SHIPBOARD NOISE AND VIBRATION : CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED GUIDANCE TO INDUSTRY

This consultation seeks views on draft guidance to industry on the control of risks to health and safety associated with noise and vibration on board ships. The draft Codes have been prepared for MCA by the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research. They are intended to support implementation of the  Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Noise at Work) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/3075) and the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/3077).

The  Codes are intended to be non-mandatory and are particularly  drafted to help those concerned with designing, building and owning or managing ships to comply with the Regulations. The draft Code on Noise is intended to replace the Code of practice for noise levels in ships, published by HMSO (2nd edition 1990)

Your comments are invited on:

- the content of the draft Codes. It would be particularly helpful if comments could be in the form of specific suggestions for change rather than general observations. (If, for example, the Codes are considered to be too long, it would be helpful to have views on which sections might be deleted or shortened and appropriate wording.)

- the format of the final versions based on the options outlined below:

Option one : One publication

Single publication to cover all guidance -  Noise, Whole Body Vibration, Hand Transmitted Vibration and Noise

Option Two: Two publications

Code of Practice for controlling risks due to both Hand-Transmitted and Whole Body Vibration on Ships

Code of Practice to cover Noise on Ships

Option Three: Three publications

Code of Practice for Controlling risks due to Whole body Vibration on ships

Code of Practice for Controlling risks due to Hand-Transmitted Vibration on Ships

Code of Practice for Controlling risks due to Noise on Ships

Consultation Documents

Consultation Letter

Annex A: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR CONTROLLING RISKS DUE TO NOISE ON SHIPS

Annex B: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR CONTROLLING RISKS DUE TO HAND-TRANSMITTED VIBRATION ON SHIPS

Annex C: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR CONTROLLING RISKS DUE TO WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION ON SHIPS

Annex D: List of Consultees

Annex E: Customer Feedback Form

Comments should be provided in writing by post, fax or email to:-

Sharon Judge

Deputy Manager Health and Safety

Seafarer Safety & Health Branch

Maritime & Coastguard Agency

Bay 1/29 Spring Place

105 Commercial Road

Southampton

SO15 1EG

Fax:      023 8032 9251

Email:   sharon.Judge@mcga.gov.uk

to arrive no later than 24 April.