case of Class 3 ships, gear not so stamped
may be used if it has first been inspected and approved by a competent person.
20. Means to enable any person readily to ascertain the safe
working load for any chain, wire rope sling, or any appliance in
lieu thereof, which he is required to use, shall be provided by marking the safe working load in plain figures or letters upon the sling
or appliance or upon a tablet or ring of durable material attached
securely thereto, or by a notice so exhibited as to be easily read
by any person concerned, clearly setting out the safe working loads
for the various sizes of chains and wire ropes and appliances used.
21. (1) A chain which has been shortened by knotting or
which contains any knot shall not be used in connection with the
loading or unloading of a ship.
(2) Chain used for the slinging of heavy loads of iron or steel
or other hard material shall be prevented, by the use of suitable
packing, from coming into direct contact with any sharp edge of
the material.
22. All motors, cog-wheels, chain-gearing, friction-gearing,
shafting, and live electric conductors shall (unless it can be shown

132

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

by their position and construction that they are equally as safe
to every person employed as they would be if securely fenced) be
securely fenced so far as is practicable without impeding the safe
working of the ship and without infringing any requirement of
the Navigation Act 1912-1935.
23. (1) The master of a ship to which these Regulations apply
shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the steam winches or
power hoists of any kind used for hoisting or lowering are at all
times maintained in a state of thorough repair and working efficiency.
(2) The person in charge of the loading or unloading of a ship
shall not permit any mechanical hoisting apparatus to be used in
connection with that operation unless he is satisfied that the control
levers or valve wheels to be used by the driver of the apparatus
are efficient and that the doubling clutches, if fitted, are capable
of being securely held in position when used.
24. Adequate measures shall be taken by the master or owner
to prevent exhaust steam and, so far as is practicable,.live steam
to any crane or winch, obscuring any part of the decks, gangways,
stages, wharf, or quay where any person is employed in connection
with loading or unloading.
25. (1) Cargo gear shall not be rigged, rove or used in such a
manner as to involve risk to life or property or to subject the gear
to a greater strain than the certified safe working load of the gear.
(2) The person in charge of the loading or unloading of a ship
shall not permit cargo gear which does not comply with these
Regulations to be used by any person engaged in the loading or
unloading of t h a t ship.
26. A load shall not be left suspended from a crane, winch, or
other lifting appliance unless there is, during the time it is so suspended, a responsible person actually in charge of the lifting appliance.
27. All fore and aft beams and athwart-ship beams used for
hatch coverings shall have suitable gear for lifting them on and off,
and the gear shall be adjustable without a person going upon any
beam for that purpose.
28. Except in cases where all the hatch coverings of a ship are
interchangeable, all hatch coverings shall be kept plainly marked
to indicate the deck and hatch to which they belong and their
position thereon.
29. All fore and aft beams and athwart-ship beams used for
hatch coverings and all hatch coverings shall be maintained in
good condition.
30. Adequate hand grips shall be provided on all hatch coverings, having regard to their size and weight.
31. (1) Before any loading or unloading work is begun at a
hatch on any vessel to which these Regulations apply, all hatch
beams shall be removed, unless the hatch is of such size as to permit
of the work being carried out without any danger to the workers
in the hold from a load striking against any beam left in place.
(2) If the cargo is to be loaded or unloaded through more than
one hatch and it is necessary to remove the hatch beams, the beams

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

135

from the topmost hatch shall be removed first, and the beams from
upper hatches shall be removed before those from lower hatches.
(3) Where any hatch beam is left in place it shall, before loading or unloading work begins, be securely fastened at each end b y
means of stout bolts, with nuts attached, or other suitable fastenings provided for the purpose of preventing, and in such manner
as to prevent, its accidental displacement.
Penalty, on the person in charge: One hundred pounds.
32. (1) Men engaged in loading or unloading cargo on or from
a ship lying alongside a wharf or quay shall be provided with safe
means of passage, as prescribed, between the wharf or quay and
the ship unless the men may without undue risk pass between the
wharf or quay and the ship without the aid of any special appliance.
(2) The prescribed means of passage shall be:
(a) Where reasonably practicable—the ship's accommodation ladder, or a gangway or similar appliance not less.
than twenty-two inches wide, properly secured against
displacement, and fenced throughout on each side
to a clear height of two feet nine inches by means oí
upper and lower rails, taut ropes or chains, or by other
equally safe means:
Provided that the ship's accommodation ladder, if
used, may be fenced on one side only where the other
is properly protected by the side of the ship; and
(b) In any other case—a ladder of sound material and
adequate length, properly secured against displacement.
(3) Nothing in this Regulation shall apply to means of access
by cargo stages or cargo gangways if other proper means of access.
is provided in conformity with these Regulations.
33. Men engaged in loading or unloading cargo on or from a
ship lying alongside another ship, who have to pass from one ship
to the other, shall be provided by the master of the ship which has.
the higher freeboard with safe means of passage from ship to ship
unless the men may without undue risk pass from ship to ship without the aid of any special appliance.
34. (1) Where the depth from the level of the top deck to the
bottom of any hold exceeds five feet, there shall be maintained safe
means of access, as prescribed, from the deck to any hold in which
loading or unloading operations are proceeding.
(2) The prescribed means of access from the deck to the hold
shall be:
(a) By ladder, and by ladder, cleats or cups on the coamings complying with the following requirements:
(i)

the ladders between the lower decks shall be
vertically in line with the ladder from the top
deck in all cases where, having regard to the

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

134

(ii)

(iii)

position of the lower hatch or hatches, it is
practicable for the ladders so to be in line;
each rung of each ladder shall provide a firm
handhold and a foothold of a depth (including
any space behind the ladder) of four and one
half inches for a width of ten inches;
the cleats or cups on the coamings shall:
(A) Provide a firm handhold and a foothold of a
depth (including any space behind the cleats
or cups) of not less than four and one half
inches for a width of ten inches;
(B) Be so constructed as to prevent a man's foot
from slipping off at the side ; and
(C) Be placed vertically one above the other and
in the same line with the ladders to which
they afford access;

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

the cargo shall be stowed sufficiently far from
the ladder to leave at each rung of the ladder a
firm handhold and a foothold of a depth (including any space behind the ladder) of four and one
half inches for a width of ten inches;
there shall be a space of sufficient width for a
person to pass safely between any winch or other
obstruction and the place where the ladder leaves
the deck; and
a ladder shall not be recessed under the deck
more than is reasonably necessary to keep the
ladder clear of the hatchway;

(b) Where the provision of a ladder on a bulkhead or in a
trunk hatchway is not reasonably practicable—by
means of cleats or cups complying with the requirements specified in subparagraph (iii) of the last preceding paragraph; or
(c) By ladders or steps, separate from any hatchway or
sloping from deck to deck if the' ladders or steps are
constructed in compliance with the requirements specified in subparagraphs (ii), (iv) and (v) of paragraph
(a) of this subregulation.

(3) A shaft tunnel shall be equipped with adequate handhold
and foothold on each side.
(4) In the case of a ship, the keel of which was laid before the
first day of September, one thousand nine hundred and forty-one,
the requirements of this Regulation shall apply to such extent only
as, in the opinion of the Director, the existing structural arrangements of the ship permit.
35. Every person engaged in loading or unloading cargo shall
use the means of passage and access prescribed and a person shall
not authorise or order any other person to use any means of passage
or access other than those so prescribed.

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

135

36. (1) An Inspector may order any alteration or repairs to
be made to any cargo gear that he considers necessary and the
master or owner of the gear shall forthwith have the alteration or
repairs carried out.
(2) An Inspector may prohibit the use of any cargo gear until
the alterations or repairs have been executed to his satisfaction,
and a master or owner shall not permit the cargo gear to be used.
during the time the prohibition is in force:
(3) An Inspector may forbid the use, on a ship to which these
Regulations apply, of cargo gear which has not been inspected
and certified in accordance with these Regulations.
37. (1) When cargo is being loaded on or unloaded from a ship :
(a) the places in the hold and on the decks of the
ship where work is being carried on ;
(b) the prescribed means of access to those places; and
(c) all parts of the ship to which the persons working
may be required to proceed in the course of their
employment,
shall be efficiently lighted, due regard being paid to the safety of
the ship and cargo, of all persons on the ship, of the navigation of
other vessels and to the by-laws or regulations of any local port
authority.
Penalty, on the person in charge: Fifty pounds.
(2) All openings in decks of holds open for purposes other than
loading or unloading operations shall be effectively railed off or
lighted while those operations are in progress.
Penalty, on the master or owner: Fifty pounds.
38. Where the working space around a hatch is less than two
feet wide, such provision shall be made as will enable persons to
remove and replace in safety all fore-and-aft beams and thwart-ship
beams used for hatch coverings and all hatch coverings.
39. All back stays or preventer backstays, stays, or derrick
guys and preventer guys fitted to counteract strain on the masts,
sampson posts or derricks shall be kept taut and secure during
loading or unloading at any hatch.
40. The person in charge shall take appropriate measures to
prevent the foot of a derrick being accidentally lifted out of its
socket or support.
41. (1) A deck stage or a cargo stage shall not be used in loading or unloading cargo unless it is substantially and firmly constructed and adequately supported, and, where necessary, securely
fastened.
(2) A truck shall not be used for carrying cargo between ship
and shore on a stage so steeply inclined as to be unsafe.
(3) A stage which is slippery shall be made safe, by the use of
sand or other material.
Penalty, on the person in charge: Fifty pounds.
42. Cargo shall not be loaded or unloaded by a fall or sling at
any intermediate deck unless either the hatch on that deck is

136

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

securely covered or a secure landing platform of a width of not less
than that of one section of hatch coverings has been placed across it.
43. Hatch plank or other type of covering of hatches upon
which men are required to work in the operation of loading or unloading shall be sound, close fitted and secure.
44. The person in charge shall not permit packages or pieces
of cargo to be lifted or lowered by the cargo gear unless the slings,
or other gear used in lieu of slings, have been made of tested material in accordance with these Regulations.
45. The person in charge shall take proper steps to safeguard
men engaged in loading and unloading cargo against injury by the
displacement of unsecured cargo or other material.
Penalty, on the person in charge: Fifty pounds.
46. Where the working space in a hold is confined to the square
of a hatch, a person shall not make any hook fast in the bands or
fastenings of a bale of cotton, wool, cork, gunny bags or other
similar goods and shall not use a hook for the purpose of raising
or lowering a barrel when, owing to the construction or condition
of the barrel or the hook, its use is likely to be unsafe.
47. (1) A person shall not, unless duly authorised, or in case
of necessity, remove or interfere with any fencing, gangway, gear,
ladder, hatch covering, life saving means or appliance, light, mark,
stage or any other thing whatsoever, required by these Regulations
to be provided.
(2) The persons last engaged in work that has necessitated the
removal of any of the things mentioned in the last preceding subregulation shall replace them as soon as the work necessitating that
removal has been completed.
48. Upon the failure of any person whose duty it is to make
any provision prescribed by Regulation 32, 33, 34 or 37 of these
Regulations, the employer of the persons engaged in loading or
unloading operations shall forthwith cause the prescribed provision to be made.
49. Precautions shall be taken to facilitate the escape in case
of emergency of persons engaged in handling coal or other bulk
cargo when employed in a hold or in 'tween decks.
50. When, in connection with the loading or unloading of any
ship to which these Regulations apply, the safety of any person
on or about the ship is imperilled, or any such person is injured as
the result of the breakage or failure of any portion of the cargo
gear in use a t the time, the master and aíso the person directly
responsible for the loading and unloading operations at the time
of such breakage or failure shall furnish to the Deputy Director
within twenty-four hours of the occurrence, a report in writing
giving full particulars thereof.
51. (1) Every package or article of cargo of a gross weight of
one metric ton (2,205 lbs.) or over, before being loaded on any ship
at a Commonwealth port by means of the cargo gear belonging to
or used on the ship, shall have prominently marked upon it, or
upon a label securely attached to it, in legible and durable characters
of not less than one inch in height, a statement of its approximate
gross weight set out in tons and hundredweights:

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

137

Provided that in the ease of an article such as a log or baulk
of timber, or any other article which, by reason of its nature or
place of shipment, it is not practicable to weigh, and which is of a
weight of over 2,205 lbs., the gross weight may be stated approximately, within a limit of one ton as "Over 1 but under 2 tons",
or as the case may be.
(2) Nothing in the last preceding subregulation shall apply to
an article which, by reason of its nature or place of shipment, it is
neither practicable to weigh nor legibly to mark or label, but in
respect of any such article and also in respect of any article which
has been loaded outside Australia and which is not marked as
specified in subregulation (1) of this Regulation the master of the
ship shall arrange for some competent person to give, to the workers
actually employed in the loading or unloading of the article by
means of the cargo gear, verbal advice as to the approximate
weight of each such article about to be so loaded or unloaded.
(3) The master, owner and agent of the ship and the shipper
of the package or article of cargo shall be jointly and severally liable
to penalty in respect of any breach of the requirements of subregulation (1) of this Regulation.
(4)1 In any prosecution for a breach of this Regulation a certificate in writing by the keeper or person in charge of any weighing
instrument stating that the package or article has, by the person
purporting to sign it, been weighed and found to be of the weight
stated in the certificate, shall, in any court, be prima facie evidence
of the facts so stated.
52. Every steam engine and every boiler connected therewith
and every internal combustion engine on a sea-going steamship or
motorship registered in Australia or engaged in the coasting trade,
while in use in connection with the loading or unloading of the ship,
shall be under the supervision of a duly certificated engineer or
engine-driver, as the case requires, or, in the case of a ship carrying more than one engineer, of the chief engineer or an engineer
instructed by him to undertake that duty:
Provided that this requirement shall not apply in regard to
winches, windlasses or the like, forming part of the ship's equipment, directly operated by internal combustion engines.
Penalty, on the master or owner: Twenty pounds.
53. When loading or unloading operations on a ship are carried
out:
(a) Under a supervisor or foreman as person-in-charge representing a stevedoring firm ; or
(b) Under a responsible officer of the ship as person-in-charge,
the person-in-charge shall be responsible for appropriate
measures being taken for the protection against accident
of the men engaged, and for the effectiveness of the
cargo gear for those operations.
54. (1) Where it appears to a Deputy Director, on the report
of an Inspector, that these Regulations insufficiently provide for
1

Amendment of 24 July 1942. Statutory Rules .1942, No. 337.

138

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

the safety of persons engaged in loading or unloading any particular ship, he may, by writing under his hand, require the observance of such additional precautions as he considers necessary.
(2) Where it appears to a Deputy Director, on the report of
an Inspector, t h a t in connection with the loading or unloading of
any particular ship full compliance with the requirements of any
of these Regulations is unnecessary, and that those requirements
may be modified without danger to the persons engaged in loading
or unloading, he may, on the written application of the owner,
master or agent, by writing under his hand permit of the modification of the requirements to the extent that, in his opinion, the
circumstances of the case warrant.
55. (1) Any person who commits a breach of, or fails to comply
with, any of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: Except where otherwise provided: Fifty pounds.
(2) Except where a duty or obligation is laid by a Regulation
upon some other person (in which case the penalty for breach of the
Regulation shall be upon that person), the master, owner and agent
of the ship shall be jointly and severally liable to penalty in respect
of any breach of the requirements of the Regulation which occurs
in relation to the loading or unloading of the ship.

THE SCHEDULES
THE FIRST SCHEDULE
MANNER OF TEST AND EXAMINATION OF CARGO GEAR—REG. 8 (1)

Part 1. Derricks and Winches

1. Every derrick and winch, and the whole of the gear accessory
thereto (including goosenecks, eye-plates, eye-bolts or other attachments) shall be tested with a proof load which shall exceed the safe
working load as follows:—
Safe working load
Proof load •
Up to 20 tons
20 to 50 tons
Over 50 tons

25 per cent, in excess
5 tons in excess
10 per cent, in excess

2. The proof load for derrick test shall be applied either (a) by
hoisting movable weights; or (b) by means of a spring or hydraulic
balance or similar appliance; with the derrick at an angle to the
horizontal which shall be stated in the certificate of the test. In
the case of (a) after the movable weights have been hoisted the
derrick shall be swung as far as possible in both directions. In the
case of (b) the proof load shall be applied with the derrick swung
as far as practicable first in one direction and then in the other.
3. When derricks are being proof-tested by hoisting movable
test weights or by spring or hydraulic balances, or similar appli-

139

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

anees, the actual proof load imposed on the derrick, gin and heel
blocks may be approximately twice the weight of the movable test
weights being hoisted, or the load registered on the spring or hydraulic balance if anchored to the hatch coaming or bulwarks.
The loads imposed on derricks by movable test weights, or by
dynamometer, shall not be in excess of the intended proof test.
4. After being tested, the derricks with the whole of the gear
accessory thereto, and the winches, shall be examined to see whether
any part has been injured or permanently deformed by the test.
5. The test and examination shall be made by a competent
person and if made:
(a) By an employee of a firm or company undertaking such tests
and examinations—a responsible officer of the firm or
company shall sign the test certificate and shall state, in
the space provided in the certificate for that purpose, his
position in the firm or company ;
(b) By a person working as a principal—that person shall sign
the test certificate and shall briefly state, in the space
provided in the certificate for that purpose, his ¡technical
qualification; or
(c) By a ship's officer—that officer shall sign the test certificate
and state his rank.
Part 2.

Loose Gear—Chains, Rings, Hooks, Shackles, Swivels,
Gins, Blocks or other Similar Gear

Pulleys,

6. Every article of loose gear, whether or not it is an accessory
to a derrick or other cargo gear, shall be tested with a proof load
at least equal to that shown against the article in the following
table and be stamped or marked with the safe working load, as
shown :
Article of gear

Proof load

Safe wording load to be
stamped on gear

Chain, ring, hook, shackle,
swivel

Twice 1 the safe working load

One half of the proof
load

Single sheave pulley block

Four times the safe
working load

One quarter of the
proof load

Multiple sheave block with
safe working load up to
and including 20 tons

Twice the safe working load

One half of the proof
load

Multiple sheave block with
safe working load over 20
tons up to and including
40 tons

20 tons in excess of
the safe working
load

20 tons less than the
proof load

Multiple sheave block with
safe working load over 40
tons

One and a half times
the safe working
load

Two thirds of
proof load

'See Regulation 8 (7).

the

140

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Diagram
illu.ztrvt.tiny
relative
¿tr-aiizs imposed.
Upon the
dti~r>ick and Its e<ruipmertt ¡shert lifting a tseigAt of tuo tons,
the derrick
being at an angle
of 45".

LEGISLATION: AUSTRALIA

141

7. After being tested, all loose gear shall be examined, the
sheaves and the pins of the pulley blocks being removed for the
purpose, to see whether any part has been injured or permanently
deformed by the test.
8. The test and examination shall be made by a competent
person and if made:
(a) By an employee of a firm or company undertaking such tests
and examinations—a responsible officer of the firm or
company shall sign the test certificate and shall state, in
the space provided in the certificate for that purpose, his
position in the firm or company; and
(b) By a person working as a principal—that person shall sign
the test certificate and shall briefly state, in the space
provided in the certificate for that purpose, his technical
. qualification.
9. The following classes of gear are exempted from the requirements set forth in paragraph 6 of this Schedule, provided they
have been tested with the following proof loads:
Pitched chains with hand-operated pulley
blocks and rings, hooks, shackles or
swivels permanently attached thereto. One and one half
Hand-operated pulley blocks used with
times the safe
pitched chains and rings, hooks,
working load.
shackles or swivels permanently attached thereto.

(The Second and Third Schedules are omitted here.)

Stevedoring Industry Commission,1 Order No. 65.
Dated 1 August 1944
1. This Order shall apply to every port in respect of which a
Waterside Employment Committee has been appointed.
2. The employer shall in respect of each job provide a proper
first-aid kit and the decision by the Commission or the Chairman
of a Waterside Employment Committee that a particular first-aid
kit is or is not a proper one for the purposes of this Order shall be
final.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 160, 10 Aug. 1944, p. 1918.

CHILE
General Industrial Hygiene and Safety Regulations,
N o . 655. Dated 25 November 1940
• TITLE III.

SAFETY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS

Chapter IV. Measures of Hygiene and Safety in Dock Work
Loading and Unloading Gear.
48. Cranes, jibs, capstans, winches, etc., and their accessories
shall be examined by the compétent authority at the beginning of
every job.
Cranes shall be marked at a visible place with the maximum
permissible load and the maximum lifting capacity according to
the inclination of the jib.
49. No load shall remain suspended from the crane if it is not
under the effective supervision of a competent person.
When materials are being raised or lowered by means of a crane
and the driver or the person operating it cannot see the load in
every position, one or more watchers or signalmen shall be placed
so that they can see the load throughout its travel and give the
necessary signals to the crane driver or the person taking his place.
There shall be a distinct signal for each operation effected and
such that the person to whom it is given can hear or see it easily.
If the signal is acoustic it shall be produced by an effective device.
Minors under 18 years of age shall not be employed in the
operation of hoisting appliances, and the persons responsible for
their operation shall possess certificates of competency issued by
the Maritime Authority.
50. All ropes or chains used on hoisting appliances shall have
such length t h a t when they are fully unwound at least two turns
remain on the drum.
No rope or chain shall be used on a grooved drum or a grooved
pulley if its diameter exceeds the width of the grooves of the drum
or the pulley.
51. Slings, ropes, chains, rings, hooks, shackles, etc., used for
the raising or lowering of materials shall be tested and shall bear
in plain figures and letters an indication of the permissible load.
The Protection of Workers during Loading Operations in Ports.
52. All approachways that pass over a dock, ship, landing stage,
quay, wharf or other similar place that the workers employ for

LEGISLATION: CHILE

143

reaching their workplace shall be made safe for the workers and
provided with effective and safe lighting.
All dangerous parts of approachways and workplaces such as
dangerous quays, bridges, caissons, openings, corners, gangplanks
and gangways, shall be provided with suitable railings not less than
0.75 m high.
53. The devices specified above shall have a width of not less
than 0.60 m and shall be firmly secured so that they cannot be
. displaced. Their slope shall not be very steep and they shall be
provided on both sides and throughout their length with a railing
not less than 0.80 m high, and, as regards accommodation ladders,
with adequate railing of the same height on one side only, provided
that the other side is effectively protected by the side of the
vessel.
54
55. The planks used in the construction of gangways shall rest
on supports and shall be so placed that they cannot slip or move.
They shall all be bound together by a cross piece in order to prevent
them from separating, and no empty spaces shall be left between
them that may cause any danger to the workers.
56. It is prohibited to install gangways at a slope exceeding
the normal, or with the surface covered with sawdust, when for any
reason persons might slip. It is also prohibited to rest gangways
on loose bales or packages consisting of light material, or on bags
containing materials liable to escape.
57. It is similarly prohibited to let persons carry sacks, cases
or goods exceeding 80 kg in weight.
When sacks, cases or goods weigh more than 80 kg, wheeled
trucks or hand barrows carried by two men shall be used.
58. When a ladder has to be used in the hold of a ship, the person
in charge of the operations shall provide it and it shall have hooks
at the top that can be attached to the coamings, or other devices
that enable it to. be firmly secured.
59. While the workers are on board ship for the purpose of the
work, no hatch or hold shall be left open without a protective device
if it is accessible to the Workers and is more than 1.50 m deep;
every such hatch that is not protected to a clear height of at least
0.75 m by its coamings shall be enclosed by an adequate railing
up to a height of 0.90 m.
The hatch covers and also the movable fore-and-aft and
thwart-ship beams shall be kept in good condition, and the hatch
covers shall have handles suited to their dimensions and weight.
The hatch covers and fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams shall
be distinctly marked to indicate the hatch and/or cover to which
they belong and their proper position thereon.
60. Before beginning any operation measures shall be taken
to see that the hoisting appliances such as jibs, lifts, derricks,
shackles, hooks, nets, ropes and slings are in a safe condition.
The buckets used for loading and unloading coal shall be in
the form of a cylinder or of a truncated cone; the larger diameter
shall be 1.20 m and the smaller, 90 cm, and the height 1 m; they
shall be made of boards from 3 to 5 mm in thickness and the central
shaft and the handle shall be of round iron 38 mm in thickness.

144

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

They shall have double side flanges on the shaft and a safety catch
on the lifting handle.
Inspection of Material.
61. All lifting appliances such as cranes, winches, capstans,
blocks, shackles and other accessories shall be thoroughly examined
at least once a year.
Fixed appliances that it is particularly difficult to dismantle,
such as derricks, mast bands, derrick bands, eye-bolts, etc., shall
be examined at least every two years.
62. Manilla-rope ladders shall have a width of at least 0.5 m
and the side ropes, a diameter of at least 38 mm.
Transport of Workers.
63. Every boat intended for the transport of workers from
shore to ship or vice versa shall carry an indication at a visible place
of the number of persons that may be carried.
Tugs that are used for this purpose shall be provided with iron
railings or stanchions with rings for ropes, at a height of 0.40 m
for the first rope and 0.80 m for the second.
For work afloat, in addition to the necessary arrangements for
preventing workers from falling into the water, there shall be in
the immediate vicinity and easily accessible a lifeboat or raft for
the use of the personnel and also the necessary number of lifebelts.

GERMANY

Accident Prevention Regulations of the Marine M u t u a l
Accident Insurance Association for Steam and
Motor Ships. Effective 1 January 1933
CHAPTER V. LOADING AND UNLOADING EQUIPMENT

§ 58. Upper-Deck Hatches
Upper-deck hatches the coamings of which are less than 80
cm high shall, when they are not used for loading, unloading or
other ship's work, be closed or protected by railings, chains, ropes
or in some other suitable manner.
On new ships laid down since 5 January 1927 the lower edges •
of the coamings shall be either rounded or provided with a halfround rim.
§ 59. Lower-Deck Hatches
Open lower-deck hatches shall, when they are not used for
loading, unloading or for other purposes of the ship, be closed or
protected by railings, chains, ropes or in some other suitable manner
in so far as measures are not taken to prevent unauthorised persons
from entering the holds.
Trimming hatches on the lower decks shall have a device for
covering them. They shall be covered when they are no longer
in -use.
If doors open in the vicinity of hatch openings, open hatches
near these doors shall be provided with protective devices that
prevent persons from falling in.
Openings in vertical walls of bunker, provision and baggage
shafts shall be protected by barriers or chains.
Bulkheads that are within 60 cm of the coamings of low hatches
shall be provided with hand grips or railings.
§ 61. Hatch Covers, Hatch Beams
During loading and unloading the thwart-ship beams shall be
either removed from the hatch or properly secured by screw bolts
or strong sliding bolts. For removing and replacing the thwartship beams, suitable devices, for example, claws {Hahnenpfoten)
shall be provided. The fore-and-aft beams shall also be secured by

146

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

screw bolts during loading and unloading if longitudinal displacement is possible or if they are not sectionalised. Suitable devices
shall also be provided for removing and replacing them. Thwartship beams and fore-and-aft beams shall be indicated in an easily
comprehensible manner.
The hatch covers shall only be used for covering the hatch;
their use for other purposes is prohibited.
§ 62. Hold Ladders, Ladder Cleats
Ships laid down since 1 January 1910 shall be provided with
iron hold ladders in vertical line and secured at the top and bottom.
The rungs of hold ladders and the cleats shall be at a sufficient
distance from the bulkhead wall or coamings. Ladders and cleats
shall always be kept in a utilisable condition.
On ships laid down since 5 January 1927 the fastenings of the
hold ladders to the coamings shall be in line with the coamings
and the rungs shall, as far as possible, be 30 cm apart.
If the hatch coamings are more than 80 cm high, on the outside
before the hold ladder a cambered 1 cleat about 70 cm below the top
of the coamings shall be provided as access to the hold ladders.
Hold ladders that lead to the deck through ventilators shall
not be allowed as the sole means of exit from the hold. Special
ladders shall be provided for access to decks that are not accessible
from the hold ladders.
On ships laid down since 1 January 1925, in holds more than
5 m long a second hold ladder shall be built in or a second wooden
ladder shall be kept in readiness for immediate use. In this connection care shall be taken that the ladders are so placed that if
there are longitudinal bulkheads there is a ladder on each side of
the bulkhead. For passing over the tunnel, on both sides of the
tunnel a sufficient number of cambered 1 cleats or steps shall be
provided.
The use of freely suspended loose rope ladders in holds is not
allowed.
§ 63. Testing of Loading Gear
The construction of the entire loading gear shall be in conformity with the principles of the German Lloyd drawn up in agreement with the management of the Marine Mutual Accident Insurance Association. A sketch of the tackle together with a plan
of the deck and plans of the power plant of the lifting gear shall
be submitted in duplicate for examination to the German Lloyd
in the case of all new ships and also in the case of the reconstruction of the hoisting gear on ships already sailing. These principles
shall apply mutatis mutandis to ships laid down before 5 January
1927 in so far as they do not entail constructional alterations.
Concerning the examination of the hoisting gear the Marine
Mutual Accident Insurance Association shall.issue a certificate
that shall be kept on board together with the sailing permit.
1
As regards existing cleats cambering shall only be required in the case of
renewals.
. . . . . .

LEGISLATION: GERMANY

147

Cranes, derricks and hoisting appliances shall when necessary,
but at least once a year, be thoroughly examined; the report shall
be entered in the ship's log.
Loading tests shall only be carried out under the supervision
and responsibility of the shipbuilder or of the ship's officers. Unauthorised persons shall be kept away.
The maximum permissible load shall be clearly and durably
marked on all hoisting gear, chains and appliances. The permissible
load shall in no case be exceeded.
§ 64. Winches, Cranes
The cylinders and steam pipes of steam winches shall, in so far
as they are not protected by their position, be provided with devices
that protect the operating personnel against burns. Steam escaping
into the open shall be so led off that persons cannot be scalded.
The driving wheels and driving mechanism of the stearing gear,
steam, motor and electric winches, and in so far as is appropriate
also of hand winches, as well as of machine tools, shall be provided
with sheet-metal guards or other suitable safety devices.
On new ships laid down since 5 January 1927 the distance
between the winches and the hatch coamings shall be such that
work at the winches or the hatch, and if necessary access to the
hold ladders, is possible.
If on the winches there are couplings and warping ends with projecting bolts, keys, etc., these shall be enclosed in sheet-metal guards.
Engaging and disengaging devices shall be so made and installed
that their safe operation is ensured. The cotter pins of these devices
shall when renewed be provided with brass noses {Fallnasen).
The valve handles of the steam winches shall be covered or made
of wood so that hands of the operating personnel are protected
against burns.
All new hand-driven anchor winches, loading winches and sounding machines shall be provided with a crank handle that will not
kick back.
If when a crane is slewing, the driver's platform passes close
by an open hatch or a deck some way below it, a secure railing
shall be built round the platform at waist height.
Care shall also be taken to provide secure fencing, if when
the crane slews near hatch coamings, bulkheads, etc., there is a risk
that passing persons will be crushed.
At the end of the crane jib there shall be a device that prevents
the lifting hook from being drawn over the pulley between the
cheeks of the block.
§ 65. Loading and Unloading
In loading and unloading the following provisions shall be
observed :
1. Chain slings shall not be shortened by means of knots.
2. For fastening the slings and lifting blocks, no shackle shall
be used that has a bigger jaw opening than is absolutely
necessary for shackling.

148

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

3. The use of two fixed derricks with falls shackled together
for loading and unloading is only allowed when the eyebolts on the outer guys of the derricks and the outer guys
themselves are strong enough.
4. Fixed gaffs shall not be used for loading and unloading
unless they are provided with a blocking device. Movable
gaffs shall be lowered for attaching the hoisting gear.
5. The use of patent chain links is prohibited for loading and
unloading.
6. Rope slings shall not be spliced at more than one place.
7. Holds and passageways that are. not to be entered or that
are not a general means of communication shall be barred.
8. In loading and unloading to and from tween decks the
tween-deck hatch covers shall be laid on in sufficient
numbers.
9. If work is carried on simultaneously in the upper and lower
holds, on the open parts of the tween-deck hatch a secure
barrier shall be installed by means of planks or nets or in
some other suitable manner as protection against the falling in of persons or cargo.
10. Very noisy work in the vicinity of cargo hatches shall be
avoided as far as possible during loading and unloading.
§ 66. Falls
Spliced wire rope shall not be used except in emergencies as
falls on winches for loading and unloading purposes.
Falls and wire ropes shall, as far as possible, be wound at right
angles to the axis of the drum and in the same arc as that described
in the leading blocks. In this connection care shall be taken that
on new ships laid down since 5 January 1927 or on new winches,
the winch controls are in conformity with the principles of the
German Lloyd for the construction of hoisting gear. Pilot chains
shall not be so long that the splicing and shackle catch in the
hoisting pulley.
This shall be taken into account in erecting winches. A reserve
fair shall be carried on every merchant vessel except in the local
coasting trade.
The ends of the fall shall be properly fastened to the drum.
The length of the fall shall be such that in use sufficient turns
always remain on the drum.
Tying knots in winch chains and falls is not allowed.
Accident Prevention Regulations of t h e Wholesale Trade
and Warehousing Mutual Accident Insurance
Association. Effective 1 April 1934
CHAPTER 10.

STEVEDORING

Conveyance by Boat
§ 1. For the equipment and loading of the boats used for the
conveyance of insured persons and goods, the official Regulations
shall apply as accident prevention Regulations.

LEGISLATION: GERMANY

149

Access to the Ship
§ 2. (1) The means of access to the ship from the shore and
from the water shall be installed in conformity with the official
Regulations. They shall not be within the swing of the loads. In
darkness they shall be adequately lighted.
(2) The contractor or his representative (§ 913 of the Federal
Insurance Code) shall require the ship's officers to carry out the
Regulations.
Covering of Holds
§ 3. (1) Before the commencement of loading and unloading
the hatches shall be sufficiently uncovered (opened).
(2) If exceptionally a fore-and-aft beam is not removed it shall
be specially secured against being pulled out.
(3) Hatch covers and hatch beams (fore-and-aft beams, thwart shipbeams, etc.) that are stored on deck shall be so placed and
secured that there is no danger to traffic and the stacks cannot
fall over.
(4) On sea-going ships hatch covers shall not be stacked against
the coamings.
(5) On inland waterway ships single hatch covers that have
been removed for ventilating the holds or for other purposes shall
be replaced when darkness sets in.
Lighting of Hatches and Deck Openings
§ 4. (1) In darkness, hatches and deck openings on sea-going
ships shall be adequately lighted.
(2) Entering inadequately lighted ships' holds is prohibited.
Precautions during Breaks in Work
§ 5. (1) During lengthy breaks and after the termination of
loading and unloading, as a rule the hatches shall be tightly closed
and the holds covered over. This shall not apply to ships lying
ready for loading and unloading.
(2) If for special reasons the hatches remain open and if the
coamings are less than 80 cm high they shall be protected to prevent persons from falling in.
(3) Open lower-deck hatches shall, if access is not prevented
by the covers of the upper-deck hatches or if the space around the
hatch on the lower deck is not fenced off, be protected or adequately
lighted.
Hold Ladders
§ 6. (1) On built-in hold ladders that do not lead to the ship's
bottom in one continuous vertical line, conspicuous signs shall be
placed at suitable visible places to give warning of the discontinuance of the ladder.
(2) During loading, care shall be taken that the built-in hold
ladders remain unobstructed. If for any reason they are obstructed,
ladders shall be provided for going to and from the holds (ladders

ISO

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

to be protected in accordance with Chapter 1 § 261). The use of
rope ladders is prohibited.
(3) Access to ladders shall not be blocked by objects.
Ships'

Winches

§ 7. (1) On ships' winches escaping steam shall be so led off
that persons are not scalded by steam and condensation water.
(2) If the winch driver's field of vision is obscured by steam
from leaky stuffing boxes, pipes, etc., this shall be immediately
remedied through the ship's officers.
Permissible Loading of Hoisting Gear
§ 8. If the permissible loads for the ship's hoisting gear cannot
be ascertained, the person in charge of the work shall determine
their carrying capacity through the ship's officers.
Winch and Other Falls
§ 9. In adjusting the hoisting gear the hauling part of the fall
or of the pilot rope shall not be loose on the warping end of the
winch. Falls and pilot ropes shall be properly fastened on the
winch drum or the warping end. It is prohibited to fasten winch
falls on the winch drum with ropes alone.
Ropes, Splices
§ 10. (1) Rope slings shall be only once, and winch falls never,
spliced together with wire ends. Splices on hemp and wire rope
shall, for loading and unloading purposes, be made with at least
six tucks of the strands.
(2) In splicing, the strands shall always be tucked against the
lay, or if the tucks are alternatively with and against the strands,.
against the strands under one substrand and with the strands over
two substrands.
Chains
§ 11. (1) Round-link chains that are used for lifting and binding the loads shall be tested chains within the meaning of the"Principles concerning the requirements to be satisfied for round-link
chains" of the Association of German Engineers. 2 The chains shall
be handled and examined in conformity with these principles.
The works' or expert's certificates concerning the tests required in
1
§26 (1) Ladders, shall be so constructed and placed that they are secure
against slipping, sliding, and tipping and also against extensive oscillation and
extensive bending.
(2) Step and trestle ladders shall be secured against coming apart, e.g. by
chains or articulated iron straps.
(3) I t is prohibited to fasten ladder rungs by means of nails alone and to
extend ladders b y nailing on uprights.
(4) Ladders leading to masonry, platforms or hatches, or used in pits, shafts,
etc., shall have a t least one upright projecting 0.7S m above the place to be climbed to unless some other device affords sufficient security against falls.
2
See Standard Sheet D I N 685 of the German Standards Committee.

LEGISLATION: GERMANY

151

the manufacture of chains shall be drawn up by the works or experts
nominated by the Federation of German Mutual Accident Insurance Associations.
(2) Chains less than 12.5 mm thick shall not be used for lifting and binding.
Operations with Two Derricks
§ 12. When in operations with two fixed derricks and falls
shackled together heavy weights are hoisted or the angle between
the falls exceeds a right angle, the strain on the derrick guys shall
be eased in good time by a preventer attached to the top of the
derrick.
Supervision in and about the Hatch
§ 13. (1) If the crane or winch driver has not an adequate field
of vision over the workplace from his stand or if the workers in
the hold cannot directly concert with him by signals, a signalman
shall be appointed at the hatch. If necessary, safe working shall
be promoted by appointing persons at intermediate stations. On
sea-going ships signallers shall always be appointed.
(2) On large sea-going ships a signaller shall be appointed for
every gang; on small sea-going ships the signaller may look after
two gangs at one hatch if the relative positions of the cranes only
allows of alternate loading.
(3) The signaller shall be bound to see that :
1. As soon as and so long as the load moves the persons
employed in its vicinity leave the danger zone in so far as
the conditions of the hold allow;
2. The suspended load over a hold does not remain suspended when work is going on directly underneath;
3. The load is only lowered and landed when safe landing
is possible; and
4. No person is conveyed by the hoisting gear.
(4) Perceptible signals shall be given for hoisting and lowering
loads and they shall only be given by the supervisor at the hatch
(signaller, hatch foreman).
Loading and Unloading
§ 14. (1) All goods to be hoisted by hoisting equipment shall
be carefully secured against falling out. Containers shall not be so
loaded with bulk goods (coal, ore, etc.) that goods can fall out.
(2) For suspension, hemp ropes, wire ropes or chains shall be
used according to the nature of the goods. The means of suspension
and especially chains shall be carefully watched for damage; damaged means of suspension shall be promptly replaced.
(3) Chains shall not be shortened by means of knots.
(4) Before goods arc hoisted and lowered, the persons employed
in these operations shall stand aside.
(5) Unnecessarily remaining under and,on suspended loads is
prohibited.

152

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(6) Suspension chains, slings and other appliances shall not be
thrown down.
(7) Stacks shall be taken down in layers beginning from the
top. Pulling out single packages from the lower layers is prohibited.
(8) Idle hoisting and suspension chains shall be hooked up.
(9) Double hooks and claws (can hooks, etc.) shall not be
attached to loosely hanging chains but shall be rove in rope and
chain slings.
(10) In loading and unloading timber balks in and out of holds
of sea-going ships, the use of tongs except for lifting the balk for
suspension purposes is prohibited. For the rest, tongs shall only
be used in the loading and unloading of timber balks when the load
can be watched by the crane or winch driver. Timber balks shall
not be suspended with chains.
Intermediate

Landing

§ 15. (1) Tall goods that tend to fall over or slip down shall
only be landed or set down athwartship and so that the sling
hook can always be seen by the signaller on deck or by the winch
driver.
(2) If an intermediate landing is made of suspended goods the
signaller shall satisfy himself that they are properly slung before
he gives the signal for rehoisting.
(3) In landing and setting down piece goods or bagged goods
the load shall be so turned that the plane of the slings lies in the
direction of movement.
Stowing in the Hold
§ 16. (1) Loading and unloading in tween decks shall not be
commenced until the hatches leading below have been safely covered
to a sufficient extent. Hatch covers shall be so laid on that they
cannot be displaced or fall in.
(2) In trunk hatches only so many stevedores shall be employed
t h a t during loading and unloading they can, as far as possible,
leave the danger zone.
(3) If at a hatch work is carried on simultaneously in the upper
and lower hold, the open end of the hatch in the higher deck shall
be secured by means of planks, nets or in some other suitable
manner against falling in of persons or goods.
(4) If stevedores work in a hold on a partly covered hatch or
on a tall stack so that they are in danger of falling down, a net
shall be spread for their protection.
Stowing tween Decks and on Hatch Covers
§ 17. (1) In stowing a hold round a hatch opening that is left
clear, care shall be taken that the cargo is not stowed within 60 cm
of the hatch frame so that hatch beams can be taken in and out and
the hatch cover taken on and off without a risk of falling in.
(2) Before unloading ships whose orlop deck is stowed up to
the hatch frame and on which the handling of hatch covers and

153

LEGISLATION: GERMANY

beams entails a risk of falling in, arrangements shall be made with
the ship's officers to have the hatches opened by the ship's crew.
(3) In stowing heavy goods such as metal bars on hatch covers,
due regard shall be had to the bearing capacity of the covers. The
supervisor shall ascertain from the ship's officers the permissible
maximum load per unit area of hatch covering.
Deck Cargoes
§ 18. (1) In setting down and storing heavy loads on the hatch
roof due regard shall be had to their bearing capacity; if necessary,
the roof shall be reinforced.
(2) Deck cargoes shall be so stowed that it is possible to move
safely over the deck or cargo.
Disturbance from Noise and Ship's

Operations

§ 19. (1) If on board work is being carried out that by reason
of its noise renders communication between the signalman and the
workers in the hold difficult, or impossible, e.g. chipping rust,
caulking, the ship's officers shall be requested to stop such work.
(2) The ship's officers shall be requested to stop work on masts
when such work endangers or dirties those employed on deck, e.g.
winch drivers.
Conveyance in Port Vessels
§ 20. (1) Hatch covers of port vessels (decked lighters) shall
not be walked on owing to the risk of breaking.
(2) In towing river craft persons other than members of the
crew shall not remain in the danger zone of the tow rope behind
the towing frame or towing hook.
Work with Fibre Ropes and Wire Ropes
§ 21. When working with fibre ropes and wire ropes everyone
shall take care that he does not stand in a bight (loop).
Additional

Regulations

§ 22. If for the handling of the goods to be stowed there are
special official Regulations these shall also apply as accident prevention Regulations.

GREAT BRITAIN

T h e Docks Regulations, .1934, dated 5 March 1934 made by
t h e Secretary of State under section 79 of t h e Factory and
Workshop Act, 1901 (1 Edw. 7. c. 22), in respect of the
processes of loading, unloading, moving and handling goods
i n , on, or a t a n y dock, wharf or quay, and the processes of
loading, unloading and coaling any ship in any dock,
harbour or canal 1
In pursuance of section 79 of the Factory and Workshop Act,
1901, P hereby make the following Regulations in respect of the
processes of loading, unloading, moving and handling goods in, on,
or at any dock, wharf, or quay, and the processes of loading, unloading and coaling any ship in any dock, harbour, or canal, and
direct that they shall apply to all docks, wharves, quays and ships
as aforesaid.
Provided t h a t (i) nothing in Parts II to VI inclusive of these
Regulations shall apply to the unloading of fish from a vessel employed in the catching of fish; (ii) nothing in Regulations 9, 10 (so
far as regards liability to provide means of access), 11, 13, 14, 16,
17, 37 (a) and 48 shall apply to a barge or lighter; (iii) Regulations
18 (a), 19 (a) and 20 (a), and Regulation 22 (a) so far as regards
the tests and examinations required under those Regulations, shall
not apply to machinery, chains, or other gear taken into use, or
wire rope purchased, before the commencement of these Regulations, but the corresponding provisions of Regulations 18, 19, 20
and 46 of the Docks Regulations, 19253, shall continue to apply
thereto.
Save as provided above, the Docks Regulations, 19258, shall
be revoked as from the date of commencement of these Regulations.
These Regulations may be cited as the Docks Regulations,
1934, and shall come into force on the 1st June, 1934.
In these Regulations—•
Definitions
"Processes" means the processes above mentioned or any of
them.
"Person employed" means a person employed in the processes.
"Prescribed" means prescribed by the Secretary of State.
1
2
3

Statutory Rules and Orders, 1934, No. 279.
The Home Secretary.
Legislative Series, 1925, G.B.I.

LEGISLATION: GRBAT BRITAIN

155

"Hatch" means an opening in a deck used for the purpose of the
processes or for trimming, or for ventilation.
"Hatchway" means the whole space within the square of the
hatches, from the top deck to the bottom of the hold.
"Lifting machinery" means cranes, winches, hoists, derrick
booms, derrick and mast bands, goosenecks, eyebolts, and all
other permanent attachments to the derricks, masts and decks,
used in hoisting or lowering in connection with the processes.
"Pulley block" means pulley, block, gin and similar gear, other
than a crane block specially constructed for use with a crane to
which it is permanently attached.
"Shallow canal" includes any of the following parts of a canal,
canalised river, non-tidal river, or inland navigation:
(a) any part having no means of access to tidal waters except
through a lock not exceeding ninety feet in length;
(b) any part not in frequent use for the processes ; and
(c) any part at which the depth of water within fifteen feet of
the edge does not ordinarily exceed five feet.
Duties
(a) It shall be the duty of the person having the general management and control of a dock, wharf, or quay, to comply with Part I
of these Regulations; provided that if any other person has the exclusive right to occupation of any part of the dock, wharf, or quay,
and has the general management and control of such port, the duty
in respect of that part shall devolve upon that other person; and
further provided that this part of these Regulations shall not apply
to any shallow canal.
(b) It shall be the duty of the owner, master, or officer in chargeof a ship to comply with Part II of these Regulations.
(c) It shall be the duty of the owner of machinery or plant used
in the processes, and in the case of machinery or plant carried on
board a ship not being a ship registered in the United Kingdom it
shall also be the duty of the master of such ship, to comply with
Part III of these Regulations.
(d) It shall be the duty of every person who by himself, his
agents, or workmen carries on the processes, and of all agents, workmen, and persons employed by him in the processes, to comply
with Part IV of these Regulations.
Provided that, where the processes are carried on by a stevedore
or other person other than the owner of the ship, it shall be the duty
of the owner, master or officer in charge of the ship' to comply with
Regulation 37, so far as it concerns:
(1) any hatch not taken over by the said stevedore or other person for the purpose of the processes, and
(2) any hatch which, after having been taken over by the said
stevedore or other person for the purpose of the processes,
(i) Has been reported by written notice in the prescribed form to the owner, master or officer in charge of
the ship, by or on behalf of the said stevedore or other
person, as being a hatch at which the processes have
been completed or completed for the time being, and

. 156

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(ii) Either has been left by the said stevedore or other person fenced or covered as required by Regulation 37, or
has been taken into use by or on behalf of the owner of
the ship, and in either case has been so reported by such
written notice as aforesaid.
It shall be the duty of the owner, master or officer in charge of
the ship to give immediately a written acknowledgment in the prescribed form of such written notice as aforesaid,
(e) It shall be the duty of all persons, whether owners, occupiers,
or persons employed, to comply with Part V of these Regulations.
(/) Part VI of these Regulations shall be complied with by the
persons on whom the duty is placed in that Part.
PART I

1. Every regular approach over a dock, wharf or quay which
persons employed have to use for going to or from a working place
at which the processes are carried on and every such working place
on shore shall be maintained with due regard to the safety of the
persons employed.
In particular, the following parts shall, as far as is practicable
having regard to the traffic and working, be securely fenced so that
the height of the fence shall be in no place less than two feet six
inches, and the fencing shall be maintained in good condition ready
for use:
(a) All breaks, dangerous corners, and other dangerous parts
or edges of a dock, wharf, or quay;
(b) Both sides of such footways over bridges, caissons, and dock
gates as are in general use by persons employed, and each
side of the entrance at each end of such footway for a
sufficient distance not exceeding five yards.
2. Provision for the rescue from drowning of persons employed
shall be made and maintained, and shall include:
(a) A supply of life-saving appliances, kept in readiness on.
the wharf or quay, which shall be reasonably adequate
having regard to all the circumstances;
(b) Means a t or near the surface of the water at reasonable
intervals, for enabling a person immersed to support himself or escape from the water, which shall be reasonably
adequate having regard to all the circumstances.
3. All places in which persons employed are employed and any
dangerous parts of the regular road or way over a dock, wharf, or
quay, forming the approach to any such place from the nearest
highway, shall be efficiently lighted.
Provided that the towing path of a canal or canalised river shall
not be deemed to be "an approach ' ' for the purpose of this Regulation.
4. (a) A sufficient number of first-aid boxes or cupboards of a
standard to be prescribed shall be provided at every working place

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

157

and, if more than one is provided, at reasonable distances from each
other.
(b) A first-aid box or cupboard shall be marked plainly with a
white cross on a red ground.
5. Nothing except appliances or requisites for first aid shall be
kept in a first-aid box or cupboard.
6. A first-aid box or cupboard shall be kept stocked and in
good order and shall be placed under the charge of a responsible
person who shall always be readily available during working hours.
Such person shall, except at docks, wharves or quays at which the
total number of persons employed at any time does not exceed
fifty, be a person trained in first aid.
7. There shall be provided for use at every dock, wharf or quay
a t which the total number of persons employed at any time exceeds
fifty, a suitably constructed ambulance carriage maintained in good
condition, for the purpose of the removal of serious cases of accident
or sickness, unless arrangements have been made for obtaining such
a carriage when required from a hospital or other place situate not
more than two miles from the dock, wharf or quay, and in telephonic
communication therewith.
8. Notices shall be exhibited in prominent positions at every
dock, wharf or quay stating:
(a) The position of each first-aid box and the place where the
person in charge thereof can be found ;
(£>) The position of stretchers or other appliances ;
(c) The position of the ambulance carriage or, where such is
not provided, the position of the nearest telephone and
the name and telephone number of the hospital or other
place from which such carriage may be obtained.
PART

9. If a ship is lying at a wharf or quay for the purpose of loading or unloading or coaling, there shall be safe means of access for
the use of persons employed at such times as they have to pass
from the ship to the shore or from the shore to the ship as follows:
(a) Where reasonably practicable the ship's accomodation
ladder or a gangway or a similar construction not less than
twenty-two inches wide, properly secured, and fenced
throughout on each side to a clear height of two feet nine
inches b}' means of upper and lower rails, taut ropes or
chains or by other equally safe means, except that in the
case of the ship's accomodation ladder such fencing shall
be necessary on one side only, provided that the other side
is properly protected by the ship's side;
(b) In other cases a ladder of sound material and adequate
length which shall be properly secured to prevent slipping.
Provided that nothing in this Regulation shall be held to apply
to cargo stages or cargo gangways if other proper means of access
is provided in conformity with these Regulations.

158

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Provided also that as regards any sailing vessel not exceeding
250 tons net registered tonnage and any steam vessel not exceeding
150 tons gross registered tonnage this Regulation shall not apply if
and while the conditions are such that it is possible without undue
risk to pass to and from the ship without the aid'of any special
appliances.
10. If a ship is alongside any other ship, vessel, or boat, and persons employed have to pass from one to the other, safe means of
access shall be provided for their use, unless the conditions are such
t h a t it is possible to pass from one to the other without undue risk
without the aid of any special appliance.
If one of such ships, vessels, or boats is a sailing barge, flat, keel,
lighter or other similar vessel of relatively low freeboard, the means
of access shall be provided by the ship which has the higher freeboard.
11. (1) If the depth from the level of the deck to the bottom
of the hold exceeds five feet, there shall be maintained safe means
of access from the deck to the hold in which work is being carried
on.
(2) Save as hereinafter provided, such access shall be afforded
by ladder, and by ladder cleats or cups on the coamings, and shall
not be deemed to be safe:
(a) Unless the ladders between the lower decks are in the
same line as the ladder from the top deck, if the same
is practicable having regard to the position of the lower
hatch or hatches;
(b) Unless the ladders provide a foothold of a depth including any space behind the ladder of not less than 4 ^
inches for a width of 10 inches and a firm handhold;
(c) Unless the cleats or cups provided on coamings (i) provide a foothold of a depth including any space behind
the cleats or cups of not less than 43^ inches for a width
of 10 inches and a firm handhold; (ii) are so constructed
as to prevent a man's foot slipping off the side; (iii) are
placed vertically one above the other and in the same
line as the ladders to which they give access;
(d) Unless the cargo is towed sufficiently far from the ladder
to leave at each rung of the ladder foothold of a depth
including any space behind the ladder of not less than
4J/j inches for a width of 10 inches and a firm handhold;
(e) Unless there is room to pass between a winch or other
obstruction and the coamings at the place where the
ladder leaves the deck;
(/) If the ladder is recessed under the deck more than is
reasonably necessary to keep the ladder clear of the
hatchway.
Provided that such access may be afforded:
(i) Where the provision of a ladder on a bulkhead or in a
trunk hatchway can be shown to be reasonably impracticable, by cleats or cups complying with the requirements of paragraph (c) ;

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

159

(ii) By ladders or steps, separate from any hatchway or
sloping from deck to deck, if such ladders or steps comply with the requirements of paragraphs {b), (d) and (e).
(3) Shaft tunnels shall be equipped with adequate handhold
and foothold on each side.
12. When the processes are being carried on:
(a) The places in the hold and on the decks where work is
being carried on ;
(b) The means of access provided in pursuance of Regulations 9 and 10;and
(c) All parts of the ship to which persons employed may be
required to proceed in the course of their employment,
shall be efficiently lighted, due regard being had to the safety of the
ship and cargo, of all persons employed and of the navigation of
other vessels and to the duly approved By-laws or Regulations of
any authority having power by statute to make By-laws or Regulations subject to approval by some other authority.
13. All fore-and-aft beams and thwart-ship beams used'for hatch
covering shall have suitable gear for lifting them on and off without
it being necessary for any person to go upon them to adjust such
gear.
14. All hatch coverings shall be kept plainly marked to indicate
the deck and hatch to which they belong and their position therein:
Provided that this Regulation shall not apply in cases where all the
hatch coverings of a ship are interchangeable or, in respect of marking of position, where all hatch coverings of a hatch are interchangeable.
This Regulation shall apply to fore-and-aft beams and to thwartship beams as it applies to hatch coverings.
15. All fore-and-aft beams, and thwart-ship beams used for hatch
covering and all hatch coverings shall be maintained in good condition.
16. Adequate hand grips shall be provided on all hatch coverings, having regard to their size and weight, unless the construction
of the hatch or the hatch coverings is of a character rendering the
provision of hand grips unnecessary.
17. Where the working space around a hatch is less than two
feet wide, such provision shall be made as will enable persons employed to remove and replace in safety all fore-and-aft beams and
thwart-ship beams used for hatch covering and all hatch coverings.
PART

III

18. (a) All lifting machinery shall have been tested and examined by a competent person in the manner set out in the Schedule
to these Regulations before being taken into use.
(&) (i) All derricks and permanent attachments, including bridle
chains, to the derrick, mast and deck, used in hoisting or lowering
shall be inspected once in every twelve months and be thoroughly
examined once at least in every four years.

160

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(ii) All other lifting machinery shall be thoroughly examined
once at least every twelve months.
: (iii) For the purposes of this Regulation thorough examination means a visual examination, supplemented if necessary by other means such as a hammer test, carried out
as carefully as the conditions permit, in order to arrive
at a reliable conclusion as to the safety of the parts
examined; and if necessary for the purpose, parts of the
machines and gear must be dismantled.
19. (a) No chain, ring, hook, shackle, swivel or pulley block
shall be used in hoisting or lowering unless it has been tested and
examined by a competent person in the manner set out in the
Schedule to these Regulations.
(b) All chains, other than bridle chains attached to derricks or
masts, and all rings, hooks, shackles and swivels used in hoisting or
lowering shall, unless they have been subjected to such other treatment as may be prescribed, be effectually annealed under the supervision of a competent person and at the following intervals:
(i)

Half inch and smaller chains, rings, hooks, shackles and
swivels in general use, once at least in every six months;
(ii) All other chains, rings, hooks, shackles and swivels in
general use once at least in every twelve months.
Provided t h a t in the case of such gear used solely on cranes and
other hoisting appliances worked by hand, twelve months shall be
substituted for six months in paragraph (i) and two years for twelve
months in paragraph (ii).
• Provided also that where the Chief Inspector of Factories is of
opinion that, owing to the size, design, material or infrequency of
use of any such gear or class of such gear, the requirement of this
Regulation as to annealing is not necessary for the protection of persons employed, he may by certificate in writing (which he may in
his discretion revoke) exempt such gear or class of gear from such
requirement subject to such conditions as may be specified in such
certificate.
(c) All chains, other than bridle chains attached to derricks or
masts, and all rings, hooks, shackles, swivels and pulley blocks shall
be inspected by a competent person immediately before each occasion on which they are used in hoisting or lowering, unless they have
been inspected within the preceding three months.
(d) All chains, rings, hooks, shackles or swivels used in hoisting
or lowering which have been lengthened, altered or repaired by
welding shall before being again taken into use be adequately tested
and re-examined.
20. (a) No rope shall be used in hoisting or lowering unless:
(i)

It is of
and
(ii) In the
tested
out in

suitable quality and free from patent defect;
case of wire rope, it has been examined and
by a competent person in the manner set
the Schedule to these Regulations.

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

161

(b) Every wire rope in general use for hoisting or lowering shall
be inspected by a competent person once at least in every three
months, provided that after any wire has broken in such rope it
shall be inspected once at least in every month.
(c) No wire rope shall be used in hoisting or lowering if in any
length of eight diameters the total number of visible broken wires
exceeds ten per cent, of the total number of wires, or the rope shows
signs of excessive wear, corrosion or other defect which, in the
opinion of the person who inspects it, renders it unfit for use.
(d) A thimble or loop splice made in any wire rope shall have at
least three tucks with a whole strand of the rope and two tucks
with one half of the wires cut out of each strand. The strands in all
cases shall be tucked against the lay of the rope. Provided that this
Regulation shall not operate to prevent the use of another form of
splice which can be shown to be as efficient as that laid down in
this Regulation.
21. For the purposes of Regulations 18,19 and 20, a person shall
not be deemed to be a competent person if and in so far as the Chief
Inspector has given notice in writing that such person is in his
opinion not technically qualified to carry out the tests, examinations or annealing required by these Regulations.
Provided that any person whom the Chief Inspector may thus
declare not to be competent shall have the right to appeal against
such declaration to the Secretary of State, whose decision shall be
final.
22. (a) Certificates in the prescribed forms and containing the
prescribed particulars with regard to the tests, examinations, inspections, annealing or other treatment required under Regulations 18, 19 (a) and (b) and 20 (a) shall be obtained, and entered in
or attached to the prescribed register before the machinery, chain,
rope or other gear to which the certificate refers is subsequently
taken into use in connection with the processes.
(b) The prescribed register with the certificates required to be
attached to it shall be kept on the premises unless some other place
has been approved in writing by the Chief Inspector.
23. No pulley block shall be used in hoisting or lowering unless
the safe working load is clearly stamped upon it.
24. Means shall be provided to enable any person using a chain
or wire rope sling to ascertain the safe working load for such chain
or sling under such conditions as it may be used.
(a) As regards chain slings, such means shall consist of marking the safe working load in plain figures or letters upon
the sling or upon a tablet or ring of durable material attached securely thereto.
(b) As regards wire rope slings, such means shall, consist of
either the means specified in paragraph (a) above or a
notice or notices, so exhibited as to be easily read by any
person concerned, stating the safe working loads for the
various sizes of wire rope slings used.
25. Chains shall not be shortened by tying knots in them; and
suitable packing shall be provided to prevent the links coming into
contact with sharp edges of loads of hard material.

162

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

26. All motors, cog wheels, chain and friction gearing, shafting,
live electric conductors and steam pipes shall (unless it can be shown
that by their position and construction they are equally safe to every
person employed as they would be if securely fenced) be securely
fenced so far as is practicable without impeding the safe working of
the ship and without infringing any requirement of the Board of
Trade.
27. Cranes and winches shall be provided with such means as
will reduce to a minimum the risk of the accidental descent of a
load while being raised or lowered; in particular, the lever controlling the link motion reversing gear of a crane or winch shall be provided with a suitable spring or other locking arrangement.
28. The driver's platform on every crane or tip driven by
mechanical power shall be securely fenced and shall be provided
with safe means of access. In particular, where access is by a
ladder :
(a) The sides of the ladder shall extend to a reasonable distance beyond the platform or some other suitable handhold shall be provided ;
(b) The landing place on the platform shall be maintained free
from obstruction ;
(c) In cases where the ladder is vertical and exceeds thirty
feet in height, a resting place shall be provided approximately midway between the platform and the foot of the
ladder.
29. Every crane and derrick shall have the safe working load
plainly marked upon it, and every shore crane if so constructed that
the safe working load may be varied by the raising or lowering of the
jib or otherwise, shall have attached to it an automatic indicator of
safe working loads, provided that, in cases where the jib may be
raised or lowered, provision on the crane of a table showing the safe
working loads a t the corresponding inclinations or radii of the jib
shall be considered sufficient compliance.
30. Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent exhaust steam
from, and so far as is practicable live steam to, any crane or winch
obscuring any part of the decks, gangways, stages, wharf, or quay
where any person is employed in the processes.
31. Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent the foot of
a derrick being accidentally lifted out of its socket or support.
PART

32. Precautions shall be taken to facilitate the escape of the
workers when employed in a hold or on tween decks in dealing with
coal or other bulk cargo.
33. (a) No lifting machinery, chains or other lifting appliance
shall be loaded beyond the safe working load, except that a crane
may be loaded beyond the safe working load in exceptional cases
to such extent and subject to such conditions as may be approved
by the engineer in charge or other competent person, if on each
occasion :

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

(i)
(ii)

Í63

The written permission of the owner or his responsible agent has been obtained;
A record of the overload is kept.

Provided also that, where the load upon a single sheave pulley
block is attached to the pulley block instead of to the chain or rope
passing round the sheave, the load on the pulley block shall be
deemed for the purpose of this Regulation to be half the actual load.
(b) No load shall be left suspended from a crane, winch, or other
machine unless there is a competent person actually in charge of the
machine while .the load is so left.
34. No person under 16 years of age and no person who is not
sufficiently competent and reliable shall be employed as driver of a
crane or winch, whether driven by mechanical power or otherwise,
or to give signals to a driver or to attend to cargo falls on winch ends
or winch bodies.
35. Where goods are placed on a wharf or quay other than a
wharf or quay on a shallow canal:
(a) A clear passage leading to the means of access to the ship
required by Regulation 8 shall be maintained on the wharf
or quay;and
(b) If any space is left along the edge of the wharf or quay,
it shall be at least three feet wide and clear of all obstructions other than fixed structures, plant and appliances
in use.
36. (a) No deck-stage or cargo-stage shall be used in the processes unless it is substantially and firmly constructed and adequately supported, and, where necessary, securely fastened.
(b) No truck shall be used for carrying cargo between ship and
shore on a stage so steep as to be unsafe.
(c) Any stage which is slippery shall be made safe by the use of
sand or otherwise.
37. (a) If any hatch of a hold accessible to any person employed
and exceeding five feet in depth, measured from the level of the deck
in which the hatch is situated to the bottom of the hold, is not in use
for the passage of goods, coal or other material, or for trimming, and
the coamings are less than two feet six inches in height,'such hatch
shall either be fenced to a height of three feet or be securely covered.
Provided that this requirement shall not apply (i) to vessels not
exceeding 200 tons net registered tonnage which have only one
hatchway, (ii) to any vessel during meal times or other short interruptions of work during the period of employment.
(b) Hatch coverings shall not be used in the construction of deck
or cargo stages, or for any other purpose which may expose them to
damage.
(c) Hatch coverings shall be replaced on the hatches in the
positions indicated by the markings made thereon in pursuance of
Regulation 14.
38. No cargo shall be loaded or unloaded by a fall or sling at any
intermediate deck unless either the hatch at that deck is securely

164

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

covered or a secure landing platform of a width not less than that of
one section of hatch coverings has been placed across it.
Provided that this Regulation shall not apply to any process of
unloading the whole of which will be completed within a period of
half an hour.
39. When the working space in a hold is confined to the square
of the hatch, hooks shall not be made fast in the bands or fastenings
of bales of cotton, wool, cork, gunny bags or other similar goods, nor
shall can hooks be used for raising or lowering a barrel when, owing
to the construction or condition of the barrel or of the hooks, their
use is likely to be unsafe.
Nothing in this Regulation shall apply to breaking out'or making
up slings.
40. When work is proceeding on any skeleton deck, adequate
staging shall be provided unless the space beneath the deck is filled
with cargo to within a distance of two feet of such deck.
41. Where stacking, unstacking, stowing or unstowing of cargo
or handling in connection therewith cannot be safely carried out unaided, reasonable measures to guard against accident shall be taken
by shoring or otherwise.
42: The beams of any hatch in use for the processes shall, if not
removed, be adequately secured to prevent their displacement.
43. When cargo is being loaded or unloaded by a fall a t a hatchway, a signaller shall be employed, and where more than one fall is
being worked at a hatchway, a separate signaller shall be employed
to attend to each fall.
Provided :
(i) T h a t this Regulation shall not apply in cases where a barge,
lighter or other similar vessel is being loaded or unloaded
if the driver of the crane or winch working the fall'has a
clear and unrestricted view of those parts of the hold where
work is being carried on ;
(ii) T h a t where the Chief Inspector is of opinion that, owing to
the nature of the crane or winch or other appliance in use
or by reason of any special arrangements, the requirements of this Regulation are not necessary for the safety
of persons employed he may by certificate in writing (which
he may in his discretion revoke) suspend such requirements
subject to such conditions as may be specified in such
certificate.
44. When any person employed has to proceed to or from a ship
by water for the purpose of carrying on the processes, proper measures shall be taken to provide for his safe transport. Vessels used
for this purpose shall be in charge of a competent person, shall not
be overcrowded, and shall be properly equipped for safe navigation
and maintained in good condition.
PART V

45. No person shall, unless duly authorised or in case of necessity, remove or interfere with any fencing, gangway, gear, ladder,

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

165

hatch covering, lifé-saving means or appliances, lights, marks, stages
or other things whatsoever required by these Regulations to be
provided. If removed, such things shall be restored at the end of
the period during which their removal was necessary by the persons
last engaged in the work that necessitated such removal.
46. The fencing required by Regulation 1 shall not be removed
except to the extent and for the period reasonably necessary for
carrying on the work of the dock or ship, or for repairing any fencing. If removed it shall be restored forthwith at the end of that
period by the persons engaged in the work that necessitated its
removal.
47. Every person employed shall use the means of access provided in accordance with Regulations 9, 10 and 11, and no person
shall authorise or order another to use means of access other than
those provided in accordance therewith.
48. No person shall go upon the fore-and-aft beams or thwartship beams for the purpose of adjusting the gear for lifting them
on and off nor shall any person authorise or order another to do so.
PART

49. No employer of persons in the processes shall allow machinery or gear to be used by such persons which does not comply
with Part III of these Regulations.
50. If the persons whose duty it is to comply with Regulations
9, 10 and 12 fail so to do, then it shall also be the duty of the employers of the persons employed for whose use the means of access
and the lights are required, to comply with the said Regulations
within the shortest time reasonably practicable after such failure.
51. The prescribed register shall, on the application of any of
H. M. Inspectors of Factories, be produced by the person in charge
thereof; if it relates to the lifting machinery and other gear of a
ship and is kept on the ship, it shall be produced, together with the
certificate of the ship's register, by the person for the time being
in charge of the ship.
SCHEDULE
M A N N E R OF T E S T AND EXAMINATION B E F O R E T A K I N G
AND G E A R INTO U S E

LIFTING

MACHINERY

Regulations 18 (a), 19 (a) and 20 (a)

(a) Every winch with the whole of the gear accessory thereto
(including derricks, goosenecks, eye-plates, eye-bolts or other
attachments) shall be tested with a proof load which shall exceed
the safe working load as follows:
Safe working load

Up to 20 tons
20-50 tons
Over 50 tons

Proof load

25 per cent, in excess
5 tons in excess
.10 per cent, in excess

166

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

The proof load shall be applied either (i) by hoisting movable
weights or (ii) by means of a spring or hydraulic balance or similar
appliance, with the derrick at an angle to the horizontal which shall
be stated in the certificate of the test. In the former case, after the
movable weights have been hoisted, the derrick shall be swung as
far as possible in both directions. In the latter case, the proof load
shall be applied with the derrick swung as far as practicable first
in one direction and then in the other.
(b) Every crane and other hoisting machine with its accessory
gear shall be tested with a proof load which shall exceed the safe
working load as follows:
Safe working load

Up to 20 tons
20-50 tons
Over 50 tons

Proof load
25 per cent, in excess
5 tons in excess
10 per cent, in excess

The said proof load shall be hoisted and swung as far as possible
• in both directions. In the case of a jib crane, if the jib has a variable
radius, it shall be tested with a proof load as defined above at the
maximum and minimum radii of .the jib. In the case of hydraulic
cranes or hoists, where, owing to the limitation of pressure, it is
impossible to hoist a load 25 per cent, in excess of the safe working
load, it shall be sufficient to hoist the greatest possible load.
(c) Every article of loose gear (whether it is accessory to a machine or not) shall be tested with a proof load at least equal to that
shown against the article in the following table :
Article of Gear

Chain . .
Ring . . .
Hook...
Shackle.
Swivel. .

Proof load

Twice the safe working load

Pulley blocks:
Single sheave block

Four times the safe working load

Multiple sheave block with]
safe working load up to > Twice the safe working load
and including 20 tons. J
Multiple sheave block with
safe working load over
20 tons up to and including 40 tons

20 tons in excess of the safe
working load

Multiple sheave block with]
safe working load over [ O n e and a half times the safe
40 tons
J
working load

LEGISLATION: GREAT BRITAIN

167

Provided that where the Chief Inspector of Factories is of
opinion that, owing to the size, design, construction, material or
use of any such loose gear or class of such gear, any of the above
requirements are not necessary for the protection of persons employed, he may by certificate in writing (which he may in his discretion revoke) exempt such gear or class of gear from such requirement, subject to such conditions as may be stated in the certificate.
(d) After being tested as aforesaid, all machines with the whole
of the gear accessory thereto and all loose gear shall be examined,
the sheaves and the pins of the pulley blocks being removed for the
purpose, to see that no part is injured or permanently deformed
by the test.
(e) In the case of wire ropes, a sample shall be tested to destruction and the safe working load shall not exceed one fifth of the
breaking load of the sample tested.

PORTUGAL
Decree No. 16978, to Approve t h e Regulations respecting
Loading and Unloading Appliances used on Board Vessels
of t h e Mercantile Marine. Dated 15 May 19281
1. The Regulations issued by the Minister of Marine, respecting
the conditions with which appliances for loading and unloading
used on board all vessels of the mercantile marine shall comply,
are hereby approved.
Sole subsection. The Ministry of Marine, on the recommendation of the Mercantile Marine Directorate, shall issue the necessary
instructions for the proper administration and interpretation of
the Regulations.
2. The cargo gear of a vessel which has been inspected and
complies with the Docks Regulations of Great Britain, the Harbour
Regulations of New Zealand or the corresponding Regulations of
the (German) Maritime Accident Association (See-Berufsgenossenschaft) or any other Regulations deemed by the Mercantile Marine
Directorate to be equivalent thereto shall be deemed to comply
with the Regulations approved by this Decree, and it shall be the
duty of the maritime authorities to ascertain whether such cargo'
gear is used for loads in excess of those deemed to be safe working
loads.
3. The cargo gear of a vessel which has not been tested and
examined as required by the Regulations of its country in cases
where such Regulations are deemed to be equivalent to the Portuguese Regulations may nevertheless be deemed to comply with
the Regulations approved by this Decree, provided that:
(a) I t shall n o t be used for loads in excess of those deemed in the
Instructions to be safe working loads;
(b) All the cargo gear has been examined by ship's officers
(deemed to be responsible officers) within the previous six
months; such examination shall be entered in the ship's
log book;
(c) A statement, where such is required by the maritime authority, shall be drawn up by the officers who carried out the
examination and signed by the master, specifying the gear
inspected and declaring that the cargo gear is in good condition and fit for the purpose for which it is intended.
(1) The provisions of this section shall apply in particular on
the occasion of the first entrance of a foreign vessel into a Portuguese port.
1

Diario do Govêrno, 18 June 1929.

.LEGISLATION: PORTUGAL

169

(2) On subsequent visits such vessel shall be provided with
cargo gear complying with the Portuguese Regulations or any other
foreign Regulations deemed by the Mercantile Marine Directorate
to be equivalent thereto.
(3) Nevertheless, the cargo gear shall not in any case be used
for loads in excess of those deemed to be safe working loads.
4. Any person who issues a certificate of test with respect to a
chain, ring, wide or long link, wire rope or fibre rope which has not
been tested, or who gives a false guarantee with respect to the
breaking load of a fibre rope, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding
10,000 escudos.
5. If any person fails, refuses or neglects to comply with any of
the provisions of this Decree or of the Regulations or Instructions,
or in any manner obstructs, impedes or interferes with the doing
of anything authorised to be done, or wilfully does anything prohibited by this Decree or the Regulations issued thereunder, he
shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 10,000 escudos.
6. If any person knowingly or without sufficient excuse unlawfully puts upon the cargo gear of a vessel a load in excess of that
deemed to be the safe working load and in consequence thereof
causes an injury to any person, he shall be liable to a fine not
exceeding 10,000 escudos and imprisonment for not less than one
month nor more than two years or to one of these penalties alone.
Sole subsection. Persons who are accessory to the offence specified in this section shall be liable to the same penalties as are prescribed for the principals.
7. The Ministry of Marine shall have power to enforce all the
provisions of the Regulations and of the Instructions of a technical
character approved and issued under this Decree.
8. This Decree shall come into operation on 1 July 1929.
9. All legislation to the contrary is hereby repealed. .
Regulations r e s p e c t i n g Loading and Unloading Appliances
o n Board Vessels of t h e Mercantile Marine
CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Masts in mechanically propelled vessels hereafter constructed shall have the dimensions laid down in and be stayed in
conformity with the provisions laid down in the Instructions for
the administration of these Regulations.
Sole subsection. The rules of any classification society recognised by the Government may be adopted for the same purpose
and with a view to obtaining the same results.
2. In the case of vessels hereafter constructed or of alterations
in the cargo gear, the shipbuilders or shipowners shall submit for
the approval of the Mercantile Marine Directorate plans in duplicate of the layout of the derricks, masts, winches and in general
of all appliances constituting the cargo gear, specifying all the
metalwork of the masts, derricks and decks connected with the
processes of loading and unloading.

170

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

3. In examining cargo gear, the test of each component part
(ropes, chains, rings, shackles, swivels, hooks, blocks, etc.) and the
test of the whole gear called the proof load shall be taken into account.
4. Derricks shall be numbered and marked in a visible and permanent manner with the maximum load which they can carry.
Sole subsection. The said maximum load shall be stated in the
report filed with the harbour authority.
5. A chain, ring, hook, shackle or swivel shall not be used in
any loading or unloading appliance unless the relevant certificate
of test containing the particulars laid down in the Instructions has
been obtained.
6. A manufacturer of, agent for or dealer in chains or ropes
shall not sell or contract to sell, and a person shall not purchase or
contract to purchase, any chains or ropes and in general any accessory gear for hoisting appliances unless such articles have previously been submitted to tests in accordance with these Regulations or those of a classification society recognised by the Government, or finally, those of a foreign maritime authority, provided
that reciprocal recognition is granted by the legislation of the
respective countries.
(1) In the case of fibre ropes the purchaser shall obtain a
guarantee respecting the quality and the breaking load.
(2) Any person contravening the provisions of this section
shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 5,000 escudos.
7. Every contract for the sale of a chain or rope for use in the
processes of loading and unloading shall in the absence of an express stipulation to the contrary be deemed to imply a warranty
that such chain or rope has been tested before delivery, in accordance with these Regulations or such other Regulations as are deemed
to be equivalent thereto by the Mercantile Marine Directorate.
Sole subsection. In case of dispute it shall be the duty of the
vendor to prove the existence of the said express stipulation, and
he shall be responsible for the testing and marking of the articles
intended forcargo gear on board ships, barges and lighters.
CHAPTER II. S A F E WORKING LOADS

• 8,. .-The standard for fixing the safe working loads for ropes and
chains shall be .laid in the. Instructions for the administration of
these Regulations.
,
9. When the cargo gear of a, vessel is being used, no person
shall p u t a' load of greater weight on any chain, sling or rope than
thé weight given as a safe working load in the tables for chains,
slings and ropes of different sizes. •
•'-^l) If ropes «are used which have greater breaking loads than
those; indicated in the tables, a higher, safe working load shall
be allowed;; provided that it shall not exceed one seventh of the
breaking load,3 '•-'•-•• •
^
-; ! (2)' A Idad'-fri. excess of 3 tons shall not in any case be put upon
¿'single whipT;vvhen attached to a ship's cargo gear.

LEGISLATION: PORTUGAL

171

(3) As a rule a load in excess of 5 tons shall not be put upon
a double whip unless the rope is passed through a block a t the
hounds of the mast and the masthead is approximately three
metres higher than the derrick head in which case the load may
be increased to 6 tons.
10. Every block used in the cargo gear shall be marked in a
legible and durable manner with its safe working load.
11. The necessary means shall be provided on board ship to
enable any person responsible for using a rope or chain to ascertain
the safe working load thereof and the conditions under which
such safe working load can be used.
Sole subsection. Such means may consist of the following:
(a) A tablet attached to the rope or chain ;
(6) Marks stamped on the chains;
(c) Notices exhibited in accessible places, stating the safe
working loads for the various sizes of ropes and chains and
the different purposes for which they are used.
CHAPTER III.

PERIODICAL ANNEALING OP CHAINS.
T H E I R REPLACEMENT

12. All chains shall be inspected periodically and the hardening
removed by annealing or by subjecting them to any other heat
treatment deemed to be equivalent for the purpose in view.
(1) The intervals for annealing shall be as follows:
(a) 12.5 mm (half-inch) and smaller chains, once at least in
every six months ;
(6) Chains of larger diameter, once at least in every twelve
months.
(2) If the chains, rings, etc., are used on appliances worked by
hand, the intervals for annealing may be extended respectively to
one and two years.
(3) Further, the said intervals may be modified in cases where
the competent authority has reason to believe that owing to the
infrequency of use of any such gear the requirements laid down in
this section and in subsection (1) thereof need not be complied
with.
(4) In the case of vessels engaged in the distant trade the requirements laid down under (a) of subsection (1) shall be deemed
to have been complied with if chains of the diameter stated are not
used on board unless they have been annealed during the six
preceding months.
(5) The provisions of this section shall not apply to bridle
chains attached to derricks and masts.
13- Chains, rings, etc., shall be renewed when the transverse
section shows wear to such an extent that their use is liable to be
a cause of danger.
(1) For the purposes of the above paragraph the condition of
the chain, ring, etc., shall be deemed to be dangerous when the

172

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

wear of the worn parts is 10 per cent, of the diameter verified at
the time of the test; in particular, chains, rings, etc., shall be put
aside until the worn parts have been replaced when the wear in
any part amounts to:
1.6 mm (3^6 inch) on chains up to 12.5 mm (half-inch) diameter;
2 mm ( j ^ inch) on chains, etc., up to 16 mm ( ^ inch) diameter;
0.4 mm {YM inch) on chains, etc., for every 3 mm (}/% inch)
increase in diameter up to 51 mm (2 inches).
(2) All chains, rings, shackles, hooks and swivels used in cargo
gear which have been lengthened or shortened, altered or repaired
by welding or heating shall be tested and examined afresh.
CHAPTER IV.

WIRE

ROPES

14. Wire ropes in general use shall be examined once at least in
every three months.
Sole subsection. The said examination shall be made at shorter
intervals (once a t least in every month) after any wire has broken
in such rope.
15. A wire rope shall not be used:
(a) If in any length of eight diameters the total number of
visible broken wires exceeds 10 per cent, of the total number
of wires;
(¿>) If the rope shows signs of excessive wear, corrosion or other
defect which in the opinion of the competent authorityrenders it unfit for use.
Sole subsection.
Excessive wear caused by friction shall be
deemed to occur when the diameter of the outside wires is reduced '
to one half.
16. A loop splice made in any wire rope shall have at least
three tucks with all the wires of all the strands of the rope and at
least two tucks with one half of the wires of all the strands.
(1) The tucks shall be made against the lay of the rope.
(2) Any other form of splice deemed by the competent authority to be equivalent may be used.
CHAPTER V. F U R T H E R T E S T S OP ACCESSORIES OF CARGO G E A R

17. The harbour authority may, at such intervals as it considers
reasonable, or at any time when doubt arises as to the breaking
load or quality of a certain rope, cause any wire rope certified by
the maker or a fibre rope guaranteed by the maker to be tested by
an independent authority.
18. Worn chains which have been repaired by the addition of
new links or altered in any other manner, or which have been
repaired by welding or other heat treatment, shall be tested afresh.
(1) The test load shall not be less than twice the safe working
load specified in the table contained in the Instructions.

LEGISLATION: PORTUGAL

173

(2) A chain which has been repaired shall not be put into use
without having been subjected to a satisfactory test.
CHAPTER VI.

LOADING T E S T FOR CARGO G E A R ,
INCLUDING W I N C H E S

19. When the cargo gear is ready, every derrick duly placed in
position over the centre of its hatchway shall be subjected to a test.
(1) The load shall be 25 per cent, in excess of the maximum load
usually carried, provided that the overload need not exceed five tons.
(2) The test shall be as follows: the load shall be hoisted and
shall then be moved from port to starboard, and a pause shall be
made until the load has resumed a position of equilibrium.
(3) The cargo gear and its winches shall be inspected before
and after the loading test.
(4) Where the result of the test leaves no room for doubt of
any kind, a certificate shall be issued, and the lower end of the
derrick shall be marked with the number of the certificate, initials
showing the nature of the test (P.L.), the date thereof and the stamp
of the authority which carried out the test.
(5) The permissible load for the cargo gear shall be entered in
the certificate.
20. The loading test shall be repeated every four years.
Sole subsection. Such further tests shall be noted in the report
on the inspection of the vessel, and the dates of the making of the
said further tests shall be marked on the derrick.
CHAPTER VII.

SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR W I N C H E S

21. Cylinders and steam pipes shall be provided with safety
devices to protect workers against the risk of scalding, unless protection from such risk is afforded by the position of the said apparatus.
(1) When steam is allowed to escape, it shall be led away in
such manner as to protect workers from the risk of scalding.
(2) The valve levers of winches shall be covered with asbestos
cloth or insulated in some other manner to protect workers against
the risk of scalding.
22. The driving wheel and other working parts of electric and
steam winches and also of winches worked by hand shall be provided with sheet metal guards and other devices to protect the
workers.
23. The position of winches in vessels hereafter constructed or
vessels the cargo gear of which has been materially altered shall be
such that work at the winches and in the hold is not obstructed
at any time and free access to a holdladder is always ensured.
24. The connecting and disconnecting gear shall be such as to
ensure that the winch can be worked without any danger.
25. All the bearings of winches shall be properly lubricated.
26. As a rule, the draining cock shall be opened before beginning work with the winches, and the valves shall be opened
gradually so as to warm the engine before beginning work.

174

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

27. Ropes shall be coiled at right, angles to the axis of the
barrel of the winch, and the distance between the barrel and the
foot of the derrick shall be as great as possible.
Sole subsection. The position of the winch shall be such as to
allow the operator an adequate field of vision.
28. As soon as the surface of the barrel shows any defects' due
to the constant friction of the rope at any point, the barrel shall
be machine-turned. •
29. Every care shall be taken to prevent jolting of the parts of
the machinery during work, since as a general rule this means
that the bearings are loose.
Sole subsection. Measures shall be taken to avoid heating of
the bearings, which is generally due to want of lubrication, too
tight a fit, or sand, grit, dust, etc.
30. The wear on the bearings shall be examined, since, if the
wear on the barrel bearings is greater than that on the bearings of
the driving axle, the driving wheel will in consequence tend to slip
on the spurwheel, and the teeth of the driving wheel or spurwheel
may break off.
31. Where the barrel of a winch is operated by means of friction
gear, the load shall be lowered with the use of the brake and not
by means of the frictional difference between the cone and the
barrel.
32. All the electrical parts of electric winches shall be protected
by a watertight cover.
Sole subsection. Wherever possible, the following conditions
shall be complied with :
(a) The accessory gear shall be watertight ;
(¿0 The motor, controller and resistance shall be placed under
the deck, unless such space is required for cargo;
(c) The electrical equipment shall be fitted with fixed covers;
(d) The commutator and brushes shall be kept free from oil and
dust.
33. Winches shall in general be constructed in accordance with
rules deemed to be satisfactory by the maritime authorities.
34. The winch machinery shall be arranged so that the hoisting
of the load is effected by the forward movement of a vertical lever,
by raising a horizontal lever, or by turning a valve lever to the
right, and that the lowering of the load is effected by the backward movement of a vertical lever, by depressing a horizontal lever,
or by turning a valve lever to the left.
Sole subsection. Alterations in the gearing shall not affect the
operation of the winches.
35. Every winch shall be provided with an effective brake.
36. If the barrels of a winch are mounted on long axles and are
used for loading and unloading cargo, they shall be of adequate
size and depth to enable the ropes to be coiled on them with safety.

LEGISLATION: PORTUGAL

175

37. Every barrel shall be fitted with apertures to take a device
for fastening the end of the rope.
38. Winches shall also be required to pass the loading test described in Chapter VI.
CHAPTER

VIII.

RULES TO BE O B S E R V E D IN LOADING
AND UNLOADING

39. The cargo gear of one vessel shall not be shackled to that
of another vessel.
Sole subsection. The provisions of this section shall not apply
to the cargo gear of coal-lighters.
40. The following rules shall "be observed in loading and unloading :
(a) Knots shall not be tied in chain pendants ;
(b) Shackles with a large opening between the lugs shall not be
used for the purpose of joining the pendant and cargo hook;
• (c) The use of two derricks is permissible if the corresponding
hooks and eyes in the derrick guys are sufficiently strong;
(d) Gaffs shall not be used for loading and unloading unless the
halyards allow their proper suspension;
(e) Chains with stud links shall not be used ;
(/) Rope slings shall not have more than one splice;
(g) All holds not in use for the transport of cargo shall be closed ;
(h) If cargo is being stowed on any deck and at the same time
in a hold or on another deck, a safety device shall be placed
on the open part of the deck hatchway, consisting of planking, netting, or other appropriate means of protection to
prevent persons or cargo from falling ;
(i) Excessive noise shall be prevented as far as possible in the
proximity of hatchways during the operations of loading
and unloading ;
(j) Chain slings shall not be allowed to come into contact with
the sharp edges of hard objects;
(k) Slings shall not be of such length that the splice of the rope
and the shackle can be hoisted into the gin.
41. Spliced wire ropes shall not be used in cargo gear, except in
case of emergency.
42. A spare rope for cargo work shall be kept in all vessels
navigating outside the zone of the home coasting trade.
CHAPTER IX.

SPECIAL INSPECTION OF LOADING AND
UNLOADING APPLIANCES

43. An Order shall be issued respecting the fees to be paid
by shipowners or ship charterers for the special inspection of loading
and unloading appliances on board vessels.
Schedule. Instructions for the administration of the Regulations respecting loading and unloading appliances used on board
ship (with elaborate tables and diagrams).

SWEDEN
Royal Order concerning Safety Measures in the Use of
Vessels. Dated 9 December 1932
CHAPTER V. OTHER SAFETY MEASURES ON BOARD

§ 18. (3) If hatches which, under §27 of the Order concerning
the construction and equipment of vessels have to be protected,
are open and not in use for the passage of goods, coal or other
material or if the hatches are covered but not in an adequate
manner, protection shall be installed; this, however, shall not be
required for hatches of holds or bunkers during mealtimes in daylight, or provided that a watch is set at the hatch for any other
break in the work at the hatch not exceeding one hour.
Man hatches and also hatches of holds or bunkers shall, while
the hatch is open or not adequately covered, be adequately lighted
in darkness unless this is clearly superfluous.
For work with a winch or crane at a partly uncovered hatch, the
fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams shall be secured against being
lifted out.
§ 19. If a person has to go on board or leave the vessel, a gangway or accommodation ladder shall be put out or some similar
measure taken unless this is clearly superfluous; but if such means
of communication is not suitable or cannot reasonably be provided,
a ladder may be provided. On the open sea only storm ladders
shall be used.
Gangways shall not have an excessive slope. Accommodation
ladders shall have a suitable slope. Accommodation ladders and
ladders and, unless this is clearly superfluous, gangways shall be
secured in a suitable manner.
All means of communication shall in darkness be adequately
lighted.
§ 21. Before anyone is sent into a bunker, tank, peak, tunnel,
drum or similar enclosed space, or into a hold that has been closed
in such circumstances that entering it may be dangerous, or into
a boiler, such measures shall be taken that entry is safe.
§ 22. For work in confined and badly ventilated places on
board, open coke or coal fires shall not be used. If coke or coal
ovens are used a suitable outlet for the combustion gases shall
be provided.
§ 23. Exhaust steam from winches, capstans or cranes shall
not be so discharged as to cause a risk of accidents.

LEGISLATION: SWEDBN

177

Royal Notification concerning Safety Measures that in
the Loading and Unloading of Vessels are the
Responsibility of the Master, etc.
Dated 8 October 19371
§ 1.

SCOPE

The present notification shall apply to work on board or on
•shore for the loading, unloading or bunkering of a vessel but not
in so far as concerns the following vessels:
(1) Vessels belonging to the Crown or to a foreign State and
not conveying goods or passengers in general traffic; and
(2) Vessels with a gross tonnage less than 20 register tons.
§ 2. HOISTING M A C H I N E S AND APPLIANCES

(1) As regards hoisting machines and appliances forming part
of the vessel's equipment, the following provisions shall be specially
observed :
(a) Before a hoisting machine, chain, ring, hook, shackle,
swivel, block or wire rope is taken into use, its maximum permissible load shall be calculated, and in addition the object in question shall be tested and carefully examined. If a chain, ring, hook, shackle or
swivel is lengthened, altered or repaired by welding,
before it is again taken into use such necessary calculation, testing and careful examination shall again be
undertaken.
After a hoisting machine has been taken into use,
it shall, so long as it is in use, be thoroughly examined
at least every 12 months unless the Board of Trade
decides otherwise.
After a chain, ring, hook, shackle or swivel has
been taken into use it shall, so long as it is in regular
use, be annealed and carefully examined at such times
as the Board of Trade may deem it reasonable to
require.
On every occasion when a chain, ring, hook, shackle,
swivel, block or wire rope is used, it shall be examined
unless it has been examined within the previous 3
months.
The above provisions concerning testing, annealing
and examination shall not apply to vessels with a gross
tonnage of less than 300 register tons.
(b) Concerning the calculation, testing, annealing and
examination mentioned in the first, second and third
paragraphs of subsection (a), a certificate or report
shall be immediately drawn up in accordance with the
regulations of the Board of Trade.
1

Svensk Förjattningssamling,

1937, No. 815.

178

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(c)

(d)
(e)

(/)

(g)

The certificate and the report shall, so long as they
are in force, be kept on board and on request be shown
to the competent inspection authority.
The provisions of the present subsection shall not
apply to vessels with a gross tonnage of less than 300
register tons.
Derricks, cranes and chain slings shall be provided at
suitable places with distinct marks indicating the maximum permissible loads.
As regards derricks, the maximum permissible load
shall be deemed to be that at an angle not exceeding 15°
with the horizontal or if so small an angle cannot occur
in use, the smallest possible angle in use.
As regards chain slings, the mark shall be in plain
figures or letters on the sling itself or on a tablet or
ring of durable material securely fastened thereto.
The Board of Trade may, when there are good
reasons, both generally and for certain cases, grant
exemptions from the provisions of the second paragraph of the present subsection.
Suitable measures shall be taken to prevent the foot
of a derrick from being inadvertently lifted out of its seat.
Lifting blocks, leading blocks, spans and span blocks
shall be fastened to the mast or derrick by shackles.
Bolts for shackles shall be secured by split pins or other
equivalent arrangements. The bolt may be secured by
mousing in the case of screw bolts on shackles for span
blocks and provided that the mousing is not exposed
to abrasion.
Loop splices with or without thimbles on wire ropes
shall be made either with three tucks of a whole strand
and two tucks of the strand with one half of the wires
cut out, or in some other equivalent manner.
Lifting hooks shall be so made that they do not slip
or catch.

(2) For hoisting machines and appliances that do not belong
to the vessel's equipment, special provisions have been laid down.
§ 3. LIGHTING

Workplaces on board ship and other places on board to which
workers are required to go, shall, if dark, be effectively lighted.
The lighting arrangements shall be such that they do not endanger
the safety of the workers or interfere with the navigation of other
vessels.
§ 4. PERFORMANCE OF WORK

(1) As regards work performed by the ship's personnel, the
following provisions shall be specially observed:
(a) Goods shall not be. left suspended from a hoisting machine unless the machine is effectively watched by a

LEGISLATION: SWEDEN

(b)
(c)

(d)

(e)
(/)
(g)
(h)

(i)
(j)
- (k)
(I)

(m)

(«)

179

competent person for the whole of the time that goods
are suspended.
If required for the safety of the workers, a person shall
be appointed for signalling to the person operating the
hoisting or transport machine.
A person appointed to operate hoisting or transport
machines, or to signal to such person or to attend to
cargo falls on winch drums or ends shall be reliable
and competent.
Winch and crane hooks shall not be made fast in the
bands or other fastenings around bales of paper, pulp,
cotton, wool, cork, empty gunny bags or the like.
Can hooks shall not be used for the loading or unloading of barrels, when, owing to the construction or
the general condition of the hook or the barrel, this
might cause danger.
Hoisting machines and appliances shall not be loaded
beyond the maximum permissible load.
Chains shall not be shortened by tying knots in them.
The necessary measures shall be taken to prevent
chains, wire ropes and fibre ropes from being damaged
by sharp edges.
When so required for the workers' safety, suitable
measures shall be taken in the stacking, unstacking,
stowing and unloading of cargo and handling in connection therewith.
Workers shall not use or be required to use such means
of access to the vessel or hold as do not comply with
the existing regulations.
The deck near hatches shall not be so obstructed that
the necessary access to the means for climbing into or
out of the hold is prevented.
The necessary precautions shall be taken to enable the
workers easily to leave the hold in which they are employed on the loading or unloading of bulk goods.
If a ladder is required in the hold or bunker of an undecked vessel, it shall be placed at the workers' disposal.
The ladder shall be equipped at the top with hooks or
other means for firmly securing it.
Gangplanks, gangways or stages intended for loading,
unloading or bunkering shall be strong, well constructed, and supported and secured to the necessary extent.
To prevent slipping, such equipment shall, when
necessary, be sanded or be otherwise suitably treated.
Goods shall not be transported in handtrucks on
gangways or other means of access whose slope causes
danger to transport.
The vessel's hatch coverings shall not be used for the
construction of stages or for other purposes whereby
they could be exposed to damage.

(2) As regards work which'is not performed by the ship's personnel, special provisions have been laid down. ,

180

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
§ 5. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS, ETC.

The Board of Trade may, in cases other than those specially
mentioned above, issue additional provisions in the matters regulated in the present Notification.
In issuing Regulations under the present Notification, the provisions of the Convention of 27 April 1932 concerning the protection against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships, shall be observed.
Royal Notification concerning Safety Measures that in
t h e Loading and Unloading of Vessels are the
Responsibility of t h e Employer, etc.
Dated 8 October 19371
§ 1. SCOPE

§ 2. WORKPLACE AND M E A N S OP ACCESS

(1) Such regular approaches over a wharf, quay or similar premises as workers have to use for going to or from a workplace on
shore or on board ship and also workplaces on shore shall be maintained in a proper condition with regard to the workers' safety.
In this connection, the following provisions shall be specially
observed :
(a) The workplace on shore and the approach to it from the
nearest public way shall be provided with the necessary
lighting; and
(b) Railings, at least 90 cm high shall, where such is required for the workers' safety, and the railings do not
unduly hinder traffic or work, be installed both at t h e
workplace on shore and the approach to it (for example,
at dangerous openings, corners and edges), and on both
sides of passages over bridges, caissons or dock gates,
the railings at both ends to be continued to such distance as may be deemed necessary.
(2) On the wharves and quays referred to in (1) goods shall
not be so stored as to hinder necessary access to gangways or other
means of access t o the vessel. If, when goods are stored on such
wharves or quays, a clear space is left at the edge of the wharf
or quay, this space shall be at least 90 cm wide and be kept free
from obstructive objects other than fixed structures or plant and
appliances in use.
§ 3. HOISTING M A C H I N E S AND APPLIANCES

(1) As regards hoisting machines and appliances belonging t o
the vessel's equipment special provisions have been laid down.
1

Svensk Författningssamling, 1937, No. 816.

LEGISLATION: SWEDEN

181

(2) As regards hoisting machines and appliances that do not
belong to the ship's equipment the following provisions shall be
observed :
(a) [First three paragraphs are identical with the first
three paragraphs of § 2. (1) (a) of S.F., 815.]
Hoisting machines and appliances shall also be
subject to adequate current supervision; in no case
may chains, rings, hooks, shackles, swivels, blocks or
wire ropes be used unless they have been inspected
within the previous three months.
(b) [Identical with § 2. (1) (b), first two paragraphs, of
S.F., 815.]
(c) Cranes and chain slings shall, at suitable places, be
provided with a distinct mark indicating the maximum permissible load.
If the lifting capacity of the crane depends on the
radius or angle of the jib, the mark on the crane shall
consist of such table or automatic indicator as will
show the maximum permissible load at the various
radii or angles of the jib.
As regards chain slings, the mark shall be in plain
figures or letters on the sling itself or on a tablet or
ring of durable material fastened thereto.
At places where slings of wire rope or fibre rope
are kept, there shall be a notice indicating the maximum permissible load for every type of these slings.
(d) Motors, cogwheels, friction wheels, transmissions,
shafts, live electric conductors and steam pipes shall
be protected to the necessary extent.
(e) Cranes shall be provided with an effective brake.
(/) Wire rope splices shall be made in a manner approved
by the supreme authority of the industrial inspectorate. 1
§ 4. PERFORMANCE OF W O R K

(1) As regards work that is performed by the ship's personnel,
special provisions have been laid down.
(2) As regards work that is not performed by the ship's personnel, the following provisions shall be specially observed:
[(a) — (n) are identical with § 4. (1), (a) — («) of S. F., 815.]
(o) For administering first aid in accidents there shall be
easily accessible equipment that can be immediately
used and also, if the supreme authority of the industrial
inspectorate so requires, a person who is competent to
administer first aid, and is immediately available for
this purpose.
§ 5. R E S C U E APPLIANCES

On quays where work is frequently performed, the necessary
life-saving appliances shall be easily accessible.
1

The State Insurance Institute.

182.

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
§ 6. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS, ETC.

The supreme authority of the industrial inspectorate may, in
cases other than those specially mentioned above, issue additional
provisions in the matters regulated in the present Notification.
In issuing Regulations under the present Notification, the provisions of the Convention of 27 April 1932 concerning the protection against accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships shall be observed.
Notification of t h e State Insurance Institute w i t h Special
Provisions under t h e Royal Notification of 8 October 1937
(No. 816) concerning Safety Measures t h a t i n t h e Loading
and Unloading of Vessels are t h e Responsibility of the
Employer, etc. Dated 30 July 19381
§ 1. By hoisting machines is meant, in the following provisions.
a crane or other machine designed for the loading or unloading of
vessels together with the fixed equipment belonging to it, such as
a rope or a grab.
By appliances is meant a loose object such as a cargo fall, rope
sling, chain sling, ring, hook, shackle, swivel, block or other similar
appliance for the hoisting of goods.
§ 2. The calculation, testing and examination mentioned in
§ 3 (2) (a) first paragraph of the above-mentioned Royal Notification shall be designated first examination and shall take place before
the hoisting machine or appliance may be taken into use.
A hoisting machine or appliance that undergoes substantial
repair or alteration shall not again be taken into use before the
examination mentioned in the preceding subsection has taken place.
Substantial alteration or repair shall be deemed to include the
lengthening, alteration or repair of the appliance by welding.
§ 3. The first examination shall comprise:
Examination of such parts of the hoisting machine or appliance as are of importance with regard to protection against
accidents;
Verification of drawings and certificates concerning material
and. construction, including welding and annealing, and also
calculation of the maximum permissible load, the whole to the
extent required for judging the operational safety of the hoisting
machine or appliance ;
... ;
Test, load in accordance with the standards laid down in
Schedule. ,I. 2
If during the first examination the hoisting machine or appliance is found not to offer adequate safety, the examiner shall
immediately so inform the employer who shall take the necessary remedial measures.
§ 4. After the first examination has been concluded, the examiner shall without delay draw up a report (certificate) in the form
1
Svensk Författningssamling, 1938, Ño. 600.
"'* Not reproduced."

LEGISLATION: SWEDEN

183

prescribed
by the supreme authority of the industrial inspectorate 1 :
As regards hoisting machines, in two copies of which one shall
be kept by the employer and the other shall be sent by him
without delay to the competent industrial inspector; and
As regards appliances, in a single copy that shall be kept by
the employer and on request be shown to the officials of the
industrial inspectorate.
§ 5. The testing and examination of hoisting machines as
mentioned in § 3. (2) (a) second paragraph of the above-mentioned
Royal Notification, which shall take place at least every 12 months
so long as the machine is in use, shall be designated re-examination
(revisionsbesiktning).
After an appliance has been taken into use it shall, so long as it
is in regular use, undergo re-examination at least every 12 months.
If during re-examination a hoisting machine or appliance is found
no longer to offer adequate safety, the examiner shall immediately
so inform the employer who shall take the necessary remedial
measures.
Concerning the re-examination, the examiner shall draw up a
report (certificate) in the form prescribed by the supreme authority
of the industrial inspectorate in the same manner as is prescribed
in § 4 with regard to the first examination.
§ 6. If a hoisting machine or appliance, with due regard to the
•circumstances, can be deemed to be exposed in an especially high
•or small measure to a reduction in its operational safety, the competent industrial inspector may order a reasonable shortening or
lengthening respectively of the periods mentioned in § 5.
As regards hoisting machines, however, the periods shall not be
lengthened by more than 12 months.
§ 7. The current supervision mentioned in § 3. (2) fourth
paragraph of the above-mentioned Royal Notification shall be
•designated current inspection.
. Ropes or chains belonging to a hoisting machine together with
their attachments on the drum and idler pulleys and also safety
•devices on the hoisting machine, shall undergo current inspection
at least once a week so long as the hoisting machine is in use.
Appliances shall undergo such inspection when they are taken
into use and thereafter at least once a week so long as they are
in regular use.
If an appliance reveals such wear or other defect that its operational safety is endangered, it shall be immediately replaced.
For the current inspection of hoisting machines a log shall be
kept in which shall be indicated the times of the inspections made,
their results and the measures taken affecting the operational
safety of the hoisting machines.
§ 8. For the calculation of wire ropes on the mechanism of
hoisting machines the standards laid down in Schedule II 1 shall
apply.
1

The State Insurance Institute.

184

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

For the loading of chain slings and fibre-rope slings, the tables
in Schedule I I I 1 shall be followed.
Annealing of appliances shall be carried out in conformity with
the provisions of Schedule IV. 1
§ 9. The examination and inspection mentioned above shall
be arranged by the employer and shall only be carried out by a
person who possesses the qualifications specified in Schedule V.1
At the employer's request the industrial inspector shall indicate
a person who possesses the necessary competence for carrying out
the examinations mentioned in §§ 3 and 5.
§10. Hoisting machines shall be provided with a suitable inspection plate on which the examiner, after every examination,
shall stamp the date of inspection, the maximum permissible load,
and the examiner's identification mark.
Appliances shall, as far as possible, be provided with a clear
identification mark.
Chain slings shall be marked in the manner specified in Schedule
III. 1

instructions concerning Protection against Accidents in
t h e Loading and Unloading of Vessels Issued by the
State Insurance Institute in its Capacity as Supreme
Authority of the Industrial Inspectorate.
Dated 10 May 1941
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Direction of Work
1. The employer is responsible for having the work suitably
directed, supervised and distributed and also responsible for order
and safety at the workplaces. Inebriated or unauthorised persons
should not be admitted.
If any person other than the employer is responsible for certain
material (equipment) used in the work, and if it is clear that there
are patent defects in the material in question, it shall be for the
employer to address a request for the immediate removal of the
defects to those who are responsible for the material (port owner,
ship's master or other).
Foremen and their Responsibilities
2. (a) In loading and unloading work the foreman shall not
undertake or be required to undertake simultaneous supervision
over more than six working gangs. Further, he may exercise supervision over more than one ship only when the ships are in the
immediate vicinity of one another.
If in loading and unloading work on one and the same ship,^
more than six working gangs are simultaneously employed, a
suitable worker (underforeman) shall be appointed to assist the
foreman in supervising the work.
N o t reproduced.

LÉGISLATION: SWEDEN

185

{b) The foreman shall see:
that the material used for loading and unloading work is
in a reliable condition;
that defective material is taken out of use;
that where the defects are of a nature to endanger safety,
the work is interrupted until the defects are removed.
(c) If loading and unloading work has to be done in shifts, the
foreman as well as the workers should be relieved so that he can
enjoy the necessary rest.
(d) Persons belonging to the vessel's crew and who, in so far
as concerns stevedoring, perform a foreman's duties, shall during
these operations comply with the above provisions concerning
foremen.
Winch and Crane Attendants, Signalmen, Hatch Foremen and
their Duties
3. (a) As winch or crane attendants, hatch foremen or signalmen there shall only be employed persons who, by reason of their
experience and personal qualifications, are fitted to perform such
work. Such persons shall, inter alia, have normal eyesight and
hearing and in the case of hatch foremen also possess the necessary
vocal powers. For such work when performed independently, and
in so far as it is pot to be deemed to be incumbent on the ship's
crew, persons under the age of 18 shall not be employed.
Note. The employment on the kinds of work in question, of persons whose
working capacity by reason of ill health or otherwise, is reduced or who d o not
understand Swedish, must therefore be avoided as far as possible, since the
safety of the other workers in very great measure 'depends on the entrusting of
such work to persons who are fitted for it.

(b) The hatch foreman shall carefully follow the loading and unloading work and be so placed that he can observe the course of
all the work. He shall give clear signals to the crane and winch
attendants in conformity with the signalling scheme (see Schedule
I) and in good time give warnings to the workers in the hold, in.
the barge or on the quays.
As a rule there shall be one hatch foreman for every gang.
For unloading work by means of cargo falls the hatch foremen
may, as a rule, be replaced by a so-called "dumper".
Note. Only exceptionally may a hatch foreman be'dispensed with, for example,
when there is no-one in the hold, or in the case of undecked vessels, barges, railway wagons, etc., where the crane or winch a t t e n d a n t has a clear view of the
workplace. With cranes, if the crane attendant has not the necessary view of the
workplace, a signalman may be necessary even if the hatch foreman can be dispensed with.
'

Lighting
4. A workplace on shore and the approach to it from the
nearest public way shall be provided with adequate and dazzlefree lighting.

186

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

For work on board, if the natural lighting is not sufficient,
adequate and suitable lighting shall be provided. Open flames shall
not be used.
Note, If the lighting fails the work shall be stopped until satisfactory lighting
is restored.
M E A N S OP ACCESS, ETC.

Quays, Wharves and Conveyance by Boat
5. Such arrangements shall be made as enable the workers to
reach and leave their workplaces safely. For this purpose the
following provisions shall be complied with:
(a) Quays and wharves shall be in a good condition and
if there is danger of slipping, shall be sanded or made
non-slippery as far as possible in some other way. If
the quay or wharf slopes outwards, a rail or toeboard
shall be installed at the outer edge.
(b) Goods shall not be so stored on the quay as to hinder
necessary access to gangways or other means of access
t o the vessel. As a rule, goods shall not be stored within
90 cm from the edge of the quay or wharf.
(c) If communication between ship and shore has to be
maintained by a rowing boat or a power-driven boat
less than 10 m in length that is not required to be provided with a passenger vessel certificate under the
Act concerning inspection of ships and on which no
passengers _ are conveyed against remuneration, the
employer who undertakes loading or unloading work
shall be bound to see that the transport of the workers
to and from the workplace is carried on in an adequate
manner and that the boats that are used for this purpose
are seaworthy and not overloaded.
In the case of longer-distance sea transport, especially during
the cold season, the workers shall be provided with the necessary
protection on board against wind and weather.
Note. If transport is effected by boats other than those mentioned in subparagraph (c) they shall be subject, as regards construction and equipment, to
those provisions of the Act concerning the inspection of ships and the regulations
under this Act that relate to passenger vessels (S.F., 1914, No. 349, etc.).

Gangways, Accommodation Ladders, etc.
6. Where so required for the workers' access to the vessel,
there shall be suitably constructed and adequately installed gangways, accommodation ladders, ladders or steps. .
Note. Planks in gangways shall be securely joined together so that they do not
sag unequally.

LEGISLATION: SWEDBN

187

Trestles, Stages, etc.
7. (c) Trestles, stages, passageways and the like shall, as
regards material and construction, offer adequate safety and be in
good condition.
Movable trestles shall be firmly installed. If the height of
stages has to be altered in the course of the work, trestles that can
be raised and lowered shall be employed.
Movable trestles more than 3 m in height shall only be used
for occasional transport over railway tracks (but not on electrified
lines with overhead conductors).
Trestles or stages shall not be loaded in a manner that can endanger their safety (e.g. with grabs, heavy coal buckets, etc.).
(b) Elevated passageways shall have an adequate width, at
least 0.9 m, and be provided with a secure railing or guard rope on
both sides at a height of about 0.9 m ; fixed passageways shall be
provided with railings having two rails.
(c) The landing place shall afford adequate space for the safe
performance of the work.
Landing places on the vessel's deck near hatchways, and landing places whose height exceeds 1.6 m, shall on the receiving side
be provided with a firm rail about 0.6 m high and on the other
sides with railings or a guard rope about 0.9 m high.
(d) Bridges or passageways shall not sag in such a way as to
cause inconvenience. They shall be firm, be secured against slipping
and tipping, and if transport is effected with hand trucks, as a rule
not have a slope exceeding 1:10. On sloping gangways, if transport
is not effected with hand trucks, cross pieces should be fitted at
suitable stepping intervals. To prevent slipping, bridges or passage
ways shall be kept clear of snow and ice; where so required, they
shall be sanded or other suitable measures shall be taken.
(e) The bases of stages and trestles shall possess adequate
strength and security.
Note. Cases, bales, sacks, etc., shall not be used as bases.

( / ) The vessel's hatch covers shall not be used for gangways,
bridges, passageways or stages.
Prohibited Means of Access
8. The workers shall not use or be required to use such means
of access to the vessel, hold or bunker as do not comply with statutory requirements.
Note. Accordingly, workers may not use a winch or crane for their conveyance.
LADDERS AND STEPS

Ladders and Steps
9. Ladders to the hold or bunker shall comply with the provisions of the Building Regulations (Svensk Fo'rfattningssamling),
1937, No. 813, § 8. (c) and the Building Regulations of the Board of

188

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Trade {Kommerskollegii Författningssamling), 1938, Series A, No. 2,
§ 98. (2) and (3).
If loose ladders or steps are required in the vessel's hold or
bunker, ladders or steps of adequate construction shall be placed
at the workers' disposal. Ladders or steps shall be provided at
the top with hooks or other means for firmly securing them.

H A T C H E S AND HATCH BEAMS

Hatches and Hatch Beams
10. (a) The removal and replacement of hatch covers shall be
effected with the necessary caution and with the use of the lifting
rings or handles on the covers. In replacing covers it shall be
ascertained that every cover is put in its right place.
In lifting fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams in and out with
a crane or winch only suitable slings intended for this purpose
shall be used.
(b) Covers that have been taken off and beams that have been
lifted out shall be so stored that they do not cause any danger or
hamper movement on deck, for example, by being stacked against
the hatch coamings.
Fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams that are left in a hatch
where work is going on shall be secured against being lifted out.

HOISTING M A C H I N E S , ETC.

Hoisting

Machines

11. Cranes or other equipment intended for the loading and unloading of vessels together with their fixed equipment, including
ropes or grabs, shall not be loaded beyond the maximum permissible load.
Note. T h e maximum permissible load shall be clearly marked on hoisting
machines [see §3. (2) (c) of the Royal Notification of 8 October 1937 (S.F., 816),
concerning Safety Measures, t h a t in the Loading and Unloading of Vessels are
the Responsibility of the Employer, etc.].
Goods with gross weight of 1000 kg or more shall, on the outside, be provided in a clear and durable manner with an indication of the gross weight in kg
(Act concerning the Marking of the Weight in Certain Cases on Goods to be
Loaded on Board Ship. S. F., 1932, No. 55).

Derricks
12. If two or more derricks are used together at one and the
same hatch (so-called coupled derricks) the derricks shall be secured
by double or reinforced outer guys.
Derricks with their hoisting ropes shall not be used for moving
railway wagons or hauling barges.

LEGISLATION: SWEDEN

189

Lifting Hooks
13. Lifting hooks shall offer adequate safety and be so shaped
that they cannot slip or catch.
Suspended Loads
14. As a rule loads shall not be left suspended in the hoisting
machine. If this cannot be avoided, effective supervision shall be
provided by a competent person, crane attendant or hatch foreman,
for the whole time that the load is suspended.
APPLIANCES, ETC.

Rope Slings, Chain Slings, etc.
15. (a) Loop splices on wire rope shall be made either with at
least three tucks of the whole strand and thereafter at least two
tucks with successive reduction of the number of wires or in some
other equivalent manner.
Projecting wire ends shall be cut off as near as possible to the
splice.
Note. Instead of loop splices on wire ropes the use is recommended of a conical
steel sleeve with a stirrup piece in which the end of the rope is fastened and poured
with a metal suitable for the purpose.

(b) Slings of wire rope or fibre rope arid also chain slings should,
at the storeplace, be hung up, or in some other suitable way kept in
groups with a clear notice over each group giving the dimensions
and the maximum permissible load. Dimension and load tables
for chain slings and rope slings (see Schedule II) shall be posted
up at the storeplace.
Appliances shall, as far as possible, be provided with a clear
identification mark. On chain slings there shall also be stamped
in a clear manner an indication of the maximum permissible load
in kg. The height of the symbols shall be at least 6 mm.
Can Hooks
16. Can hooks may only be used for loading and unloading vats
or barrels if the vats or barrels afford an adequate grip for such
hooks.
Grabs, Coal Buckets, etc.
17. (a) Grabs shall be provided with a device such that they
can be lifted without the jaws closing.
(b) Coal buckets, tubs, etc., shall be provided with a
suitable locking device to prevent inadvertent tipping. Suitable
arrangements should be made to prevent crushing injuries in
handling.
(c) Tubs, large coal buckets, etc., shall be fastened to the
hoisting rope or chain by shackles.

190

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

E X A M I N A T I O N AND TESTING, ETC., OF HOISTING M A C H I N E S AND
APPLIANCES

Examination

and Testing of Hoisting Machines and Appliances

18. Hoisting machines and appliances that are used in work to
which the Royal Notification of 8 October 1937 (S.F., 816) applies
shall undergo examination and testing in the manner prescribed in
the State Insurance Institute's Notification of 30 July 1938 (S.F.,
600).
For other hoisting machines or other appliances examination
and testing shall be undertaken in the same manner.
Current

Inspection

19. Hoisting machines shall, while they are in use, undergo
current inspection at least once a week.
Appliances shall undergo such inspection when they are taken
into use and thereafter at least once a week so long as they are
in regular use.
Current inspection of hoisting machines and appliances shall
be carried out in the manner indicated in the Notification mentioned in Point 18 [S.F., 1937, 816, § 3. (2) (a) fourth paragraph,
and S.F., 1938, 600, § 7].
A nnealing
20. Annealing of appliances that are used for the loading and
unloading of vessels shall be effected in accordance with the provisions of Schedule IV to the Notification of the State Insurance
Institute mentioned in Point 18.

M E T H O D OF W O R K

Slinging of Goods, etc.
21. (a) The necessary measures shall be taken for the prevention of slipping out of chain slings or rope slings. >
Note. Hence, nooses shall not be used in unloading, since by reason of the
lifting height and the number of sacks in the lift a risk of accidents can be deemed
to exist.

Chain slings or rope slings shall be of such length that they
completely embrace the goods. In addition, it shall be ensured
that in use the sling is kept free of kinks and twists.
Chain slings shall not be shortened by tying knots in them.
(Ô) If chain slings or rope slings can be damaged by sharp edged
goods suitable padding shall be used.
(c) Crane hooks or hand hooks shall not be hooked into wires,
bands, etc., that are only intended to hold the goods together.

LEGISLATION:

SWEDËN

191

Loading and Unloading with More than One Gang at the Same
Hatchway
22. In loading and unloading work with more than one working
gang employed simultaneously at one and the same hatchway,
the following provisions shall be specially observed:
(a) For every working gang there shall be a special hatch
foreman.
(b) The space in the hold shall be so large that the workers
in the event of danger quickly can take shelter under
the deck.
(c) In the loading and unloading of very long or unwieldy
objects such as balks, iron rods, pipes, certain timber
goods, etc., work with more than one working gang at
the same hatchway should only take place if the hatch
openings are exceptionally large and also the hold
meets with the requirements of (b).
(d) The length of the goods in the horizontal plane shall
not exceed half the free length of the hatch opening.
As a rule, work with more than one working gang
at the same hatch should not take place if the length
of the hatch opening is less than 5 m.
(e) Goods shall not be carried over a working gang.
Stacking and Sectional

23. In the stowing or stacking of goods measures shall be taken
to prevent the load from falling out or slipping or the workers from
falling down. In so-called sectional loading or unloading of, for
example, sacks, bales or barrels in the vessel's hold, the necessary
measures for shoring and bracing shall be taken. If the height of
the section exceeds 2 m, a guard rope, catch net or other protection
shall be installed where this can be done without hampering the
work.
In sectional loading special care should be taken that there
is an adequate landing place for receiving sling loads.
Deck Cargoes, etc.
24. (a) Decks shall not be so obstructed near the hatch coamings that the necessary access to the hold ladder is rendered difficult.
. (b) While the hold is being loaded or unloaded, on deck or on
the deck cargo there shall be a safe place for the hatch foreman.
(c) If the deck cargo is so high at the hatch or the deck railings
that the hatch coamings or railings do not afford the necessary
protection against collapse, special temporary protection shall be
provided by means of guard ropes or fencing.
Unloading and Passing of Bulk Goods
25. (a) Since in the unloading or passing of bulk goods such as
coal or salt, grain, etc., access to the fixed hold ladders may be imperilled by collapse there shall be access to loose ladders.

192

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(b) Undermining of bulk goods and work under overhangs
shall not be allowed.
Loading from

Rafts

26. Rafts t h a t are used in the loading of vessels shall be of
adequate size and for the rest be suitably constructed and possess
such carrying capacity that the workers are not compelled to stand
in water.
Rafts shall be well lashed to the vessel's side.
F I R S T - A I D AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT

First-Aid Equipment, etc.
27. (a) For administering first aid in accidents there shall be
at or in the vicinity of the workplace access to necessary first-aid
equipment kept in a suitable box or cupboard. Suitable stretchers
for hoisting injured persons out of the hold and for their subsequent
transport shall be accessible in the requisite number at or near the
workplace.
(b) If the accident has caused even an insignificant wound, the
wound shall for the prevention of infection be immediately cleaned
and dressed, for example, with a dressing impregnated with }/& per
cent, solution of choloramine.
(c) As far as possible care shall be taken that in the case of an
accident immediate help can be obtained from a person with nursing
qualifications.
(d) If the vessel has no direct communication with the shore,
the employer who undertakes work on board shall be responsible
for seeing that a suitable boat for the landing of injured persons is
available near the vessel on which the work is done.
(e) If the employer makes an agreement with the competent
officers of the ship that in the case of an accident he may use the
vessel's first-aid and medical equipment and also entrust a competent person on board with the administering of the necessary
first aid, the provisions concerning the administering of such aid
in the Notification of 8 October 1937 [S.F., No. 816, § 4. (2) (a)]
shall be deemed t o have been complied with.
Life-Saving

Appliances

28. (a) On quays where work is frequently performed, the
necessary life-saving appliances, as a rule consisting of steps with
hooks and pole hooks and lifebuoys with ropes shall be readily
accessible.
(b) For work on vessels that have no fixed communication with
the shore the life-saving equipment on board shall, as a rule, be
considered adequate for the needs of the workers employed in
loading and unloading work.
(c) Life-saving appliances shall only be used for their proper
purpose and unless for compelling reasons shall not be removed
from their place, to which they shall be immediately returned after
use.

LEGISLATION:

193

SWEDEN

Waiting Rooms, Dormitories, etc.
SCHEDULE I
SIGNALLING SCHEME FOR TRAVERSER AND CRANE DRIVERS

SIGNALSCHEMA
FOR TRAVERS- OCH KRANFÖRARE

UPP

NED

IF HOISTING.
LOWERING OR
TRAVELLING
HAS TO BE
DONE QUfC KLY
THE MOVEMENTS OF THE
HAND ARE
LIVELIER

HASTIST

UPP = u p
ÂK = TRAVEL

STOPP

N E D

D O W N

STOPP = STOP

HASTIGT STOPP = STOP QUICKLY

194

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK
SCHEDULE II
DIMENSION AND LOADING TABLE FOR CHAIN SLINGS AND ROPE SLINGS
WIRE ROPE WITH 144 WIRES
Approximate
dimension
mm

11.5
13
15
17
19
21 '
22.5
24.5
26.5
30
34

Permissible load kg
Two-legged sling

Single rope

45°

875
1,200
1,550
1,975
2,425
2,975
3,525
4,150
4,800
6,250
7,925

1,575
2,160
2,790
3,550
4,360
5,350
6,350
7,470
8,640
11,250
14,260

90°

1,225
1,680
2,170
2,760
3,390
4,160
4,930
5,810
6,720
8,750
11,100

120"

875
1,200
1,550
1,975
2,425
2,975
3,525
4,150
4,800
6,250
7,925

NEW ROPES WITH FIRST QUALITY FIBRES
Size of rope

Permissible load kg

Circumference
in

IM
IM

1M •

•

m
2M
3

3H
3M
3M
4
4M
4M
4M
5

Diameter

25
32
38
44
51
57
64
70
76
83
89
95
102
108
114
121
127

A
Vs
M
%
Va
%
%
M
%
IM.
IM

8
10
13
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40

m
IM
IM
1JÍ
IM
IM

Single rope

Two legs

120
150
200
220
250
300
350
400
450
550
650
750
900
1,100
1,300
1,500
1,700

200
250
300
350
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,100
1,300
1,500
1,700
2,000
2,300
2,700

SHORT-LINKED ' MACHINE-FORGED CHAINS
Permissible load kg
Two-legged sling

Single chain
45°

9.5
11
13
14.5
16
17.5
19
20.5
22
24
25.5
27
28.5

700
1,000
1,300
1,700
2,100
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,100
4,800
5,500
6,300
7,100

1,260
1,800
2,340
3,060
3,780
4,500
5,400
6,300
7,380
8,640
9,900
11,350
12,780

90°

980
1,400
1,820
2,380
2,940
3,500
4,200
4,900
5,740
6,720
7,700
8,820
9,940

120°

700
1,000
1,300
1,700
2,100
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,100
4,800
5,500
6,300
7,100

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Maritime Safety Code for Stevedoring and Freight
Handling Operations 1
SECTION I.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONNEL

Part A. The Owner, Master, and Officers of the Vessel
(1) To supply and maintain in safe condition for use, all ship's
gear, equipment, tools, and work spaces which are to be used in
stevedore operations.
(2) To maintain order and discipline with respect to ships'
crews, passengers, licensees, and visitors, so as to avoid interference with the safe performance of stevedoring work.
Part B. The Owner, or Lessee of the Dock, Warehouse' or Terminal
(1) To place and maintain all work spaces, structures thereon,
and such gear and equipment as comes under his control, in safe
condition for stevedoring work.
(2) To maintain order and discipline with respect to vehicular
and pedestrian traffic under his control so as to avoid interference
with the safety of stevedoring work.
Part C. The Contracting Stevedore or Stevedoring

Department

(1) To maintain all gear, equipment, tools, and work spaces
under his control in safe working conditions.
(2) To promulgate and enforce rules which shall require those
immediately in charge of stevedoring operations to report to their
superior any unsafe condition affecting the safe performance of the
stevedoring work.
SECTION II. PREPARATION AND RIGGING

Part A. Safe Condition and Maintenance of All Winches, Hatch
Covers, Ship's Gear and Equipment, Decks, Docks, and Structures
(1) Special attention, during any inspection, should be given
to the following:
{a) Winches, tools, loose keys, loose lever pins, falls not
securely fastened to drums, and any other defects;
1
Compiled and recommended by The Maritime Association of the Port of
New York, 80 Broad Street, New York City, 193S>.

196

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

(b) Shackle pins on topping lift and cargo blocks should be
checked to'see if pins have worked loose. Shackle pins
should be secured with seizing wire or key pins;
(c) Flooring of decks, docks, gangplanks, and passageways
should be examined for defects;
(d) Cargo booms should have approved capacity plainly
marked in a conspicuous manner and place, preferably
at the heel of the boom. In the absence of such marking, the shipowner shall supply the stevedore with a .
statement as to the capacity of the boom.
(2) When decks, gangways, ladders, docks, or other passageways are slippery due to ice, oil, grease, or other materials, an
adequate supply of salt, sand, or cinders should be provided and
used to prevent slipping and falling. If it is impractical to use
these anti-slip materials, safety lines should be rigged and a warning
sign should be conspicuously placed nearby "Danger, Slippery
Deck", and the condition corrected as soon as possible.
(3) Look about before passing working hatches.
(4) Suitable protection should be placed near all open manholes.
(5) All hatch covers and fore-and-aft and thwart-ship beams
shall, in so far as they are not interchangeable, be kept plainly
marked to indicate the deck and hatch to which they belong and
their position therein.
(6) Deflectors shall be used on openings from ships discharging
waste water or matter interfering with the operations or affecting
the health of longshoremen.
(7) Where temporary stage is to be used for the purpose of
discharging cargo by the use of wheelbarrow, it should be equipped
with side railings.
(8) When working cargo over a deck load, a safe walkway
should be provided for the hatch tender from rail to coaming.
(9) Where deck loads are to be carried, pennants should be
secured to the ship's side that would reach above the highest deck
load for the purpose of making fast the derrick guys. This will do
away with the necessity of men going down over the side to adjust
guys. Such pennants may be used in lashing the deck load.
(10) Overhead flange on side-port gangway and hatch-door
openings should be provided with head bumper or safety cushions
at least 2 inches thick and to extend across the entire door opening.
Part B. Provisions for Boarding and Leaving the Vessel
(1) When a ship is lying at a dock there shall be provided at
all times a safe means of going to and from the ship.
(2) Water or steam hoses should not be laid on or across gangways. Brackets or other suitable means should be provided for
hanging hose on the side of gangways to prevent tripping hazards
to persons using them.
(3) All person's going to and from the ship must use the gangplanks or ladders provided. "Short-cuts" over side via cargo
slings, save-alls, moving conveyors, etc., are prohibited.

LEGISLATION: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

197

(4) When working a barge, scow, or raft alongside ship, a pilot's
(Jacob's) ladder or its equivalent, properly secured, shall be provided and used for each separate unit of operation.
(5) When a ship, boat, or other vessel is alongside any other
ship, boat, or other vessel, and persons are required to pass from
one to the other, a safe means of passage shall be provided.
(6) No person shall ride a draft or cargo hook, or be hoisted
from dock to ship, or into hold, or vice versa, by ship's gear, except
in the event of an accident.
(7) Jumping to and from any moving barge, scow, tug, or lighter
should be strictly prohibited.
Part C. Provision of Adequate Light and

Ventilation

(1) Adequate illumination should be provided to afford safe
passage on the gangplanks and ladders.
(2) No person shall be permitted to enter a ship's hold unless
sufficient hatches are removed to give adequate natural light, or
artificial illumination is provided.
(3) Entering any dark compartments, hatches, buildings, boxcars, or other places without safe and proper illumination shall be
prohibited. The use of matches or open lights shall be forbidden.
(4) All lights aboard ship should be provided with substantial
metal guards or cages.
(5) Lighting wires and fixtures shall be installed so as to be
free from contact with drafts, loads, running gear, or other moving
equipment.
(6) Periodical inspection should be made of all electrical installation, particular attention being given to connections, insulation,
location of wiring and fixtures, methods of suspension, etc.
(7) Ship's decks and holds where cargo is being handled at
night should be adequately illuminated.
(8) Warehouses requiring the use of an extension light system
due to the lack of sufficient illumination should provide brackets
or other means of support for the cable to give clearance to tractors.
At no time should this cable be permitted to lie on the ground and
tractors run it over as this may cause shock or other serious personal injury to workers.
Part D. Berthing and Shifting Vessels
(1) Prior to docking a vessel at any_pier having a narrow string
piece, the pier door or doors around area of regular mooring ballards
or cleats should be opened so that men handling heavy lines can
stand within pier.
(2) Men should keep clear of the bight of a line and should not
stand in or on coil.
(3) Mooring lines should be secured to bitts, not capstan or
drum ends.
(4) Men should stand to one side—not straddle a line when
stopping it.
(5) Men should not be permitted to stand on the side of a
covered barge when same is being shifted. They shall stand on the

198

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

bow or stern deck with all parts of their bodies inside the
deck rail.
(6) When the box type of barge is being shifted, men shall be
prohibited from crossing over hatch covers or walking across beams
of^open hatches.
(7) Cargo falls or ships hoisting gear should not be used to
move barges, scows, or lighters or railroad cars.
(8) All men assigned to the shifting of a barge, scow, or lighter
shall stand on the inboard side of the bitts, cleats, or ballard when
making lines fast and always face the line of direction of the
strain.
Part E. Laying

out and Installing Equipment

and Gear

(1) Care should be taken to see that the fall lines of one derrick
do not rub on the standing gear of other derricks or equipment.
(2) The fall should be of a length to provide three full turns on
the drum when the cargo hook has reached the farthest point of
travel.
(3) The ends of the fall should be fastened securely to the
drum.
(4) Whenever possible, the fall should be wound on the drum
of the winch so t h a t the lever will have the same direction of operation as the load being handled.
(5) The winch operator should be so located as to be protected
from swinging loads or drafts.
(6) When winch drums are located so as to expose the winch
driver to the bight of the fall, a fairleader should be provided to
prevent the winch driver from being injured by bight of fall.
(7) Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent exhaust
steam and, so far as practicable, live steam to any winch, from
obscuring any part of the working place at which a worker is employed.
(8) Boom guys and gin blocks should be secured by shackles.
(9) Cargo booms should be lowered to the deck for changing
gear or making repairs. When it is impossible to lower boom to
deck and a man must go aloft, a boatswain's chair should be used
and hoisted aloft by hand power only.
(10) Where the derrick post is low it is important to avoid
topping the boom too high, as it will put undue strain on the boom
and the topping lift.
(11) When topping or lowering a boom is necessary, suitable
stoppers should be used to prevent falling of the boom. When a
ship is equipped with wire purchases the ship should furnish a
sufficient number of chain stoppers to permit of safely shifting the
derrick-topping lift. There should be at least one stopper for each
hatch.
(12) All splices on wire bridles shall have a cover of marline,
rubber hose, or other suitable protection for men's hands.
(13) The boom guys and preventers should be kept as far away
from the heel of the boom as possible, but not past the line of the
fall. No set-up should be made that will automatically make the
boom top up.

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(14) Guys, preventers, and other lines should each be fastened
to a separate cleat or ring bolt.
Part F. Opening or Closing. Hatches
(1) Bridle slings, which shall be furnished by the vessel, should
be used for handling large hatch covers, beams, and strongbacks.
Lanyards or tag lines of sufficient length should be fastened near
the shackles or toggles so that longshoremen can walk around the
open hatch and hold the load from swinging.
(2) Men shall not be allowed to walk out on hatch beams or
strongbacks to place slings, or to cross hatch.
(3) All beams or strongbacks which will not hoist out with the
usual strain, because of being jammed, should be taken out under
the supervision of a ship's officer.
(4) When work is finished or temporarily suspended in one
hatch, that hatch cover should be replaced or the open hatchway
should be properly guarded.
(5) When longshoremen are working through an opening of
one section in a hatch, the remaining beams that are left in should
be properly secured.
(6) When hatch covers or strongbacks are off, they should be
piled or placed on deck in such a position as not to interfere with
gangwaymen or others working or walking on deck of vessel. When
hatch covers are piled near open hatches, with coamings, covers
should be kept reasonably below the top of the coaming.
(7) Tween-deck hatch covers should be stowed at a safe
distance from coaming to prevent them from being thrown into
hold by a draft swinging under coamings.
(8) When gangwaymen make a flooring of hatch covers between
the coaming and sides of the vessel they should place them so as
to leave no space between the hatch covers and prevent a tripping
hazard.
(9) Any hatch covers or strongbacks which cannot be properly
placed, or are otherwise found defective, should be reported by the
longshoremen to foremen who should immediately advise proper
officer of ship.
(10) Hatch covers that are placed over beams resting on deck
should be properly blocked to prevent them from moving.
(11) Beams used for hatch coverings shall have suitable gear
for removing and replacing them, of such a character as to render it
unnecessary for workers to-go upon them for the purpose of adjusting such gear.
(12) Adequate handgrips should be provided on all hatch covers.
(13) Longshoremen should not be permitted to handle slingloads in the tweén decks' being worked unless strongbacks and
hatch covers are in place and properly fitted, and if a section of
covers is left off, then the strongbacks should be properly secured
and, if practical, lifelines rigged to prevent men from stepping off
into the open space.
(14) Hatch coverings shall not be used in the construction of
cargo stages or for any other purpose which may expose them to
damage.

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Part G. Transportation of Men by Boat or Vehicle
(1) All boats owned, operated, or chartered for transporting
employees shall be licensed in accordance with all laws governing
the Steamboat Inspection Service, Department of Commerce, and
United States Government.
(2) Adequate and safe means of boarding and leaving the
transporting vessel shall be provided and all employees checked
before going aboard and rechecked when debarking.
(3) Vehicles transporting workmen shall be operated in a safe
and careful manner and shall not exceed limits as prescribed by
law.
(4) Tools, materials, equipment, etc., and persons are not to
be transported in the same vehicle unless all tools, materials, equipment, etc., are properly secured against movement.
(5) Drivers' seats shall not contain more than the number of
persons permitted by law.
Part H. General
(1) All passageways on decks or between decks should be kept
clear of slings, trays, pieces of dunnage, etc.
(2) Employees shall not be permitted to throw dunnage, gear,
or equipment into holds of vessels or from the ship to the dock or
vice versa.
(3) Life rings for the rescue of employees fallen overboard
should be maintained at easily accessible and conspicuously marked
points.
(4) If tools, materials, appliances, or any gear at any time
found to be out of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe, employees shall report this to the foreman in charge of the work
immediately.
(5) All defective equipment should be laid aside and collected
daily and turned in. The use of such equipment should be prohibited
until repairs have been completed.
(6) Gear or equipment not in use should not be left lying around
decks of ship or dock.
(7) When necessary, trucking planks should be lashed in place.
Lashings to be secured to the pier or boat as occasions require.
Where necessary ring bolts shall be located on both sides of each
door opening so as to properly secure trucking planks.
SECTION III.

FREIGHT HANDLING

Note: This section is intended to cover only rules specially applicable to the
work outlined under this general heading. Other sections, particularly IV and
V, should bè referred to for other rules also applicable to freight handling.

Part A. Loading or Unloading Railroad Cars
(1) Race pieces or other suitable access to railroad cars should
be provided and should be secure, to avoid dropping; for instance, by
means of drilling a hole near the corner of each plate and dropping
a bolt through the hole.

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(2) Car dobrs should be pulled open, not pushed, so as to
eliminate the possibility of men being struck by material falling
out of car.
(3) Employees should be prohibited from crawling or climbing
under, over, or through railroad cars when passing to or from their
places of work. Regular passageways should be used.
(4) Employees assigned to work in railroad cars should stand
outside car when drafts of long, heavy or awkward cargo are being
hoisted or lowered.
(5) Where boxcars are being loaded abreast of the vessel, a
substantial landing stage should be provided.
(6) When boxcars are spotted abreast one another a t each
hatch, requiring the use of steel plates (race pieces), these plates
shall be so constructed that they can be securely fastened a t the
four corners, as provided for in paragraph 1. Where wooden skids
are used, they shall be securely lashed.
Part B. General
(1) Precautions should be taken when trucking over broken,
uneven, raised, or depressed surfaces.
(2) Broken cargo should be recoopered before being made up
into draft.
(3) Employees shall stand clear of moving railroad cars and
at no time shall they be permitted to remain aboard while the cars
are being shifted.
(4) Cargo falls or booms shall not be used to move railroad cars
on docks. When shifting cars with other gear and equipment, all
employees other than those assigned to shifting operations shall
be made to stand clear. No employee shall stand between the
stringpiece and the ship's side when cars are being moved.

SECTION IV. M A K I N G UP AND BREAKING DOWN D R A F T S , T I E R I N G
AND STOWING CARGOES

Part A. Distribution,

Team Work, and Operating Practices of Men

(1) Two men shall be assigned, on a log boom at night. Where
two hatches are working from the same log boom in good daylight,
or where suitable passage from one boom to the other is provided,
then it will be permissible to operate with one man on each. Lines
made fast on deck and hanging overside to water's edge for lifelines shall be furnished by the ship.
(2) Coal and bulk cargo trimmers shall be checked in and out
of the hold, to avoid the loss of men who might become trapped.
(3) Men breaking down cargo should not turn their backs to
the tiers if any pieces in the tiers are overhanging, or the tiers themselves are leaning.
(4) Particular attention should be given to the number of men
assigned to making up drafts in the square of a hatch where circumstances limit the working area.

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Part B. Making up and Breaking down Drafts
(1) Cargo shall be loaded so that no piece can fall from the draft.
(2) Men should not make up drafts under or in the path of
moving loads or drafts.
Part C. Tiering and Stowing
(1) Cargoes which are likely to shift or roll shall be secured or
blocked.
(2) Dangerously tiered cargo shall be properly supported.
(3) All cargo stowed in pier by stevedores, truckmen, etc.,
should be tiered in such manner to prevent the tier from collapsing.
(4) Cargo stowed in tween or shelter decks, or any upper
cargo compartment, should be secure before loading or discharging
the compartment below.
(5) Conveyors or escalators used for high tiering should be
equipped with guards to prevent employees from leaning over top
of tier to grasp container or bag before it reaches the top of the
escalator.
Part D. Use of Cotton Hooks, Jacks, or Other Hand Tools
(1) Stevedores' hand hooks when not in use should be put in
some safe place and should not be placed where they may be stepped
on or sat upon or hung up where vibration may shake them down.
(2) Hooks should not be placed in belly of bag in breaking
down or tiering-up cargo.
Part E. General
(1) Dunnage should not be broken over a man's knee or by
jumping on same; a saw should be provided and used for cutting
dunnage.
(2) Loose dunnage should not be permitted to be left in square
<o{ hatch or in the path of draft being dragged or landed. It should
be laid as needed or picked up as uncovered.
(3) Uprights for deck cargo should be lashed to the superstructure until they can be removed.
(4) Where temporary staging is used in connection with stowing of cargo, such staging should be substantially built, securely
fastened, and with suitable flooring of adequate width.
(5) Men should not be permitted to walk on hatch coamings,
deck rails, etc.
(6) Men should not slide down ropes but should use the ladders
provided.
(7) Defective or broken crates or cases should be called to the
Attention of foremen so that employees shall not be injured by
protruding nails or metal straps.
(8) Ship's crew shall not be permitted to work in the rigging
over the heads of men working in the hold, or deck or on the dock.
(9) Cargo shall not be stowed to prevent a safe handhold or
foothold on ladders. Stiff leg portable or some other suitable ladders,
securely lashéd, shall be provided where it is impossible to use the
permanent hold ladders.

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(10) Where electric trimmers are used for bulk cargo, the
electric conductor should be disconnected before lowering into
hold of ship; then, with current shut off, the conductor should be
secured to the trimmer. The current should be cut off the trimmer
before disconnecting the conductor and t h e conductor removed
before hoisting the trimmer. The thought to keep in mind is t o
keep the conductor in good shape, free from chafing, and in every
way possible prevent open spark in the ever-present dust of bulkcargo operations.
(11) Ladders should be provided for men getting down from
high tiers in terminals or on lighters. Jumping or climbing down
on protruding pieces of lumber from tiers should be strictly prohibited.
SECTION V. HOISTING AND LANDING D R A F T S

Part A.

Signalling

(1) Gangwaymen or anyone occupying a similar position,
should not give signal to hoist or lower any draft unless properly
slung.
(2) Hatch tenders and gangwaymen should be instructed not
to give signal for hoisting or lowering a draft until all men are
clear of the draft.
(3) Winch operators should be definitely instructed that they
must take signals only from one properly authorised and designated
signalman.
(4) Where work can be safely performed, it is understood t h a t
nothing in the aforementioned recommendations are to be construed as making it necessary that a definite person be employed
as signalman, hatch tender, or gangwayman.
Part B. General
(1) When drafts are to be landed in the wings, employees
should be instructed to push and not pull the draft.
(2) Hooks on end of fall lines should not be swung from man
to man prior to hooking up or after draft has been released. T h e
hook should be passed from man to man or carried out to the square
of the hatch.
(3) Drafts of lumber, dunnage, pipe, or cargo of similar character should be hoisted with a bridle sling whenever practical, t o
prevent short or unbound pieces falling out of draft.
(4) Crane operators should exercise care in moving or hoisting
any load in bridle slings until load is properly centred.
(5) Longshoremen should not be permitted to land drafts on
broken or defective hatch covers or on hatch covers not properly
supported. When necessary, a skid or some other protection should
be used to prevent damage to tween-deck covers.
(6) Bales of cotton, wool, cork, gunny bags, or other similar
articles shall not be hoisted by single hooks attached to the bands

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

or fastenings of such bales. Double hooks shall be used at all
times.
(7) No person shall be permitted to stand between the load
and fixed objects, such as stanchions, or other cargo, and when
using a bull line to move cargo, stand out of the bight and clear
of the throw of the load and hook.
(8) Longshoremen landing drafts of steel rails, bundles of steel,
pipe, etc., should not place their hands on the draft. A rope lanyard should be thrown around it and used to assist in landing the
draft.
(9) Drafts landed in net slings should be dumped slowly to
prevent cargo from breaking out suddenly and striking the men
standing in the clear.
(10) Longshoremen should not be permitted to reach upward
for a descending load.
(11) Drafts should be lowered to within landing distance before
longshoremen t a k e hold of them for landing.
(12) When draft is being landed, men should keep their feet
well away from under. When guiding a draft they should keep in
a safe position to avoid being struck by it.
(13) Gangwaymen should be instructed that all drafts dragged
from the wings are to be stopped in rest position under the head
of the boom before being hoisted.
(14) A safe and secure place should be provided for the hatch
tender to work. There should be no temporary obstructions in his
path from the hatch to the ship's side.
(15) In hoisting lump coal or similar bulk cargo in baskets,
tubs, etc., containers should not be filled above the rim.
(16) A draft shall not be lifted with a chain that has a kink in
it. The chain shall be straightened before the lift is made.
(17) Winchmen must not be permitted to sit while operating,
unless seats are made of good strong lumber and securely lashed.
(18) No winch driver should leave his winch while steam is on,
but should first shut the steam off at the valve ahead of the throttle.
(19) When sending empty board slings with fixed ears, in or
out of the ship, on edge, the spreader hooks should be inserted from
the outside so t h a t the board can move up and down on the shank
of the hook instead of the horn. This will prevent losing the board
off the hooks.
SECTION V I . SPECIAL R U L E S FOR DANGEROUS CARGO

Part A. Explosives and

Inflammables

(1) The handling of all explosive cargoes or merchandise should
be done in accordance with the established codes and rules of the
Federal, State, and local governing boards of underwriters.
(2) All men engaged in the handling, hoisting, stowing, and
supervision of explosive, combustible, and inflammable merchandise
as well as all others on ships engaged in such traffic, should be prohibited from smoking and should be required to rid their persons
of all matches or other flame-producing equipment, before entering
upon the work.

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(3) In all instances where explosive or combustible merchandise
or cargo is being handled in any way, open lights should not be
permitted in or about the ship, docks, or wharves and only approved
lights and equipment of explosion-proof design should be used.
(4) In the loading of explosive merchandise in packaged form
where chutes are used, the chutes should be constructed only of
wood and all fastenings thereon should be of wooden pins or dowellings or pegs. If metal fastenings are used, they should be countersunk.
(5) The bottoms of chutes should be provided with a stuffed
mattress 4 feet wide, 6 feet long, and not less than 4 inches thick.
(6) In chuting packaged explosives, care should be exercised
to see that the angle of descent of chute is such as to prevent excessive shock or bumping of packages and men should be warned
not to allow cases or packages to be so bumped or shaken.
(7) In the tiering of packaged explosives, every possible care
should be taken to prevent the dropping of cases and packages and
means taken to prevent all shocks.
Part B. Caustic and Corrosive, Noxious and Irritating

Materials

(1) In handling soda ash, sodium carbonate in bags, the men
shall be furnished by the contractor with suitable overalls, socks,
and gloves. At the completion of each period of work, the men are
to be compelled to wash the exposed parts of their body with 2 per
cent, solution of acetic acid. The protective clothing must be
laundered after each wearing.
(2) Longshoremen shall wear (a) approved goggles when handling cargo liable to injure or irritate the eyes; (b) respirators of an
approved type when handling cargo liable to injure or irritate the
respiratory passages and lungs. When goggles and respirators are
required, they shall be provided by employer.
(3) The handling of all chemical cargoes or merchandise should
be done in accordance with the established codes and rules of the
Federal, State, and local governing boards of underwriters.
Part C. Handling of Rails
(1) All rails loaded aboard barges or lighters should be stowed
and not dumped. Scantlings should be placed between each tier.
(2) Rail forks should be furnished and used by all employees
working on lighters or in the holds of vessels.
(3) Short regular rail chain slings should be used when hoisting.
(4) Employees landing drafts of rails in the holds of vessels
should not attempt to land draft before placing a lanyard around
end of draft to prevent spreading. At no time should employees
place their hands on a draft of rails before lanyard has been secured
to the end of the draft.
(5) Until such times as a smooth floor surface has been established in the stowing of rails, a shovel or a similar instrument
should be used for riding end of draft back from first landing position until it reaches lowering position on scantling where chain
sling is to be removed.

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Part D. General
(1) In unloading ore, undermining or walling should not be
permitted.
(2) Before men are permitted to enter or work in stowage
spaces or ships' tanks in which explosive,' poisonous, noxious, dusty
or gaseous cargoes have been carried, such spaces should first be
thoroughly ventilated and made gas free.
SECTION VII.

MOTOR VEHICLE AND H A N D T R U C K OPERATIONS

Part A. Traffic Planning
(1) When practical, a system of one-way traffic or circular
traffic should be established for dock trucking.
(2) When practical, regular traffic gangways should be established.
(3) All vehicles should follow designated traffic lanes.
(4) Watchmen should be given designated areas and held responsible for keeping gangways open.
Part B. Hooking on, Loading and Unloading
(1) When making a coupling between trucks, care should be
exercised to see t h a t hands or other portions of the body will not
be caught in the operation.
(2) Cargo should be loaded on hand trucks in a safe manner.
Part C. Transporting
(1) Tractors, tractor cranes, burden trucks, and hand trucks
should, be operated in a safe and careful manner, and tractors should
be slowed down or come to a halt when there is a possibility of
injuring an employee.
(2) Fall of tractor cranes, when without load, should be secured.
(3) Trailers should be checked when heavy pieces of cargo are
being loaded or unloaded when there is a possibility of rolling.
Part D. General
(1) No employees not engaged in the regular line of duty shall
be permitted to ride on tractors, trailers.
(2) Switch shall be pulled out before connecting or disconnecting
batteries of electric tractors to the charging board.
(3) Warning signs should be posted indicating vehicle's speed
to be limited to 5 miles per hour, on premises, and watchman instructed to enforce these instructions.
(4) All gear and equipment not in use or in motion shall be
kept clear of traffic gangways.
(5) All tractors shall be equipped with efficient brakes and warning devices, which should be kept in good working order. Operators
of tractors and cranes shall test the brakes and steering gear, etc.,
before starting work. All cranes shall be equipped with a rear vision
mirror.

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(6) The frames of all hand trucks should be so constructed that
small objects will not fall through.
(7) Where gas-fuelled tractors are permitted to work in confined
areas lacking free circulation of air, some practical system should
be installed to eliminate carbon-monoxide poisoning.
(8) When gas-fuelled tractors are being refuelled, ignition switch
should be kept off.
(9) Refuelling of gas tractors, etc., should be done before starting operations for the day, in other words at morning and in lunchhour periods.
(10) All refuelling of gas tractors, etc., should only be done at
some designated point, preferably outside of the pier shed.
(11) In lieu of permanent or portable gas pumps, only approved
safety type cans with flexible nozzles should be used for refilling
gas tanks.
SECTION

VIII.

F I R S T A I D AND H Y G I E N E

Part A. First Aid
(1) Notices shall be exhibited in prominent positions at every
dock, wharf, or quay, by each employer using it, stating:
(a) The position of the first-aid kit, and the name of the
person in charge thereof;
(b) Name, address, and telephone number of company's
physician, and hospital.
(2) An approved first-aid kit shall be maintained on each dock.
As far as possible, someone employed around the dock should be
trained in first aid in order that immediate assistance may be given.
Part B. General
(1) At all places where men are employed, good drinking water
in covered clean utensils or devices shall be conveniently available.
(2) At least one conveniently accessible toilet, either on board
the vessel, or on the wharf or other place where the vessel is moored,
shall be available at all times for the use of every person engaged
in the operations. Such toilets shall be kept clean and in good
order.
SECTION IX.

INVESTIGATING AND REPORTING ACCIDENTS

Part A. Notifying

Supervisors and

Authorities

(1) An injury of any kind, irrespective of its severity, shall
be reported immediately to the foreman, by the injured person if
he is physically able to do so. If the injured person is physically
unable to report the injury, then it shall be reported by any person
in possession of the facts. The foreman shall see that the injured
party is given immediate first-aid treatment.

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Part B. Fact Finding
(1) Upon the occurrence of a personal injury the foreman or
man in charge shall investigate and determine the cause of the
accident.
Part C. Reporting and Recording
(1) The pertinent facts of accident occurrence shall be recorded
on a suitable form for purposes of analysis and prevention.
(2) Accident facts shall be analysed and summarised at periodical intervals so as to develop trends and major causes and remedies.
SECTION X.

GENERAL

Part A. Safe Wearing

Apparel

(1) Gloves that are suitable and in good condition should be
worn by longshoremen handling undressed lumber, metal sheets,
or any other rough-edged or sharp material.
(2) Longshoremen should wear good, stout shoes, without holes
in soles, and preferably with reinforced toe caps, but without
rubber heels.
Part B. Mechanical

Safeguards

(1) All winch working parts exposed to workmen and gear
must be properly guarded and all exposed steam and exhaust pipes,
as well as other hot surfaces, must be protected.
(2) The pin of all shackles should be so secured that it would
be impossible t o work out.
(3) All projecting set screws on moving parts should be removed
or countersunk or headless set screws should be used. No part of
the set screw should project above the surface.
(4) Dangerous portions of docks shall be properly fenced until
repairs are made.
(5) All ladders shall be kept in good repair and in a safe condition.
Part C. General Safe Practice
(1) Smoking should not be allowed aboard ship in the vicinity
of open hatches, on the dock, or in the warehouse.
(2) Any employee under the influence of alcohol or other
drugs shall not be allowed to remain on the job.
(3) When necessary to move suspended loads, or trucks and
dollies by hand, employees should push rather than pull them.
(4) Longshoremen should use leg and thigh muscles instead of
back muscles when lifting and proceed to lift from a squatting
instead of a bending position.
(5) Any cargo found to be broken shall be set aside a safe
distance away from the working area so the cooper or designated
cargo man can repair without danger to himself or fellow workers.
(6) When repairing cases of rubber, tea, or other commodities
bound with tin or steel strapping, the cooper shall use a glove while
holding down the strapping to be nailed.

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(7) Noise of chipping on outside of hull or on the deck above,
while men are working below, creates a real hazard in that it prevents the men working in the hold from hearing the signals of the
hatch tender. If possible, such work should not be carried on while
ship is being loaded or unloaded.
(8) Men should not be sent into holds or compartments that
have been fumigated until permission is given by the fumigation
authorities.
(9) Tools,equipment, or materials should not be carried by hand
when climbing or descending a ladder. Hands should be free for
grasping side rails.
(10) Employees after checking out at the end of a work period
shall not be permitted to return to the vessel or to the dock witln
out permission of the Superintendent.
Part D. Systematic Safety

Organisation

The observance of the safe practice rules in this code requires
t h a t they be known and understood, that there be agreement as
to their value and practicality, and that the effort to prevent
accidents be continuous. Interest and desire to achieve results
must be aroused and maintained. Systematic effort as indicated by
some practical form of "safety organisation" is highly beneficial in
accomplishing satisfactory results.
Pacific Coast Marine Safety Code 1
STEVEDORING OPERATIONS ON BOARD S H I P
SECTION 1. SCOPE, PURPOSE, EXCEPTIONS, AND D E F I N I T I O N S

Scope
Rule 1. This code applies to all cargo handling and stevedoring
operations aboard ship and covers all operations, persons, employees, employers, and vessels included under the Federal Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act in the States
of the Pacific Coast.
Purpose and Exceptions
Rule 2. The purpose of this code is to provide reasonable minimum requirements for safety of life, limb, and health. In cases of
practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship an employer may make
exceptions from the literal requirements of this code, or permit
the use of other devices or methods, but only when it is clearly
evident that equivalent protection is provided. Any exceptions for
an employer shall be referred first to his District Code Committee ;
if the proposed exception is approved by his committee, it shall be
forwarded to the general chairman of the Pacific Coast Safety Code
1
Developed under the sponsorship of the Pacific Coast Marine Associations'
Accident Prevention Bureau, 1929-1934.

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Committee, who shall take a referendum vote by mail of the entire
Code Committee. Special port or district rules can be adopted by
the Code Committee by means of the same procedure provided
for employer "exceptions" above.
Where an exception for any company is made to a given rule,
according to stipulated conditions, it is not necessary that each
company petitioning thereafter be given formal consent by vote
of the entire Code Committee, but such exception may be granted
within any district if it meets the approval of the District Code
Committee and the general chairman.
Mandatory and Advisory

Requirements

Rule 3. The word "shall" is to be understood as mandatory
and the word "should" as advisory.
Definitions, (a) General
Rule 101. The term "Commission" means the United States
Employees' Compensation Commission.
Rule 102. The term "Deputy Commissioner" means the Deputy
Commissioner of the United States Employees' Compensation
Commission having jurisdiction in respect of an injury or death.
Rule 103A. The term "Code Committee" refers to a standing
committee which is hereby created to consist of 13 members as
follows: Three each, chosen from both employers and employees
as far as possible, from the following districts: (1) Washington
ports; (2) Oregon, including Columbia River ports; (3) San Francisco Bay; and (4) Los Angeles Harbor District and San Diego,
and a general chairman to be elected by the Committee. The function of this Committee shall include the approval of a final draft
of this code, and the approval of subsequent exceptions or amendments, and of any proposed port rules.
Rule 103B. The term "District Code Committee" refers to a
committee to be chosen from the districts prescribed in Rule 103A,
consisting of three members to be chosen from employers and employees as far as possible.
Rule 104. T h e term "State" includes a Territory.
Rule 105. The term "person" means an individual, partnership,
corporation, or association.
Rule 106. The term "employer" means an employer, any of
whose employees are employed in maritime employment, in whole
or in part, upon the navigable waters of the United States.
Rule 107. The term "operations and stevedoring operations"
means the operation of loading, unloading, moving or handling
cargo, ship's stores, gear, etc., in, on, or out of any ship and all
activities incidental thereto at any port, dock, wharf, pier, jetty,
harbour, river, canal, or any other place, and included under the
jurisdiction of the Federal Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers'
Compensation Act.
Rule 108. The term "vessel" means any floating structure used
in navigation, or for transporting commerce, upon the navigable
waters of the United States.

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Rule 109. The term "cargo" as defined for the purpose of this
code includes all goods or merchandise transported by vessel and
also all ship's stores, gear, etc., which may be moved in, on, or out
of any vessel.
Rule 110. The term "contracting stevedore" means the person,
firm, or corporation, contracting with the shipowner or his agents,
to carry on stevedoring operations as defined herein; or any person,
firm, or corporation engaged in stevedoring operations.
Rule 111. The term "general foreman" means the person employed to supervise the stevedoring operations.
Rule 112. The term "gang foreman" means the person employed
to supervise a gang of longshoremen in the stevedoring operations.
Rule 113. The term "hatch tender" or "gangwayman" means
the person employed to supervise all the hoisting and lowering
operations of handling cargo.
Rule 114. The term "gang" means a group of longshoremen
working as a unit in the stevedoring operations.
Rule 115. The term "longshoreman" means any person who is
employed for the purpose of loading or unloading or handling cargo
or in other operations as defined herein.
Definitions, (b) Working Places and Gear
Rule 116. The term "boom guy" means the device, consisting
of pennants and tackles, attached to the head of the boom or derrick
and used for keeping the boom in position for working cargo.
Rule 117. The term "bridle" means a device consisting of a ring
or shackle from which are suspended two or more pennants of rope,
wire, or chain, to the ends of which are attached hooks, shackles,
or toggles.
Rule 118. The term "bull line or bull rope" means an auxiliary
rope or fall worked from a winch and rove through lead or snatch
blocks or chocks to move cargo or other objects.
Rule 119. The term "deck" means the horizontal plating, planking, or floor covering the transverse beams of a vessel.
Rule 120. The term "dunnage" means the material used in
stowage for protecting cargo.
Rule 121. The term "fall or cargo fall" means the cable used
to hoist cargo.
Rule 122. The term "gangway or gangplank" means the device
used for persons passing from the wharf or dock to the ship or
vessel and vice versa.
Rule 123. The term "hatch" means the opening in a deck
through which cargo, fuel, etc., is passed.
Rule 124. The term "hatch cover" or "hatch plank" means the
device placed on hatch beams or strongbacks and coamings to
cover a hatch.
Rule 125. The term "hatch way" means the square of the hatch
from the top deck to the hold.
Rule 126. The terms "hatch beam fore and after, and strongback" mean the devices used for supporting the hatch covers to
close the hatch.
Rule 127. The term "Jacob's ladder" means the device consisting of two parallel pieces of rope or wire joined together at

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

intervals by crosspieces of rope, wire, or wood, the whole ladder
being flexible.
Rule 128. The term "ladder" means an appliance or device
consisting of two parallel pieces of wood or metal joined together
at intervals by crosspieces called rounds.
Rule 129. The term "lead block" means the device consisting
of a grooved sheave encased by a shell used to change the direction
of the lead or line.
Rule 130. The term "machinery" means the contrivances or
machines, such as conveyors, motors, capstans, winches, windlasses, tractors, jitneys, etc., used in the operations.
Rule 131. The term "passageway" means a path or clear space
other than a gangway or ladder through which persons or cargo
are to be passed or moved.
Rule 132. The terms "pennant or pendant" mean the piece of
wire or rope to which tackles, etc., are attached or suspended
to shorten the length of the tackle and to cut down unnecessary
amount of rope otherwise used in said tackle.
Rule 133. The term "preventer guy" means the device consisting of a temporary auxiliary rope or wire attached to the head of
the boom or derrick to relieve the boom guy of excessive strain
in handling heavy drafts of cargo.
Rule 134. The term "shackle" means a U-shaped device of iron
or steel with a pin through the ends used to secure the ends of guys,
falls, topping lifts, etc., to ringbolts or cleats.
Rule 135. T h e term "ship's gear" means the devices used in
the operations, such as booms, derricks, falls, guys, slings, etc.,
and supplied and carried by the vessel for the purpose of working
cargo.
Rule 136. T h e term "sling" means a device made of rope, wire,
canvas, chains, boards, or other material used to hold cargo for the
purpose of hoisting it.
Rule 137. The term "sling load or draft" means that part of
the cargo held by the sling.
Rule 138. The term "stevedoring gear" means the devices used
and furnished by the stevedoring contractor.
Rule 139. The term "stowage" means the proper placing of
cargo on or in vessels.
Rule 140. The term "topping lift" means the wire or rope attached to the boom head and mast or Samson post or other fixed
object by means of which the boom or derrick is raised, lowered, or
suspended.
Rule 141. The term "tween deck or tween decks" means an
intermediate deck situated between the main deck and the hold.
Rule 142. The term "set-up" means the manner in which the
entire standing and running gear is rigged for one gang to work
cargo.
SECTION 2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND D U T I E S UNDER THE CODE

Rule 201. The vessel, its owner, master, and officer in charge
shall be severally and jointly responsible for the safe condition
of the ship's gear and equipment, and for the competency of any

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213

ship's officer or member of the crew who may engage in operations
covered by this code. They shall provide, so far as the same shall
be under their control, a safe working place upon the vessel for all
operations carried on upon it.
Rule 202. The contracting stevedore is responsible for the proper
and safe condition of all stevedoring gear supplied by it, and for
the competency of foremen and other persons supplied by it in
charge of operations.
Rule 203. The duties of the general foreman are: to see that
all gear is in apparent good safe working condition during the
stevedoring operations. He is in charge of all stowage and handling
of cargo. He should see that stevedoring operations are carried on
in a safe manner. Where conditions warrant, and he is not in immediate touch with his superior officers, he should stop work if
necessary to avoid accidents.
Rule 204. The duties of the gang foreman are: to be in direct
charge of his gang, to supervise all the stevedoring operations in
connection therewith, and to see that all work is done in a safe
manner. He shall report promptly to the general foreman any
defect in the gear or any unsafe working condition. In the event
that the gang foreman or hatch tender, upon discovery of defective
gear, should find it impossible to get in touch immediately with
the general foreman, he shall himself stop work, if necessary, until
the general foreman shall have had opportunity to pass upon the
situation.
Rule 205. The duties of the hatch tender or gangwayman are:
he should be familiar with the deck stevedoring operations and be
capable of rigging booms, derricks, and other deck gear for the
proper hoisting or moving of cargo.
Before commencing to hoist cargo, he should, in conjunction
with the gang foreman, see that the boom topping lifts and boom
guys are properly secured and the save-all made fast ; that pins in
shackles on all cargo gear are properly fastened; that the space
from the hatch coamings to the ship's side is clear for working
cargo and the hatch beams, strongbacks, fore and afters, and
hatch covers which are removed, stowed on deck in a safe, orderly
m'anner; and inspect generally, as far as possible, all running gear
for any defect or unsafe working condition.
He shall see that the cargo is properly slung before being hoisted
and shall control the movements of slingloads or drafts by positive
signals to the winch driver. He should keep the slingload or draft
in sight when being moved, and warn all persons in danger of being
injured by the movement of cargo. Whenever operations are
suspended or terminated, he shall see that the hatch covers are on,
or safety lines are stretched around hatch coamings, and rope
stretched across side rail opening or side rails properly shipped,
if the appliances are supplied by the vessel, or unless the d u t y has
been assumed by the vessel. He shall be held responsible, together
with the gang foreman, for the safety of the men during the operations.
Rule 206. The duties of the winch driver are : to see before starting hoisting operations that the winch is free from water, t h a t the
cargo fall is in good order and properly secured to the winch drum,

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SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

and that the winch is in good order, reporting any defects to the
gang foreman. He shall take signals only from the hatch tender,
if a hatch tender is used, for the operation of the winch, and shall
at all times operate the winch or winches in a safe manner. If the
winches are not properly oiled, he shall report same to his foreman.
When leaving winch unattended, he shall see that the power is
turned off.
Rule 207. The duties of the longshoremen, in addition to those
presented elsewhere in this code, shall be to use the safety devices
provided, to practise the safety methods prescribed, and to cooperate in all t h a t makes for safety.
SECTION 3. GENERAL SAFETY RULES

Rule 301. All gears and friction drives, wherever located, should
be completely encased. Where, in the case of gears, this is impracticable, a band guard should be provided with side flanges extending inward beyond the root of the teeth.
Rule 302. Where there is a spoke hazard, the spokes should
always be covered on exposed side.
Rule 303. All sprocket wheels, wherever located, should be completely encased.
Rule 304. All projecting set screws on moving parts should be
removed, or countersunk, or headless set screw should be used.
No part of the set screw should project above the surface.
Rule 305. Shaft keys, unless enclosed by the housing of the
machine, should be flush or protected with cylindrical safety sleeves,
or completely enclosed.
Rule 306. Shields or screens should be provided which will
prevent contact with crank, connecting rod, valve rod, steam jam
cylinder, or other moving parts.
Rule 307. Removal of existing protective appliances during
stevedoring operations is strictly prohibited.
Rule 308. If tools, materials, appliances, or any gear are at any
time found to be out of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe, employees shall report the same immediately to the person in charge
of the work.
Rule 309. Where an edge of cargo or of a landing platform is
exposed and there is danger of falls of persons, the edge should be
guarded by a life line.
Rule 310. Winches, conveyors, belts, and all driving gear may
be lubricated while in motion only when this can be done by means
of suitable contrivances, without danger.
Rule 311. Lubricating and oiling while a machine is in motion
may be done only by persons authorised to do so.
Rule 312. Cleaning of machine parts may be done only while
the machine is not in motion.
Rule 313. Transferred to and made a part of Rule 525.
Rule 314. Employees shall do everything possible to prevent
fires. Smoking is prohibited.
Rule 315. Entering dark holds, decks, or compartments without
a light is prohibited (see Rules 410 and 411).

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215

Rule 316. Naked lights are prohibited in stevedoring operations
aboard ship (see Rules 410 and 411).
Rule 317. No-one shall be allowed to turn to or remain on the
job if under the influence of intoxicating liquors.
SECTION 4. GENERAL WORKING

CONDITIONS

Reporting of Injuries
Rule 401. An injury of any kind, irrespective of its severity,
shall be reported immediately to the foreman, or man in charge,
by the injured person if he is physically able (if the injured person
is physically unable to report the injury, then it shall be reported
by any person in possession of the facts). The foreman, or man
in charge, shall see that the injured party is given immediate firstaid treatment and that the injury is reported promptly to the employer.
First Aid
Rule 402. An approved first-aid kit shall always be immediately
available when and where operations are being carried on. The
first-aid kit shall be in charge of, and maintained fully stocked by
a designated attendant who shall be trained to render first aid to
the injured. The first-aid attendant should always be available to
give immediate assistance. One or more stretchers shall be available at places where operations are being carried on, to be furnished
by the vessel or by the dock operators.
Rule 403. At each major port there shall be provided by some
appropriate port organisation, facilities for the formation of a firstaid corps, and for the training of persons employed who wish to
qualify to render first aid.
Rule 404. Notices shall be exhibited in prominent positions at
every dock, or wharf, stating:
(a) The position of the first-aid kit, and the nam? of the
person in charge thereof.
(b) The telephone number of emergency hospital or ambulance service.
(c) Name, address, and telephone number of company's
physician and hospital.
Rule 405. One or more life buoys for the rescue of drowning
persons shall be maintained at each dock.
Clean Drinking Water
Rule 406. At all places where operations are being carried on,
good drinking water in covered clean utensils or devices shall be
conveniently available.
Toilets
Rule 407. At least one conveniently accessible toilet, either on
board the vessel or on the wharf or other place where the vessel

216

SAFßTY IN DOCK WORK

is moored, shall be available at all times for the use of every person
engaged in the operations. Such toilets shall be kept clean and in
good order.
Decks, Floors, and Passageways
Rule 408. All decks, floors, and other places, where persons are
engaged in the operations shall, as far as possible, be kept clean
and free from dust, litter, and slipperiness. Grease, oils, etc., spilled
where stevedoring operations are being carried on shall be immediately covered by sand or other suitable material.
Rule 409. Transferred to and made a part of Rule 408.
Rule 410. General foremen shall not permit operations on or in
ship's decks, holds, or other places, unless adequately lighted (see
Rules 315, 316, 906 and 1009).
Rule 411. One or more lights shall be kept burning on the dock
near the gangplank or other entrance to the ship after dark while
ship is tied up to dock (see Rules 315 and 316).
Rule 412. Passageways on dock shall be kept clear from tackle
end of ship's gear to shed, to give ample room for hooking or landing loads or drafts, except when working cars direct to or from ship.
Rule 413. Where men are to be required to work in a space
below a deck where cargo is stowed, the said cargo in said deck shall
be so stowed as to have clear space of 3 feet around hatch coaming
of said deck for handling hatch covers.
Rule 413B (new). Where it becomes necessary to stow deck
loads closer than 3 feet to a hatch coaming, life line shall be rigged
for safety of men handling strongbacks and hatch covers.
Access to Vessels
Rule 414. When a ship is lying at a dock, there shall be provided at all times a safe means of going to and from the ship consisting of a gangplank or other equally adequate method. All persons going to and from the ship must use this equipment. "Shortcuts" over side, via cargo slings, save-alls, moving conveyors,
etc., are prohibited.
Rule 415. Where a gangplank is reasonably practicable, a gangplank not less than 22 inches wide shall be provided and properly
secured to the ship. Such gangplank shall be provided with a 2-rail
railing on each side; such railing shall be not less than 3J/£ feet
high; the upper and lower rails to consist of wood, taut ropes or
chains, or other equally safe devices.
Rule 416. In other cases a ladder shall be provided which shall
be of sound material, of adequate length, and properly secured to
prevent slipping.
Rule 417. If a ship, boat, or other vessel is alongside any other
ship, boat, or other vessel, and persons employed are required to
pass from one to the other, a safe means of access shall be provided
by the ship, boat, or other vessel which has the higher freeboard.
_ Rule 418. When working barge, scow, raft, or log boom alongside ship, a Jacob's ladder, or its equivalent, properly secured, shall
be provided and used for each separate unit of operation.

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217

Hold Ladders
Rule 419. Ladders shall be provided in all holds where employees are engaged in stevedoring operations. Where it is impracticable to use a ladder, an equivalent safe means of escape shall
be provided.
Rule 420. Ship's ladders providing entrance to and exit from
holds shall be kept in repair and in safe condition.
Rule 421. Hold ladders shall be kept clear, and no cargo stowed
within 6 inches from inside rungs of ladders. If cargo is so stowed
that it is not possible to use permanent hold ladders, portable
ladders shall be provided and properly secured.
Winch

Operations

Rule 422. A place provided for winch drivers to stand or sit
shall be kept in good order and all means taken to prevent slipping
and falling of seat of driver.
Rule 423. The ship's gear should be so rigged as to protect the
winch driver against swinging loads.
Rule 424. All winches operating with a single lever shall be
counterbalanced by a weight properly secured.
Rule 425. Extensions on operating levers of winches, of substantial material, where necessary, shall be furnished by the ship,
and securely attached to the regular lever.
Noxious Cargo
Rule 426. Longshoremen shall wear (a) approved goggles when
handling cargo liable to injure or irritate the eyes; (b) respirators
of an approved type when handling cargo liable to injure or irritate
the respiratory passages and lungs.
Rule 427. When such goggles and respirators are required, same
shall be provided by employer.
Rule 428. Strict care should be exercised when entering holds
that have been recently fumigated.
SECTION 5. SAEE PRACTICES

A. Preparations of Hatch and Decks for Cargo-Handling Operations
Rule 501. No cargo shall be worked through a section of a hatch
unless the strongback of section adjacent to uncovered portion
of hatch is bolted to hatch coamings, or otherwise secured or removed.
Rule 502. No cargo shall be hoisted from hatch until hatch
covers and strongbacks are off and stowed clear of working gear,
except such cargo as must be removed to clear beams.
Rule 503. Strongbacks and hatch covers shall be so stowed
as not to interfere with a safe walkway for hatch tenders from rail
to hatch coaming, and so that drafts or gear cannot tip same into
hatches or over ship's side.

218

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Rule 504. Foremen or hatch tenders shall personally supervise
the taking off or placing of hatch covers, strongbacks, and beams.
Booms shall not be raised or lowered except under the immediate
supervision of the man in charge of gang.
Rule 505. When employees are below, they shall stand in the
clear while strongbacks, hatch beams, and hatch covers are being
taken out or put in place.
Rule 506. Sling loads or drafts of dunnage shall not be handled
over the heads of longshoremen. Where practicable double slings
should be used.
Rule 507. Where temporar}' deck stage is used for the purpose
of loading or unloading ships, such stage shall be strongly built and
securely fastened.
Rule 508. When it is necessary to work cargo on a1 skeleton
deck, safe decking shall be provided unless the workmen can work
safely from the cargo stowed below such skeleton deck.
Rule 509. Employees shall never ride strongbacks or beams;
nor shall they unnecessarily walk or climb upon them while in place.
Rule 510} When working cargo over a deck load, a safe walkway shall be provided for the hatch tender from rail to coaming.
When this is impracticable, two hatch tenders shall be used.
Rule 511} Deck loads shall be so stowed as not to interfere
with safe operation of winches or to permit loose material falling
into hatches or overside.
B. Rigging of Ship's Gear for Cargo-Handling Operations
Rule 512. Longshoremen should not be hoisted aloft except by
hand power; booms should be lowered to deck for changing gear
or making necessary repairs.
Rule 513. The winch fall should be so wound that the lever
shall have the same direction of operation as the load being handled.
Winches hereafter constructed shall be made so that they can be
operated as above recommended.
Rule 514A. The boom guys and preventers should be kept as
far away from the heel of the boom as possible, but not past the
line of the fall. They shall be made fast so as to divide the strain
on both. Preventers should be made fast around the head of the
boom independent of all other fastenings. Booms shall always be
so topped as to avoid undue strain on both boom and topping lift.
(Special caution where samson or derrick post is low.) In all "setups" the dragging of one fall against the other without plenty of
sag is positively dangerous and should be avoided.
Rule 514B (amended). When winch controls are located so as
to expose winch driver to bight of the fall, an additional preventer
shall be placed on the lead block at the heel of the boom. The preventer shall be no less than Y% inch wire cable and preferably %
or larger.
Rule 515. Measures shall be taken to prevent steam from, or
to, any crane, winch, or other appliance obscuring any part of the
1
Interpretations, Rules 510 and 511: "Special attention of all responsible for
stowage of deck loads of lumber and logs is hereby called to the serious hazards
which some of the present practices have created".

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219

decks, gangways, stages, wharf, or other place, or otherwise hindering or injuring any person employed in the operations.
C. Handling of Cargo and Practices Incident Thereto
Rule 516. Riding cargo hook is prohibited; however, in emergencies, and under safe working conditions, specially prepared slings
may be ridden in and out of the holds, under the order and direct
supervision of the foreman.
Rule 517A. Sling loads shall not be held suspended over men's
heads, either on dock or ship; standing or working under hanging
loads is prohibited.
Rule 517B. Slings loads that are improperly slung shall not be
hoisted.
Rule 518. No cargo shall be loaded or unloaded by a fall or
sling at any intermediate deck unless either the hatch at that deck
is safely covered, or a secure landing platform of a width not less
than that of one section of hatch coverings, has been placed across
the hatch.
Rule 519. Blocks, crow bars, chain slings, and other heavy
equipment shall not be thrown from deck to ship's hold or from
deck to dock.
Rule 520. While working cargo which may shift or roll on workmen, the cargo shall be secured or blocked.
Rule 521. All cargo raised by hoisting gear' shall always be carefully secured against falling or spreading. Where practicable double
slings should be used on small lumber.
Rule 522. In hoisting lump coal or similar bulk cargo in baskets,
tubs, etc., containers should not be filled above the rim.
Rule 523. When assisting to steady or land a load, longshoremen should not stand between the load and any fixed object, and
shall always face the load. Loads shall not be lifted from cars or
docks when men are standing between load and ship.
Rule 524. When using a bull line to move cargo, the longshoremen should stand out of the bight, and clear of the throw of the
lead and hook.
Rule 525. A sling load or draft shall not be lifted with a chain
having a kink in it. A chain shall not be shortened by wiring or
tieing. Chains shall not be repaired, even temporarily, by bolting
two links together or by the use of wire.
Rule 526. Each employer shall employ for every hatch or set
of winches being operated a signal man, gangwayman, or hatch
tender (see also hatch tenders' duties, Rule 205).
Rule 527. The riding of moving conveyors, other than of mechanical stevedores, escalators, or other devices especially designed
for transportation of men, is strictly prohibited. Such special
devices as are permissible for transporting men in and out of vessels,
may be ridden only when the driver is at the controls and can stop
the device.
Rule 528. Two men shall be required on a log boom for each
unit of operation. Life lines shall be furnished hanging overside to
water's edge.
- .

220

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Rule 529. Men trimming bulk cargo are to be checked in and
out of the hold.
Rule 530. Electric trimmers used for bulk cargo containing
explosive dust shall be disconnected from conductors before being
lowered into hold of ship; the electric current shall be kept shut
off while conductors are being secured to or disconnected from the
trimmers.
Rule 531. When men are working in the square of the hatch,
bales of cotton, wool, cork, gunny bags, or other similar articles
shall not be hoisted by hooks attached to the bands or fastenings
of such bales.
Rule 53IB (amendment to Rule 802, and applicable to all
ports). Where two gangs are working in the same hatch on different
decks, a skid, preferably, or at least a net, should be rigged from
lower strongback and securely fastened above over-hatch coamings
so as to prevent the possibility of men or cargo from falling on men
below.
Rule 531C (new). Where cargo is stowed on or in any deck
above lower hold, such cargo shall be adequately secured to
prevent it from falling on men working below the deck on which
such cargo is stowed.
D. Preparation of Hatch and Deck at Suspension of Cargo Handling
Rule 532. When work in a hatch is finished for the day, upper
deck hatch covers or approved night hatches, shall be on, or safety
lines stretched around, the hatch coamings (see Rule 205). Manholes and other deck openings should be protected in a safe manner.
SECTION 6. S H I P ' S G E A R

Rule 601. All bridles for removing strongbacks or beams from
hatch coamings shall be of sufficient length so that strongbacks
can be hooked on without necessitating climbing out on them to
do so; shackles or toggles are recommended in place of hooks for
handling strongbacks. Hand lines shall be attached of adequate
length for use in preventing swinging of hatch beams and strongbacks.
Rule 602. All boom guys and gin blocks shall be secured by
shackles.
Rule 603. When deck loads of lumber extend above the bulwarks, there should be a pennant of sufficient length to preclude
sending a workman down ship's side to secure or release the boom
guy from the deck ring bolt.
Rule 604. The ship shall furnish a sufficient number of approved
topping lift stoppers where necessary for safely shifting derrick
topping lifts.
Rule 605. Cargo booms should be tested and have approved
capacity plainly marked in a conspicuous manner and place, preferably at the heel of the boom.
Rule 606. Cargo falls or ship's hoisting gear shall not be used to
move railroad cars on docks.

LEGISLATION: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

221

Rule 607. Hatch rollers shall be so constructed that they can
be firmly attached or secured to hatch coamings.
Rule 608. Broken, split, or ill-fitting hatch covers shall at once be
discarded or repaired. All hatch covers, and fore-and-aft and
thwart-ship beams shall, insofar as they are not interchangeable,
be kept plainly marked to indicate the deck and hatch to which
they belong and their position therein, and a licensed ship's officer
should be present and responsible for the proper covering and uncovering of all hatches. Sufficient hatch covers of proper dimensions to insure a tight cover for each deck shall be supplied at all
times during operations.
Rule 609. Adequate handgrips shall be provided on all hatch
covers, having regard to their size and weight. Handgrips shall not
be secured by means of wood or lag screws; where bolts are used,
ends of same shall be riveted.
Rule 610. Deflectors shall be used on openings from ships emitting waste water or matter interfering with the operations, or affecting the health of longshoremen.
Rule 611. Inspection of ship's cargo gear should be made by
the ship's crew before gear is used for stevedoring operations. The
crew should give all assistance possible to maintain properly ship's
cargo gear while in use.
Rule 612 (new). Ship's cargo hoisting falls or whips shall not
be used for mooring or shifting ship.
SECTION 7. STEVEDORING G E A R

Rule 701. Wire bridles shall have a covering of marline, rubber
hose, or other suitable protection for men's hands over hook splice.
Rule 702. Save-alls shall be stretched, hung, and safely secured
to vessel and dock, in line with each hatch when general cargo is
being worked.
Rule 703. If tools, materials, appliances, or any gear are at
any time-found to be out of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe,
men shall report the same immediately to the person in charge of
the work.
Rule 704. Stevedoring gear shall be carefully inspected by a
designated and competent employee before being issued for use in
stevedoring any ship. Any unsafe or doubtful gear shall be discarded, marked, and so placed that it cannot be used by longshoremen.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The literature on safety in dock work is very extensive. The
following lists are confined to the principal sources utilised in the
present monograph.
(1) LAWS, REGULATIONS, STANDARDS
International
International Labour Convention (No. 27) concerning the marking of the
weight on heavy packages transported by vessels, 1929.
International Labour Convention (No. 32) concerning the protection against
accidents of workers employed in loading or unloading ships (revised, 1932).
Central Commission on the Navigation of the Rhine: Regulations for the
Transport of Corrosive and Poisonous Substances on the Rhine. Protocoles des Seances. 1934, 1ère session-avril, p. 59; 1936, 2me session-novembre, p. 40.
Canada
T h e Animal Contagious Diseases Act, 1936.
Regulations regarding the Importation of Foreign Hides, Skins, Glue Stock,
Bones, Hoofs, Horns (1930).
Germany
See-Berufsgenossenschaf t : Unfallverhütiingsvor Schriften, 1934.
Grosshandels- und Lagerei-Berufsgenossenschaft:
Unfallverhütungsvorschriften,
1934.
Deutscher Normenausschuss: D.I.N. 685, 2nd edition, Oct. 1935.
Great Britain
Docks Regulations, 1934 {Statutory Rides and Orders, 1934, No. 279).
British Standard Specifications for Ships'' Cargo Lifting Blochs (B.S. 408), 1931.
U n i t e d S t a t e s of America
Joseph L Ë E M I N G : Modern Ship Stowage, including Methods of Handling Cargo
at Ocean Terminals. U. S. Department of Commerce, Washington, 1942.

(2) OFFICIAL REPORTS
International
Report of the Dockers Convention {Reciprocity) Conference, Second Meeting.
London, July 1935; see Industrial Safety Survey, Vol. XII, No. 2, 1936, p. 42.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

223

British Empire
Imperial Economic Committee, Twenty-fourth Report: Hemp Fibres. London, 1932.
Germany
Jahresberichte des Hamburgischen

Gewerbeaufsichtsamis.

Great Britain
Board of Trade: Report of the Steering Gear Committee. H.M. Stationery
Office, London, 1936.
Board of Trade: Report of the Departmental Committee Appointed by the Board
of Trade to Consider the Existing Board of Trade Memorandum on the Carriage of
Dangerous Goods and Explosives in Ships. H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1933.
Home Office: Annual Reports cf the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops. H.M. Stationery Office, London.
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Precautions for Preventing Danger of Infection from Anthrax in the Manipulation
of Wool, Goat Hair and Camel Hair (Vol. I I I ) . H . M . Stationery Office, London,
1918.
Netherlands
Verslag der Commissie voor Laad- en Losgerei enz. aan boord van Zeeschepen.
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Algemeene Landsdrukkerij, 's-Gravenhage, 1929.
Centrale Verslagen der Arbeidsinspeclie.
Jaarverslagen der Havenarbeidsinspectie.

(3) SAFETY PAMPHLETS, ETC.
Great Britain
Home Office: Prevention of Anthrax among Industrial Workers. H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1921.
Home Office: Memorandum on Chains and other Lifting Appliances, by G.
STEVENSON TAYLOR. H . M . Stationery Office, London, reprinted 1930. Home Office: The Use of Chains and other Lifting Gear, Safety Pamphlet No. 3.
H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1933.
Home Office: Weight Lifting by Industrial Workers, Safety Pamphlet No. 16.
H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1937.
Mines Department: The Use of Chains and other Gear for Hauling and Lifting,
Safety Pamphlet No. 6. H . M . Stationery Office, London, 1930.
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: The Causes of Failure of
Wrought Iron Chains, b y H . J. COUGH, M.B.E., D . S c , Ph.D., and A. J. M U R P H Y ,
M. S c , Special Report No. 3. H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1928.

224

SAFETY IN DOCK WORK

Netherlands
Directie van den Arbeid: Ferrosilicium,
1930.

by Dr. W. SCHUT, Uitgave No. 26,

U n i t e d S t a t e s of A m e r i c a
National Safety Council: Fiber Rope, Safe Practices Pamphlet No. 6.
National Safety Council: Manilla and Wire Rope, Safe Practices Pamphlet
No. 26.
(4) UNOFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS
International
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's-Gravenhage).
Canada
A. E. CAMERON: Anthrax.

Ottawa, 1929.

Germany
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Hugo Bethmann, Braunschweig, 1903.
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Prof. Dr. LEHMANN: Ktirzes Lehrbuch der Arbeits- und Gewerbehygiene. Leipzig, 1919.
Great B r i t a i n
Captain P. J. STOPFORD, R . N . : Cordage and Cables. Glasgow, 1925.
Netherlands
Ir. J . E . de V R I Ë S : Hijschwerktuigen.

Ruijgrok en Co., Haarlem, 1929.

T. J. N O O R D R A V E N and C. A. G. van der BOOM: Het Beladen. Duwaer and van

Ginkel's edition, Amsterdam, 1920'.
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U n i t e d S t a t e s of America
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1921.
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Fluid Issued by the Medical Service. Aug. 1929.
H. H . BERMAN a n d H. W. M C C R O N E : Applied Safety Engineering. McGrawHill Book Co. Inc., New York & London, 1943.

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Sept.-Oct. 1933.
Dr. C. H. van H E R W E R D E N : "De Phlegmoneuse vorm van Anthrax", in Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 1914.
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M. MATHAREL: "Une étude sur les briquettes de ferro-silicium et de manganosilicium", in La Navigation du Rhin, No. 3, Mar. 1937.
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Marine Inspection and Navigation, Vol. II, No. 7, J a n . 1938.

The Safe Installation and Use of
Abrasive Wheels
Studies and Reports, Series F, Second Section (Safety), No. 9
This study directs attention to the dangers attending the greatly
increased use of manufactured abrasive wheels and indicates the
precautions which must be taken against accidents, and damage to
health through inhalation of dust.
The preliminary draft was made in 1932 by Mr. G. Stevenson
Taylor, O.B.E., H.M. Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories, London,
who also made a final revision after it had been considered and
amended by the I.L.O. Correspondence Committee on Accident
Prevention. Publication was delayed for financial reasons, and by
the outbreak of war. This delay has however proved advantageous, since it has enabled Mr. Stevenson Taylor to revise the
manuscript in the light of the experience of recent years and to
bring the technical part up to date on several important points.
CONTENTS
PREFACE

Part I. The Safe Installation and Use of Abrasive Wheels
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
APPENDIX

APPENDIX

I..

The Composition and Manufacture of Abrasive
Wheels
II. Accidents and Injuries Caused by Abrasive Wheels
HI. Safety Precautions against Accidents Caused by
Bursting of Wheels
IV. Precautions against Accidents other than those
Caused by Bursting of Wheels
V. Prevention of Dust Inhalation
VI. Summary of Main Precautions Recommended
I. Analytical and Experimental Study of the Conditions of Resistance of Abrasive Wheels, by Dr.
Vitaliano Colombo
II. The Stresses in Rotating Disks, by Thos. H. Frost,
Cambridge, Mass., and K. F. Whitcomb, Worcester,
Mass.
Part II. Safety Regulations in Various Countries

(Germany, Great Britain, and United States of America)
August 1944. iv + 175 pp.

Price: $1; 4s.