FAQ >> Safe Means of Access and Egress and Safe Place of Work for Persons Engage

Safe Means of Access and Egress and Safe Place of Work for Persons Engaged in Lifting Operations

This requirement, involving the provision of safe means of access and egress, is directed towards the employees who are involved in lifting operations. This means the work involved in lifting operations, which includes the attaching of loads, using lifting gear, to cranes and lifting appliances prior to the loads being raised, lowered or suspended.

Where dock workers need to board vessels to carry out lifting operations, the following specific requirements apply

  • Where it is reasonably practicable to do so, suitable and sufficient gangways or ships accommodation ladders must be provided
  • If it is not reasonably practicable to provide these means, then one or more ladders of adequate strength must be provided

Whatever is provided must comply with the following requirements

  • It must be properly constructed, be of good design, be made from sound materials, be of adequate strength and free from patent defect
  • It must be properly "maintained", as defined in Regulation 1, see page 9, paragraph 17
  • Adequately secured
  • Adjusted at regular intervals to ensure a safe angle of inclination to the horizontal

Ships gangway and accommodation ladders must not be less than 22" wide (560mm) and be provided with guard rails or ropes or chains at a height of at least 3' (920mm). All places of work where persons are engaged in lifting operations must, at all times, be safe.

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