1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its sixty-fifth
session (9 to 17 May 1995), agreed, in the light of a number of fatal
and serious accidents in ports due to the failure of cargo lifting
plant which indicated that the last recorded annual thorough examination
of the lifting plant was inadequate, and the consequential concern
expressed by the ports industry, that Member Governments should ensure
that those carrying out annual thorough examinations of ship or shore
cargo lifting plant in accordance with Article
23 of the International Labour Office's Occupational Safety
and Health (Dock Work) Convention (No. 152), thoroughly examine all
parts of such gear, including standing rigging.
2 Member Governments are reminded that International
Labour Office Convention No. 152, Article 23, paragraph 2, defines
a thorough examination as “a detailed visual examination by
a competent person, supplemented if necessary by other suitable means
or measures in order to arrive at a reliable conclusion as to the
safety of the appliance or loose gear to be examined". An examination
of a sample or parts of a lifting appliance is not sufficient to constitute
a thorough examination. A competent person is defined by Article 3(b) of the Convention as “a
person possessing the knowledge and experience for the performance
of a specific duty or duties and acceptable as such to the competent
authority".
3 Competent persons may be suitably qualified
members of the ships' crews, classification societies, manufacturers
or other shore-based organisations. However, examinations conducted
by ships' crews should not generally be accepted for sophisticated
lifting plant because of its complexity and the small number of crew
members with adequate experience and qualifications available.
4 In addition, the Maritime Safety Committee,
recognising the need for ship/shore co-operation to ensure the safe
handling of cargo in ports and the extensive work at the International
Labour Office in the field of occupational safety and health in dock
work, urges Member Governments to ratify ILO Convention No. 152.
5 This Circular is addressed to Member Governments
and interested international organisations for information and action
as appropriate.