The Loading and Unloading of Fishing Vessels Regulations 1988

Safe working place and safe access

5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, there shall be provided and properly maintained a safe place of work for any person engaged in a fish loading process, and safe access to and egress from that place of work or any other place which any person has to visit for the purpose of the fish loading process.

(2) So far as is reasonably practicable all floors, decks, surfaces, stairs, steps, passages and gangways in any place described in paragraph (1) above shall be kept free from any substance likely to cause persons to slip or fall or vehicles to skid.

(3) There shall be provided secure and adequate fencing at the following places where persons are engaged in fish loading processes, that is to say—

(a) every break, dangerous corner or other dangerous part or edge of a quay;

(b) every open side of a gangway, footway over a bridge, caisson or dock gate; and

(c) any other place not being a quay where any person working or passing might fall a distance of more than two metres;

• except in so far as such fencing is impracticable because of the nature of the work carried out there and either work is in progress or there is a short interruption for a meal or other purpose.

(4) Each part of a quay or fishing vessel where persons are engaged in a fish loading process, and every means of access to and egress from there, shall be suitably and adequately lighted.

(5) Where persons are engaged in a fish loading process there shall be provided adequate and suitable—

(a) rescue and life-saving equipment;

(b) means to effect escape from danger; and

(c) fire-fighting equipment,

and they shall be spaced at intervals that are reasonable in all the circumstances and properly maintained.