WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17634, 26 May 1919, Page 8

WATERSIDE ACCIDENTS

NEW REGULATIONS. COMMISSION' S RECOMMENDATIONS CARRIED OUT. Now harbour regulations, embodying the 27 - recommendations unanimously adopted by the Waterside Accidents Commission for the purpose of putting a stop to preventable accidents on the waterfront have now boon gazetted. Other amending regulations, made by Cabinet on the recommendation of tho chairman of the commission (the Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister for Marine), are also gazetted. The new regulations operate as from to-day. Further regulations—one dealing with tho fumigation of ships' holds, to be drafted by Dr Maclaurin (Government analyst), and another covering general risks, which is being drafted by tho Crown .Law Office—have vet to be gazetted.

INSPECTION OF MACHINERY, ETC. The amended regulations, 50 in number, provide that: —

1. All machinery, as distinguished from running gear, used for loading or discharging cargo into or from ships, hulks, lighters, or storeships, or in handling cargo discharged from or loaded into ships, hulks, lighters, or storeships, whether such machinery is on the vessel, or not, tiliall irom time to time bo inspected by an inspector of machinery. An inspector ■nay order any alterations or repairs to be made- to any such machinery that he considers necessary, and the owner shall forthwith have such alterations or repairs carried out. An inspector may prohibit the use of any 51K..1 machinery until tho alterations or repairs have been executed to liis satisfaction, and an owner shall not use nor permit to bo used tho machinery during the time suclx prohibition is in force.

2. All running gear and all subsiidary appliances, whether such gear and appliances are used on the ship or not f used for shipping or discharging cargo, including, coal, on to or from ships shall from, time to timo bo , inspected by a surveyor of ships or othei: officer appointed for the purpose. Such surveyor or other officer may prohibit, the use of any gear or iippliances which he considers unfit for use, or he may order any alterations or repairs that he thinks necessary to be made. The owner shall carry out the order of the surveyor or other officer, but ho may appeal against it to tho Manne Department if he things 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 by a surveyor of ships when ho is making the annual survey of the ship, and any repairs or alterations which the surveyor may order shall bo carried out forthwith by tho owner. 4. When a ship is in dock or on a ilip tho propellor shall not be turned until the foreman in charge of the men working on the ship has advised the engineer in charge of tho ship's engines that the men working on planks or In the ship are clear of the propeller. I). When the boilers on a ship are being cleaned the engineer in charge shall see that t-he stop-valve of the, working 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 the boilers does not exceed 100 deg. F. while men are employed' in them. 6. Deck cargo on lighters shall only be carried in euch quantity and in such positions as. may be permitted by a surveyor of ships. 7. Lighters and launches employed in the shipping and discharge of cargo on 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 least bluelights for signal purposes. BULL-ROPES AND CHAINS. 9. When coal is being discharged in baskets from a ship by means of a bull-rope on to a stage so that -it may be put directly into carts or other vehicles, such stage shall not bo less than 3ft 6in in width, and it shall be properly fixed and supported so that it may be firm and steady. ■, 10. A T iron used for working- a bullrope when working cargo on a ship shall be securely bolted to the hatch-coaming, 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 or 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 danger to the men doing the work. 12. When thwariship hatch-beams are used bridles of sufficient length with shackles attached shall be kept available on board the ship and fit for use, and shall be used on such beams (when they are being shipped ar unshipped) in such a manner as to make it unnecessary for men to leave the deck.

13. When fore and after hatch-beams axe made of wood the enda shall be properly shod with iron.

14. No hook for attaching- coal baskets 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 the expiration of six months from the date of these regulations. 15.. Every, person in New Zealand who manufactures rope for sale shall atach to each coil a' certificate showing the breaking strain of such rope. WORKING CARGO.

16. When -working cargo" no person shall put a load of greater weight on any chain or rop© than the weight given 'as a safe working load in the tables issued by the Mann© Department giving safe working loads for chains and ropes of -various sizes. 17. When cargo is shipped on or discharged from a ship or hulk during- the night time eiectrio light shall be used for lighting purposes _ whenever it can be obtained, and sufficient lights in clusters or otherwise shall bo provided to give a good working light. At ports -where electric 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 m dock a gang-wav plank from the ship to the dock head shall be provided, and on one side of the plank there shall be a side rail or stanchions with ropes rove tant through them, the top rail or rope being- not less than St 3in 'high. Such gangway shall bo securely fixed 19. When men are working on stages outside a ship -which is in dock or on a dip all latrmes shall bo kept locked, and all discharge pipes shall be .so closed that no discharge can be made from tW 20 When cargo is being shipped on or discharged from, lighters sufficient space shall be left below for the convenience of toe men engaged m the work, and if there llo'if'L. £ipace matter shall bo decided by a surveyor of ships or & *• !>«*««

2L If any dispute shall arise as td the mmjber of gangs of men that shotdd -work m a hold the matter shall bo decided bv a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for the purpose of_ these regulations, and the men employed in the gangs shall woi<k in accordance with his decision. 22 If complaint is made to a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for the purpose of these relations that a man is unfit to work cargo through being under the influence of liquor, or if a or such other officer is of opinion that a man is untit trom such cause to work cargo, he may prohibit such man from working for such period as he considers necessary under r® circumstances, and the other members of the gang shall continue to carry on work. 23. When coal is being wotted in ship's bunkers, such bunkers shall be lighted by elcctric light when electric current is available. discharging no at. 24. Whea coal is being discharged from ships or hulks by means of trams, stout planks of uniform thickness and of a width of 30in shall be provided by the master and securely fixed alongside the tramline, or, as an alternative, stout planka of uniform thickness and of a total .width of 24-in, with stanchions and a lifeline on one side, shall be provided. 25. In the caso of ships registered in New Zealand, and of hulka whether regi£ tered in New Zealand or not, all hatch landings on coamings or beams shall not bo less than 2-im in widths provided that this regulation shall not come into force until the next annual overhaul in the case of each such ship, and until the expiration of six months from the date of tb.eso regulations in the case of hulks.

26. If any person engaged in working cargo in a hold of a ship complains to «, port health officer that the condition of such hold is insanitary, such officer shall examine the hold, or cause the syne to be examined bv a competent person. If in the opinion of the port health officer the condition of the hold is fctsciiiary. such officer shall, by notice m served on the master of the ship, require the master to take all steps necessary to remedy the c ;

the hold, and in particular to take such steps as may bo specified in the notice, and tho master shall forthwith comply with such notice. At poi-ts where thore is no port health officer tho Marine Department may appoint officers to whom complaints may be made, and such officers shall exercise tho. duties and havo tho powers of port hoalth officers for the puroose of this regulation.

27. If a surveyor of ships or other officer appointed for tho purpose of those tions considers it ncccssary for tho safety of tlioso working cargo below deck on a ship that "chipping"' should not be carried on on the ship while cargo is being worked, he may instruct the master that it must be discontinued for <?uch time as ho thinks necessary, and tho master shall see that such instructions are earned out forthwith. 28. When persons are working on the outside of a ship tho master shall have a man kept on deck whose duty it shall bfc to prevent interference with ropes fastened to the deck, and t<3 prevent anything from being thrown overboard which might injure the persons working on the side.

29. In caseg -where in loading and discharging cargo on or from a ship any obstruction prevents the person working the 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-ropo man.

30. If any person, fails, refuses, or neglects to 'do anything required by these regulations, or in any maimer obstructs, impedes, or interferes with tho doing of anything enjoined or authorised to bo done, or wilfully does anything prohibited by these regulations, every such person in any case so offending shall be liable to a penalty not exceedirt'g £100.

Except for trade -with European neutrals and her onetime .allies, all of Germany's trado has vanished. Her overseas exports before tho war reached something like £300,000.0!X> a yoar. Her loss in trade during the past four years is estimated at not less than £1,500,000,000.