THE MARINE EQUIPMENT DIRECTIVE (MED) & PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) DIRECTIVE
1. MED
The Marine Equipment Directive was put in place to enable the free movement of marine equipment between European Union Member states. Manufactures of marine equipment are no longer required to have their products type approved by each administration and wheel marked equipment approved by a notified body can be used on any European ship. In the past there has been a lack of consistency in the application of the testing standard between Member States. This problem was resolved by the introduction of testing and monitoring procedures that each piece of equipment has to be manufactured to. The testing and monitoring procedures are carried out by appointed notified bodies. Details of United Kingdom notified bodies and the equipment that can be wheel marked under the MED are contained in MSN 1734 as amended. The UK MED regulations are contained in the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 1999.
Although the Marine Equipment Directive does not apply to Fishing Vessels, equipment so approved has replaced that previously UK (DOT) APPROVED for use by Merchant Shipping.
2. PPE
Information on the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1999 is contained in Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1731.
These regulations were put in place to ensure that, where risks cannot be removed or reduced to an acceptable level by other means, personal protective equipment should be available to workers. The Regulations require that equipment used for personal protection is suitable for the hazard and meets an acceptable standard. The type of equipment and the relevant standards that the regulations apply to are contained in Annex 1 of MSN 1731.
Q & A :-
Fishing vessels are not mentioned in the MED. They do not need to comply with the requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulation 1999 and MSN 1734 as amended but may do so. There is no requirement for fishing vessels to change any of their present safety equipment for MED equipment but they may find that only MED approved versions are available.
Fishing vessels can use equipment approved by the MED standard, this is identified by the Ships wheel mark issued by any EU notified body as part of their safety equipment. All MED equipment will be of an equivalent standard to SOLAS marked equipment.
MED equipment is not designed to fulfil the role of PPE. Equipment approved to the PPE Directive should bear the bear the CE mark and comply with the standards listed in Annex 1 MSN 1731.
PPE is required for day to day use. Safety equipment is for use only in emergency situation or during training.
Individual copies of MSN 1731 & MSN 1734 as amended are available:
Over the counter at MCAs Marine Offices and Coastguard Stations at various UK locations or by post from Mail Marketing (Scotland), Unit 6, Bloomsgrove Industrial Estate, Norton Street, Nottingham, NG7 3JG.
Tel: 0115 901 3336. Fax: 0115 901 3334.