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Telescopic accommodation ladders - Maritime NZ

Who this safety update is for

This maritime update is primarily for:

  • owners and operators of vessels with telescopic accommodation ladders who are subject to any of the following:
  • International Safety Management (ISM) Code under SOLAS
  • Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
  • Part 19 or Part 21 of the Maritime Rules.
  • It will also be of interest to:
  • maritime training facilities
  • Maritime NZ maritime inspectors, Maritime Officers, investigators, and technical advisors
  • owners and operators of vessels that:
  • use telescopic boarding arrangements, and
  • are not subject to the conventions and laws mentioned above.

Introduction

Serious injuries have occurred when deploying and retrieving telescopic accommodation ladders.

Telescopic accommodation ladders typically consist of two sections, a fixed upper section and a sliding lower section.

Typically, the upper section:

  • is mounted on deck
  • can pivot for deployment and stowage
  • is deployed or retrieved vertically by wire and chain rigging
  • may include motorised rack‑and‑pinion gears at its lower end for deploying and retracting the lower section.

Typically, the lower section:

  • slides along the fixed upper section by means of interlocking guides and rollers, or by means of a wire rigged through sheaves
  • is restrained in its sliding movement by fall wires on a winch.

Causes of serious harm or loss of life

Incorrect deployment and retrieval of telescopic accommodation ladders can result in serious harm or loss of life.

For example, sudden and unintended movement of the ladder can result in:

  • a person falling from height
  • a person being trapped between the two ladder sections.

Safety reminder

Owners and operators have health and safety obligations. These obligations include:

  • providing adequate training or supervision by a competent person so that workers can deploy, retrieve, and stow ladders safely, particularly when raising and collapsing handrails
  • as part of the vessel’s planned maintenance system, performing appropriate inspections of ladder components, including:
  • fixed and sliding sections of ladders
  • platforms
  • suspension points and davits
  • fall wires, sheaves, chains, winches, and brake mechanisms
  • remote control systems
  • developing safe methods of work and control measures, formalised as documented procedures such as standing instructions or checklists, and including these in the vessel’s safety management system.

When identifying hazards and assessing risks associated with operating these ladders, owners and operators must monitor and review the effectiveness of all procedures and control measures and revise them if necessary.

It is good practice for owners and operators to ensure that:

  • they keep up to date with applicable codes of practice and recommendations from accident or incident reports
  • crew are engaged to identify health and safety concerns and manage the associated risks. Engaging with crew to identify health and safety concerns and to manage the risks is required by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
  • procedures are supported by risk assessments and toolbox or pre‑work meetings
  • workers use or wear personal protective equipment correctly, such as personal flotation devices, safety harnesses, and fall‑arrest systems
  • the minimum number of workers needed to operate and support the safe operation of the ladder is established
  • an experienced crew member is nominated to supervise deployment, retrieval, and stowage of the ladder, especially when people are required to be on the ladder
  • crew watch for signs of fatigue in themselves and others, because fatigue can reduce situational awareness and increase the risk of human error
  • exclusion areas are set up where necessary. Exclusion areas may not be visible to the winch operator, so crew must immediately tell the winch operator if anyone enters an exclusion area
  • the ladder is rigged in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements.

Contact us

This document does not impose legal obligations and is not a substitute for applicable legal requirements. It is your responsibility to make sure you are operating under the latest legislation and to obtain legal advice where appropriate. You cannot rely on this guidance to be fully up to date.