“ Health, Safety and Work Environment in the sector of Maritime transport in Bulgaria ”

Tripartite Workshopon health, safety and environment in the workplace in the pilot sector “Maritime transport” with the participation of Norwegian representatives “Health, Safety and Work Environment in the sector of Maritime transport in Bulgaria” Krasimir Valchev, Chairman of the “Seafearers’ Trade Union” at CITUB Albena, 15-17September 2010

Characteristics of the maritime transport 1. Vessels stock/fleet. • Tonnage Small, medium and big tonnage which impacts in a different way the health and safety at work as well as the protection of the environment. • Age We can definitely point out that the older vessels have much more prerequisites for accidents, but we can also point out that the maintenance of the ship is very important for its safety. • Type Vessels transporting different type of cargos and those which are specialized are dangerous at different levels and that’s why specific protective equipment, training and preparation are needed.

Characteristics of the maritime transport 2. Work and life conditions • Geographical – temperature and time differences • Physical– magnetism, vibrations, noise. • Metrological – wind and dead waves, wind and air pressure. • Technical – dangers related to repair and maintenance of the technical equipment of the vessel. • Sanitary/hygienic – place for work, sleep and food – a threat of spreading infections. Periods of shaking under 6 seconds. • Social-psychological – limited space and limited social communications. Insufficient information, esp. regarding family and friends

Characteristics of the maritime transport • 3. Healthcare and medical treatment • Medical fitness – the standards are especially important for diminishing the death cases and the prerequisites for severe trauma and injuries. • Aid and medical treatment in case of disease – a problem with the emergency aid in case of severe clinical crises – heart attacks, kidney diseases, appendicitis, etc. • Severe trauma and medical conditions – necessity of in time and competent first aid, preparation and distance consultation. Contemporary systems for medical aid and appropriate preliminary diagnostics and medical treatment before going on board of the vessel

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION 1. Requirements of the law and its application • Prevention of the occupational risks; • Protection of health and safety; • Elimination of risks and the reasons for the work related traumas and occupational diseases; • Information, consultations and training; • Balanced participation.

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION The employer implements the measures by providing the main principles of prevention: • Avoidance of risks; • Assessment of risks that are impossible to be avoided; • Limitation of the sources of the risks; • Adaptation of the work to the worker, especially with regard to the projection of the work places, the choice of work equipment, work and production methods with the aim of facilitation or elimination of the monotonous work, the work with imposed rhythm as well as the reduction of their influence upon the health of the worker; • Introduction in accordance with the technological progress;

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION The employer implements the measures by providing the main principles of prevention: • Replacement of the dangerous with safe or less dangerous; • Indicating of the existing dangers and sources of harmful factors and conditions; • Application of coherent overall policy for prevention, covering the sphere of technology, work organization, work conditions, social relations and the impact of the elements of the work environment and work process; • Use of the collective protective equipment with priority to the individual protective equipment; • Giving the workers relevant instructions.

ISM Code – characteristics and application The aims of the company in the management of the safety are inter alia: • Provision of safe work and safe work environment; • Provision of prevention measures for certain risks; • Incessant improvement of the skills of the costal and ship personnel for safety management including preparation in case of emergencies, related to safety and environmental protection. • The system for the management of the safe exploitation of the vessels and environmental protection should provide: • Accordance with the compulsory regulations and acts; • Taking into account the applicable codes, guidance and standards, recommended by the organization, administration, classification organizations and naval industrial organizations

ISM Code – characteristics and application The requirements of this code are applicable to all vessels. • Each company elaborates, applies and maintains a system for management of the safe exploitation of vessels and pollution protection which should include the following functional requirements: • Policy for safety and environmental protection; • Instructions and procedures for provision of safe exploitation of the vessels and environmental protection in accordance with the state and international legislation; • Defining the hierarchy levels and communication channels between the costal and ship personnel; • Procedures for reporting accidents and discrepancies with the clauses of this code; • Procedures for preparation and reaction in case of emergency; • Procedures for internal audits and supervision of the management

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION 2. WCC, WCG and Safety Council and committees. Bodies in accordance with both acts and their functioning define the organization and control of the activities related to health and safety at work and environmental protection. 3. The role of the individual safety equipmentfor the decrease of the work related accidents – their provision is not enough, it is more important that they are used. The strict control and sanctions are especially important for the diminishing the risk and work related accidents. 4. Risk and risky situations.

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION 4. Risk and risky situations. 4.1. Risk assessment – a system for the different situations and analysis of the preliminary information and hypothetical situation. • The company should elaborate procedures for finding out, description and management of the potential emergencies on board. • The company should develop programs for exercises and training with the aim of preparing the personnel for acting in case of emergency. • In the system of management of the safe exploitation of ships and prevention of pollution measures should be envisaged which should allow the company to cope with the dangers, accidents and emergencies, related to vessels in any time

POLICY ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION 4. Risk and risky situations. 4.2. Actions in case of risky situations and implementation of the acquired knowledge and skills 4.3. Work in extreme situations – the more trainings and exercises have been done, the more it is likely that the situation should be overcome – typical for a fire on board (a situation which is most likely to lead to casualties]. 5. Risk prevention. • Settlement of technical and technological problems • Training and instructions – initial, periodical and everyday related to the concrete activity even if it’s leading to a minimum risk. • Trainings – conventional and targeted – the best way for prevention of the consequences of the risk situations and accidents on board.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation 1. Communications and training. Increase the quality and quantity of the acquisition of skills and knowledge for the respective posts. Improvement of the quality of the training. Directing the efforts to priority possible risks and accidents, estimated by analysis of information, and observations done by each crew member, documented and summarized in appropriate way. 2. Control of the respect of safety procedures. Important element of the prevention of accidents and incidents on board of the ship. Analysis and comparison of the acting procedures and the results of their application as well as the additional information provided by the crew.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation 3. Engaging the crews in the risk prevention. Indication of all situation that are considered risky or would lead to an accident and increasing the personal responsibility of each crew member for his own health and safety taking into account his health condition whether it would allow him to cope with the extreme life and work conditions on board. Most fatal accidents are due mainly to the above stated. We should well aware that if we cheat the doctors we cheat only ourselves and risk our health and life and this could cause hard psychological trauma to the other members of the crew. 4. Good practices – they should be encouraged by all means – with all kind of stimulus but most of all they should be disseminated amongst all crews and to be adopted as procedures by the companies without delay.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation The aim is to provide the necessary training and qualification of the crews in accordance with the requirements of the conventions, laws and act s, of the flag state and those of the company and ship owner. For a better effectiveness when implementing the aim it is necessary: 1. The captains of the ships should plan and carry out trainings taking into account the risks and the environment protection, to qualify the crews for actions in case of emergency, to analyze the trainings and to decide if additional ones are necessary. Each crew member should have knowledge and skills to perform his duties in case of emergency according the plans and requirements of the ISM code.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation 2. The captains should provide trainings and qualification activities for certain emergency situations in such a way that the crew understands the potential dangers in order to increase its effectiveness and the speed of reaction in case of emergency. 3. The time of education and trainings on board requires full respect by each crew member and should be considered as working time and if a certain member of the crew is neglecting it this should be taken into account when employing him for the next job on board.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation 4.The standard trainings for fire emergency, etc should be carried out regularly in accordance with the international requirements. 5. The fire safety equipment – removable and stationary, the collective and individual safety equipment should be also regularly checked up in accordance with the instructions of the producer. 6. Such trainings should be carried out at least once per month and if it is not possible to be carried out the reasons for this should be given in a written report.

Directions for improvement of health and safety at work in maritime navigation 7. The captains should assess the effectiveness of the carried out trainings for actions in case of accidents and emergency situations following the ship emergency plans. The results should be discussed during the ship committees. 8. During the trainings special attention should be given on safety and an initial instruction for avoidance of the accidents should be provided. 9. For the implementation of a reliable control and analysis of the results of the trainings they should be documented strictly including their inscription into the ship diary. Those inscriptions should be kept long enough in order to be controlled effectively and corrective measures to be undertaken if necessary.

“ Health, Safety and Work Environment in the sector of Maritime transport in Bulgaria ”