Why is a safety net needed under a gangway or accommodation ladder?
Short answer
| Requirement | Source |
|---|---|
| A safety net where a person may fall from the access or between ship and quay | MSC.1/Circ.1331 §3.8 |
| Nets of suitable dimensions and strength, the whole length covered, securely rigged ashore and on board | COSWP chapter 22 (§22.3) |
| The shipowner’s duty to protect against foreseeable hazards | MLC 2006 Standard A4.3 |
| India | MS Act 2025 s.57 |
- Purpose: to catch a person or object falling from the means of access, so a fall does not become a death in the gap between ship and quay.
- Required: MSC.1/Circ.1331 §3.8: a safety net shall be mounted where a person may fall from the means of embarkation or between ship and quayside.
- Standard (COSWP chapter 22, §22.3): nets of suitable dimensions and strength; rigged where a fall from the access, quay or deck is possible; the whole length covered where practicable; securely rigged ashore and on board.
- Legal duty: MLC 2006 Standard A4.3; in India MS Act 2025 s.57 and DGMA’s occupational-safety requirements.
- Effective in practice: full length, low and taut enough to arrest a fall, strong points both sides, inspected when rigged and as the ship moves and the tide changes.
- As Chief Engineer: I check it is rigged, full-length, taut and secured before the access is used.
Full answer
The full answer explains each point step by step, with the regulations and figures behind it and the discussion from other candidates. It is in the MEO Class I section of the Marine One forum, open to members enrolled for the MEO Class I exam.