HM Coast Guard presented a check list of compliance, highlighting the main requirements operators need to check in order to comply with ILO 188.
The International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention ILO 188, which came into force in the UK in December 2018, entitles all fishermen to written terms and conditions of employment (a fisherman’s work agreement), decent accommodation and food, medical care, regulated working time, repatriation, social protection and health and safety on board.
Many fishing vessel owners are already doing much of what is required in these new regulations but to make sure you can comply with all the new regulations and in advance of your next fishing vessel inspection, we want to offer guidance on how you can meet the regulations and find the information you need,
…Dave Fenner, Head of Fishing Safety at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, said.
The regulations cover three things: Safety, Terms and Conditions for everyone working on the vessel and Health. For most owners, the priority is to check the new standards for Safety at Work and the Terms & Conditions for workers because these requirements are in force now.
Safety
Make sure you have done the following:
-Discussed and written a formal risk assessment for your vessel
-Checked the Marine Guidance Notes below:
- MGN 588 ILO work in fishing convention health and safety PFDs
(If after doing a written risk assessment on your vessel you can’t discount the possibility of a Man Overboard, then you must wear a Personal Flotation Device on deck.) - MGN 596 – Fishing safety: Helping to improve safety – Fishing Vessels
- MGN 587 ILO work in fishing convention health and safety responsibilities
Terms & Conditions for Fishermen
Make sure you have done the following:
-Written a fisherman’s work agreement for all the fishermen on your vessel
-Checked the Marine Guidance Notes below:
- MGN 583 ILO work in fishing convention, fisherman’s work agreements
- MGN 585 ILO work in fishing convention payment of fishermen
- MGN 584 work in fishing convention repatriation
- MSN 1882 ILO work in fishing convention minimum age
Health
Make sure you have done the following:
-Checked you have your certificate of medical fitness available in advance of the required date. For most vessels under 24 metres and fishing inshore waters, medical fitness certificates will not be required until 2023, but it depends on where and how long you are out fishing.
-Checked the Marine Guidance Notes below:
- MIN 575 ILO work in fishing convention medical certification grandfather rights
- MGN 586 ILO work in fishing convention medical care
- MSN 1883 ILO work in fishing convention medical examination and certification
- MSN 1886 MLC and ILO 188 medical standards
