DOCK LABOUR REGULATION, MAINTENANCE OF HATCH COVERS

AUTHORISED PERSON: MEANS A PERSON AUTHORISED BY THE EMPLOYER, MASTER OF

THE SHIP OR A RESPONSIBLE PERSON TO UNDERTAKE A SPECIFIC TASK OR TASKS AND
WHO POSSESES THE NECESSARY TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO
UNDERTAKE THE TASK.
COMPETENT PERSON: MEANS A PERSON BELONGING TO A TESTING ESTABILISHMENT
WHICH IS APPROVED BY THE CHIEF INSPECTOR FOR THE PURPOSE OF TESTING,
EXAMINATION, ANNEALING AND CERTIFICATION OF LIFTING APPLIANCES, LOOSE GEAR
AND WIRE ROPE.
RESPONSIBLE PERSON: MEANS A PERSON APPOINTED BY THE EMPLOYER, MASTER OF
THE VESSEL, THE OWNER OF THE GEAR OR PORT AUTHORITY, AS THE CASE MAY BE TO
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF A SPECIFIC DUTY OR DUTIES AND WHO
HAS SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND THE REQUIRED AUTHORITY FOR
THE PROPER PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES.
LIFTING APPLIANCES: MEANS ALL STATIONARY OR MOBILE CARGO HANDLING
APPLIANCES, SUCH AS CRANES, DERRICKS, POWER OPERATED RAMPS, ETC INCLUDING
THEIR PERMANENT ATTACHMENTS AND MACHINERY USED ONBOARD OR ASHORE FOR
RAISING, LOWERING OR MOVING CARGO FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER WHILE
SUSPENDED OR SUPPORTED.
LOOSE GEAR: INCLUDES HOOKS, SHACKLES, SWIVEL, CHAIN, SLING, LIFTING BOOM,
CONTAINER SPREADER, TRAY OR OTHER SUCH GEAR BY MEANS OF WHICH THE LOAD IS
ATTACHED TO THE LIFTING APPLIANCE.

POWERS OF THE INSPECTOR

THE INSPECTOR MAY,
1. ENTER, WITH OR WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, ANY SHIP, DOCK OR WAREHOUSE OR
OTHER PREMISES WHERE DOCK WORK IS BEING CARRIED OUT OR WHERE HE HAS
A REASON TO BELIEVE THAT DOCK WORK IS BEING CARRIED OUT,
2. EXAMINE THE SHIP, DOCK, WAREHOUSE, LIFTING GEAR, LOOSE GEAR, STAGING
OR OTHER PREMISES OR EQUIPMENT USED OR TO BE USED FOR DOCK WORK,
3. REQUIRE ANY REGISTER, MUSTER ROLL OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATING TO THE
EMPLOYEMENT OF DOCK WORKERS TO BE PRODUCED AND EXAMINE SUCH
DOCUMENT,
4. TAKE ON THE SPOT OR OTHERWISE EVIDENCE OF ANY PERSON AS HE MAY DEEM
NECESSARY,
5. TAKE COPIES OF REGISTER, RECORDS OR OTHER DOCUMENT OR PORTIONS OF
THEM WHICH HE MAY CONSIDER ARE RELEVANT TO A INQUIRY OF ANY OFFENCE
WHICH HE HAS REASON TO BELIEVE HAS BEEN COMMITTED,
6. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, SKETCHES, SAMPLES OR WEIGH, MEASURE OR RECORD
ANYTHING HE CONSIDERS NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXAMINATION OR
INQUIRY,
7. HOLD AN INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF ANY ACCIDENT OR DANGEROUS
OCCURRENCE WHICH HE HAS REASON TO BELIEVE WAS THE RESULT OF FAILURE
OF ANY LIFTING APPLIANCE, LOOSE GEAR, TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT OR NON
COMPLIANCE OF ANY PROVISION OF THE REGULATION
8. DIRECT THE PORT AUTHORITY OR OTHER EMPLOYERS OF THE DOCK WORKERS TO
GET THEM MEDICALLY EXAMINED IF NECESSARY,
9. ISSUE SHOW CAUSE NOTICES IN RESPECT OF ANY SAFETY, HEALTH OR WELFARE
PROVISIONS ARISING UNDER THE REGULATION,
10. PROSECUTE, DEFEND OR CONDUCT ANY COMPLAINT OR OTHER PROCEEDINGS
ARISING UNDER THE REGULATIONS IN ANY COURT.

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PROCEDURE FOR NOTICE OF ACCIDENTS AND DANGEROUS OCCURENCES
1. NOTICE OF ACCIDENT IN A DOCK WHICH DISABLES A DOCK WORKER SHALL BE
SENT WITHIN 4 HOURS OF THE OCCURRENCE TO THE INSPECTOR NOTIFIED FOR
THE PURPOSE,
2. WHEN THE ACCIDENT IS LIKELY TO DISABLE THE DOCK WORKER FOR MORE THAN
10 DAYS, HIS RELATIVES ALSO HAVE TO BE INFORMED,
3. IN CASE OF A FATAL ACCIDENT, THE OFFICER INCHARGE OF THE NEAREST POLICE
STATION, AND THE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE IN ADDITION TO THE
ABOVEMENTIONED TWO PARTIES ALSO HAVE TO BE INFORMED,
4. IN ALL CASES, THE INJURED MUST BE GIVEN THE RELEVANT FIRST AID AND
THEREAFTER TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL OR OTHER PLACES OF
TREATMENT,
5. WHERE ANY ACCIDENT CAUSING DISABLEMENT OF THE DOCK WORKER RESULTS
IN HIS SUBSEQUENT DEATH, NOTICE, IN WRITING SHALL BE SENT TO THE ABOVE
MENTIONED AUTHORITIES,

CLASSIFICATION OF DANGEROUS OCCURENCES TO BE REPORTED

1. COLLAPSE OR FAILURE OF A LIFTING MACHINERY USED IN RAISING OR LOWERING
PERSONS OR GOODS, AND BREAKAGE OR FAILURE OF ROPES, CHAINS OR OTHER
APPLIANCES FORMING PART OF LIFTING MACHINERY OR THE OVERTURNING OR
DISPLACEMENT OF CRANE,
2. COLLAPSE OR SUBSIDENCE OF ANY WALL, FLOOR, GALLERY, ROOF PLATFORM OR
MEANS OF ACCESS,
3. BURSTING OF A VESSEL CONTAINING STEAM UNDER PRESSURE GREATER THAN
THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE OTHER THAN A PLANT WHICH COMES WITHIN THE
SCOPE OF BOILERS ACT, 1923.
4. EXPLOSION OF ANY RECEIVER OR VESSEL CONTAINING GAS OR GASES
(INCLUDING AIR), OR ANY LIQUID OR SOLID RESULTING FROM THE COMPRESSION
OF GAS, AT A PRESSURE GREATER THAN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
5. EXPLOSION OR FIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO ANY ROOM OR SPACE IN WHICH DOCK
WORKERS ARE EMPLIYED.

MAINTENANCE OF HATCH COVERS

THE WEATHERTIGHTNESS OF HATCH COVERS IS IMPERATIVE TO PROTECT THE CARGO
AND AVOID LARGE CARGO CLAIMS. HATCH COVERS LEAK DUE TO ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING REASONS:
1. IMPROPER CLOSING AND BATTENING DOWN,
2. POOR CONDITION OF STRUCTURE, RUBBER PACKING AND CLOSING DEVICES,
3. LOSS OD WATERTIGHTNESS DUE TO TORSIONAL STRESSES OR RACKING STRESSES
WHICH MAY BE CAUSED DURING ROUGH WEATHER OR IMPROPER LOADING.

A PLANNED MAINTENANCE OF HATCH COVERS AND HATCHES WILL TAKE CARE OF

EACH AND EVERY TINY PART OF THE HATCH COVER SYSTEM GIVING IT THE ATTENTION
IT REQURES AT SUITABLE INTERVALS.
THE BELOW MENTIONED AREA SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AT REGULAR INTERVAL:
1. RUST REMOVAL FROM STEELWORK,
2. CLEANING,
3. TESTING,
4. DAMAGE,
5. COMPRESSION BARS,
6. RUBBER PACKING,
7. ECCENTRIC WHEELS,
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8. BALANCING WHEELS,
9. TOWING CHAINS,
10. QUICK ACTING CLEATS,
11. CROSS JOINT WEDGES,
12. DRAIN VALVES,
13. PULL WIRE,
14. SPARES.

HYDRAULIC HATCH COVERS

FLEXIBLE HOSES:
1. FLEXIBLE HOSES SHOULD NOT BE TWISTED, CHECK THE LINE MARKING ON THEM
IS STRAIGHT,
2. DO NOT STEP ON THEM, PUT HEAVY THINGS OR FORCIBLY BEND THE HOSE,
3. DO NOT USE A PIPE WRENCH BUT A CORRECT SPANNER FROM THE TOOL BOX TO
FASTEN AND UNFASTEN THEM.

PUMP UNIT:
1. CHECK OIL LEVEL IN HYDRAULIC TANK, RENEW OIL AS PER MANUFACTURER’S
INSTRUCTIONS,
2. CHECK PUMP UNIT FOR ABNORMAL NOISE, VIBRATIN OR HIGH TEMPERATURES,
3. CHECK OIL FILTER FOR STAINS, WAS METAL FILTER AND RENEW PAPER FILTER AS
NECESSARY,
4. CHECK FUNTIONING OF PRESSURE GAUGE,
5. TEST RELIEF VALVE FOR OPERATION AT THE SET PRESSURE,
6. CHECK STOP VALVE AND CHECK VALVE FOR MALFUNCTION DUE TO INTERNAL
LEAKS,
7. CHECK FOR OIL LEAKS IN HYDRAULIC LINES, FLEXIBLE HOSES, VALVE STAND
AND HYDRAULIC CYLINDER.