WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10285, 21 May 1919, Page 6

WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS

! NE-W-REGULATIONS COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS CARRIED OUT. New harbour regulations, embodying the tit enty-soven recommendations unanimously adopted by tho Waterside Accidents Commission for the purpose of putting a stop to preventable accidents on the waterfront have now been gazetted. Other amendinc regulations.. made by Cabinet on the recommendation of the. chairman of tho Commission (the Hon. T "M" Wilford. Minister for Marine) are also 'gazetted. The new regulations operate as from to-day lurther regi-Siious-one dealing with the iunnsahou », ; *f„ps'-aoids.. to- .i» dratted b> Di. Maclaurin (Government analyst), ami another covwiiii.' sroiu-ral ri**s, "?f> 1 being drafted by the Crown Law Office—have vet to be gazetted. INSPECTION OJ7 MACHINERY. ETC. The amended regulations, thirty in numb?r, provide that:— 1 All machinery, as distinguished from rmrnuig gear, used for loading or discharging cargo into or from ships, hulks, lighters, or storeships, or jn baudlins cargo-discharged from or loaded into ships: hulks, lighters, or storeships whether such machinery is on the vessel or not shall from tiuio to time be inspected by an inspector ot machinery. An inspector may order any alterations or repairs to be made to any such machinery that he considers necessary, and the owner shall forthwith hav* such' alterations or repairs carried out. An inspector may prohibit.the use ot any such machinery until the attentions or repairs have been executed to . is satisfaction, and an owner snail not use nor permit to be used the machinery dt ring th» time such prohibition is m.fjrce 2. All runnng gear and ail t-ui.si'-.iary appliances, whether such gear and appliances are used on the ship or not, used for shipping or discharging cargo, including cool, on to or trom ships auall trom. time to time be inspected by a surveyor of shins or other officer appointed tor the purpose. Such surveyor or other oiheer inav prohibit the use of any gear or appliances which he considers nnfat for use, or ho mav order any alterations or repairs that ho thinks necessary to be made. The owner shall carry out the order of the surveyor or other officer, but he mav appeal against it to the Marine Department if he thinks fit to do so. _ 3 Every winch used on board a ship for' working cargo or for lifting the vessel's anchors shall be inspected annually 'bv a surveyor of ships when he is niakin" the annual survev ot the ship, and any repairs or alterations which the surveyor may order shall be carried out forthwith by the owner. •i. W T hen "a ship ft in a dock or on a slip the propeller shall not be turned until the foreman in charge of the men working on the ship has advised the engineer in charge of -the ship's engines that the m?n working on planks or in the ship are clear of the propeller. 5. When the boilers on a ship are being cleaned the engineer in charge shall see that the stop-valve of the workmcr boiler is locked-during the whole of the time that the-work, is being, carried out, and such engineer shall see that the temperature of thje boilers does not exceed ICT cleg. P. while men are employed in them. 6. Deck cargo on lighters shall only he carried in such quantity and in such positions as may he permitted by a surveyor of ships. 7.- Lighters and launches employed in the shipping and discharge of cargo en and from ships, in roadsteads shall carry two approved lifebuoys and sufficient lifebelts to give one for each person employed or carried on such lighter or launch. "8. Every lighter and every steam or motor boat engaged in connection with working cargo on to, or from ships in roadstead harbours shall carry at *east six bluelights for signal purposes. BULL-ROPES AND CHAINS.

9. When coal is being; discharged in baskets from a ship by means of a bull-rone on to a stage so that it may be put directly into carts or other vehicles, such, stage shall not be less than 3ft 6in in'width, and it shall be properly fbsed and supported bo that it may be firm and steady. 10. A T iron used for working a cuilrope when working cargo on a ship shall be securely bolted to the hatch-coam-ing, and the T of such iron shall be not less than 3in in diameter. 11. Proper and efficient bridles to the satisfaction of a surveyor of ships cr other person appointed for the purpose of these regulations shall be securely attached to the ends of fore and aft beams, with lanyards provided so that such beams may be shipped and unshipped without dangei- to the men doing the wort:

12. When thwartship nateh-Tieams arc nsstl bridles of sufficient length with' shackles attached shall be kept available on board tho shin and fit for use, and shall be used on such beams (when they are being shipped or unshipped) in such a manner as to make it unnecessary for men to leave the deck.

13. When fore and after hatch-beams are made of wood tho ends shall be properly shod with iron. 14. No hook for attaching coal-baskot3 to slings shall be used until the design of it has been approved by the Marine Department; provided that this regulation shall not come into force until Iho expiration of six months from the date of these regulations. 15. livery person in New Zealand who manufactures rope for sale shall attach to each coil a certicato showing tho breaking-strain of such rope. WORKING CARGO.

16. When working cargo no person shall put a load of greater weight on any chain or rope than the weight giver, as a safo working-load in the tables issued by the Marine Department giving safo working-loads for chains and ropes of various sizes.

17. When cargo is shipped on or dig* charged from, a ship or hulk during (he night-time electric light shall be used for lighting purposes whenever it can bo obtained, and sufficient lights in clusters or otherwise shall be provided to give a good working-light. At ports where eicctric current on the wharves and quays is under the control of Harbour Boards, such boards shall provide connecting plugs where necessary on wharves and quays to which movable clusters of lights can. be attached.

18. When a vessel is in dock a ',a rigway plank from the ship to tho dock head shall be provided, and on one sido of tho plank there shall be a sido rail or stanchions with ropes hove taut throu.'/h them, the top rail or ropo being not its'* than 3ft 3in high. Such gangway shall be securely fixed. 19. When . men are working on stages Butslde a ship which is in dock or on n slip all latrines shall bo kept locked, r.nt! all discharge-pipes shall bo so closed that no discharge Can bo.made from them. ' 20. When cargo is being shipped on cr discharged, from lighters sufficient space shall be left below for the convenience of tho men engaged in tho work, ,and if there,, 18 any dispute as to the space the matter shall bo decided by a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for tho purpose of these regulations. 21. Tf any'dlsputo shall'ariso as to tin number of gangs of men-that should work in a hold the matter shall be decided by a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for the purpose of these regulations,' and the men employed in the gangs shall work in accordance with 1 is decision.

22. If complaint is made to a survry.uof ships or other officer appointed for I he

purpose, ox these regulations that a man is unfit to work cargo through beiivunder the influence of liquor, or if a surveyor or such other oiiicer is of opinion that a man is unfit from such cause to work cargo, he may prohibit such man from working for such period as he considers necessary under the circumstances, as.ii the other members of the ganjr shall continue to carry on work. 23. When coal is being worked in ship's bunkers such bunkers shall be lighted by electric, light when electric current is available. ' DISCHARGING COAL. CI. When coal is beai? discharged from snips or iiiuiis by means oi trams stou<. pianKs of unii.nm tmckneso and oi <i total width ot ouiii sh.ul oo provided by tho master and s-L'CUie.v lixed alongside the uanKine. or us an alternative (.tout uiunks oi unilorm thickness and oi a total ividUi of with stanchions and a liielino on one side, shall be provided. ~3. In the case of ships registered an New Zealand, and of lituks vvnei-iier rec.stered in New Zealand or not. all natch landings on coamings or oeauis shall not bo less than aim in width; piot'iued that this regulation shall not come into force until tho next annual overaaul in the caso of each such ship, and untiL the expiration ot six months from the date of these regulations in the case oi hulks. ~ 26. if tiny person engaged in working cargo in a hold of a ship complains to a port health officer that the condition of such hold is insanitary, such officer shall ex-anune th«> hold, or causo the same to be examined by - competent person. If in the. opinion of the port health officer the condition of the hold is insanitary, such officer shall, by notice in ivritinc served on tie master of th<> ship, reouiro the master to take all steps necessary to remedy tho conditions fi the hold, and in particular to take such sieps as may be specified in the notice, and tho master shall forthwith comply with such notice. At ports where there is no port health officer the Marine- Department may appoint ofucors to whom complaints mav be made, and such officers shall exercise tho duties and have the powers of port health officers for the purpose of this regulation. 27. If a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for the purpose «>f these regulations considers it necessary for the safety of thoso working cargo below deck on a ship that "chipping'' should not bo carried on on the ship while cargo is being worked, lie may, instruct the master that ii must be discontinued for such time ns he thinks necessary, and tho master shall see that, such instructions are carried out forthwith.

28. When persons are working <m the outside of a ship the master shall have a man kept on deck whose duty it shall be to prevent interference with ropes fastened to the deck, and to prevent anything from -beine thrown overboard which might injure the persons -working on thu sido. 29. In cases where in loading and discharging carKO on or from a ship any obstruction prevents tho person working tho bull-rope from being clearly seen by the winchman. the master of the ship shall employ an additional man to communicate signals from the winchman to the bull-rone man.

30. If any person fails, refuses, or neglects to do anything required by these regulations, or in nnv manner obstructs, impedes, or interferes with the doing of anythintr enioined or authorised to be done; or wilful!v does anything prohibited bv these regulations, every such person in any case so offending shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ,£ICO.