Guidelines on the basic elements of a Shipboard Occupational Health and Safety Programme (SOHSP)

1. Purpose

These guidelines describe the basic elements of a shipboard occupational health and safety programme (SOHSP) applicable to all vessel types.

2. Application

These guidelines do not set specific performance or technical criteria but recommend that companies set policies, objectives, and develop procedures for managing their health and safety programme.

3. Basic Elements

• Executive Management commitment and leadership - Executive management commitment and leadership includes integrating health and safety into the management structure, developing a health and safety policy, and providing resources to achieve objectives.
• Employee participation - Employees from all levels should be directly involved with the SOHSP, including developing, implementing, evaluating, and modifying the programme.
• Hazard anticipation, identification, evaluation, and control - Hazards and unsafe operating procedures should be identified and addressed to prevent endangerment to employees or the public and damage to the vessel.
• Training - Employees should receive training appropriate for their duties and responsibilities to work safely and not endanger their shipmates or the public.
• Record keeping - Company records sufficient to demonstrate the effectiveness of the health and safety programme should be maintained.
• Contract or third party personnel - When contract or third party personnel are on board, vessel personnel should provide information regarding potential hazards on the vessel that may affect them.
• Fatality, injury, illness, and incident investigation - Personnel injuries, occupational illnesses, and "near miss" incidents should be promptly investigated to identify the primary (root) cause and any contributing factors.
• Systematic programme evaluation and continuous improvement - The SOHSP should have systems for detecting, reporting, and correcting non-conformities to the programme and conducting periodic evaluations to determine its effectiveness.