Maritime New Zealand administers the health and safety regulations for work on board ships and where ships are places of work; as well as providing health and safety resources.

These regulations come under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

Learn about the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992

The Department of Labour deals with health and safety issues that arise ashore.

We provide a range of health and safety resources; these are listed below. You can request printed copies of these resources from us. Please include which resource(s) you want and your address details.

Email Maritime New Zealand publications

Health & safety - a guide

This handbook outlines the health and safety regulations for the maritime sector, including how to keep your workplace healthy and safe. It is for:

owners, operators, skippers and crew
stevedores
jet boat drivers
rafting guides
self employed crew, including share fishers
anyone who employs or contracts the people described above
any other person who comes on board, or employs or contracts someone to go on board a vessel on business.

Health & safety - a guide [PDF: 1.8Mb, 37 pages]

Code of safe working practices for merchant seafarers

This very detailed publication is for seafarers working on New Zealand registered SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) ships.

Code of safe working practices for merchant seafarers

Code of practice in health and safety in port operations

This Code covers safety precautions for port operations. It includes health and safety standards for those working on the waterfront and on ships in port.

Code of practice for health and safety in port operations

Fatigue management resources

These resources will help seafarers, vessel owners and managers who work in the maritime industry to better understand and manage fatigue and to prevent onboard fatigue-related accidents.

Fatigue management resources

Safety guidelines for passenger and non-passenger vessels

A manual put together by operators of commercial passenger and non-passenger vessels. It provides guidelines on the safe operation of these types of vessels. Part One is about specific identified hazards. Part Two covers vessel operations. Part Three is general information on health and safety.

Safety guidelines for passenger and non-passenger vessels [PDF: 4.03Mb, 129 pages]

FishSAFE - guidelines for small commercial fishing vessels

The FishSAFE website provides best practice safety guidelines aimed at minimising accident and injury rates amongst the inshore fishing fleet.

Safety guidelines for small commercial fishing vessels [FishSAFE]

Workplace health and safety strategy for New Zealand

This strategy provides a national vision and strategic direction for workplace health and safety (across all sectors) through until 2015.

Workplace health and safety strategy [Department of Labour]