52. The supports and ropes or tackle carrying a stage shall have a factor of safety of not less than six.

53. Every person who is required to work on a stage at a height greater than 3 m shall wear a safety belt fitted with a safety line that is rigged to a life line so as to limit the free fall of a person from the stage to not more than 1.2 m.

• 54. (1) Every access ladder or gangway between a ship and the shore or between one ship and another ship shall provide a safe means of access between the ship and shore or between the ships, as the case may be.

• (2) Every ship that is in dry dock or moored alongside a wharf or other ship shall be fitted with at least one access ladder or gangway that, in the opinion of a qualified person, complies with subsection (1).

• (3) Where an access ladder or gangway leads to a location on board a ship at a height of more than 1 m above the deck, safe access to the deck shall be provided by means of a series of steps or some similar structure.

• (4) Where a bulwark ladder is used to provide the safe access to the deck of a ship required by subsection (3), it shall be firmly secured to the bulwark so as to prevent its shifting, slipping or pivoting and shall be equipped with two handhold stanchions

  • (a) each not less than 40 mm in diameter;

  • (b) each extending not less than 1.2 m above the top of the bulwark;

  • (c) fitted at the point of boarding or leaving the ship not less than 0.7 m and not more than 0.8 m apart; and

  • (d) firmly secured to the ship’s structure at or near the base of the ladder and at a higher point.

• 55. (1) Every access ladder and gangway shall

  • (a) be maintained in a safe condition;

  • (b) be secured to prevent its shifting and slipping;

  • (c) be suitably rigged and maintained to compensate for the movement of the ship;

  • (d) be adequately lighted; and

  • (e) have a lifebuoy with line, strategically placed and ready for immediate use.

• (2) When an access ladder is being used by a person to board or disembark from a ship, at least one end of the ladder shall be fastened securely and, if necessary to ensure safety, a person, other than a person engaged in manoeuvring the ship, shall be stationed at the ladder to assist the person using it.

• 56. (1) Safety nets shall be fitted under every part of an access ladder and gangway except where, in the opinion of a qualified person,

  • (a) the ladder or gangway and the approaches thereto are constructed in a manner that makes the fitting of a safety net unnecessary; or

  • (b) the fitting of a safety net is impracticable.

• (2) Safety nets shall

  • (a) extend on both sides of an access ladder or a gangway for a distance of 1.8 m; and

  • (b) be kept taut at all times.