Risks and hazards in the maritime industry
To protect employees and maintain healthy and safe workplaces, all hazards and risks need to be identified, assessed and, where practical, remedied.
Workplace health and safety requirements are specified in legislation and regulations.
Key principles, duties and rights
Key principles, duties and rights in relation to workplace health and safety are identified in the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993.
Of note, operators of a prescribed ship or prescribed unit must:
- take all reasonable steps to protect employee health and safety at work
- ensure their workplaces are safe for employees and without risk to their health
- provide and maintain safe access to and from the workplace
- give employees the information, instruction, training and supervision they need to perform their work safely and without risk to their health.
Incidents and accidents
Responsibilities relating to health and safety incidents are detailed in the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Regulations 1995.
See Responding to an incident for more information.
Specific hazards
Obligations regarding specific hazards in the workplace are outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Maritime Industry)(Nationals Standards) Regulations 2003.
We provide some of the risks and hazards relevant to the maritime industry, with resources to help health and safety representatives (HSRs), employers and employees address them.
Confined spaces
- Part 4 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) (Nationals Standards) Regulations 2003
- Confined Spaces Training guidance (PDF, 589.1 KB)
- Confined spaces – Safe Work Australia.
Drugs and alcohol
- Drugs and alcohol – Safe Work Australia
- Work-Related Alcohol and Drug Use: A Fit for Work Issue – Safe Work Australia
- Alcohol and drugs in the workplace – Australia’s National Research Centre on Alcohol and Other Drugs Workforce Development.
Fatigue
- Safety bulletin - Fatigue – Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
- Fatigue is a safety issue – International Maritime Organization
- Guide for managing the risk of fatigue at work – Safe Work Australia
- Fatigue – Comcare.
Hazardous substances
- Part 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) (Nationals Standards) Regulations 2003
- Hazardous chemicals – Safe Work Australia
- Chemical hazards – Comcare.
Manual handling
- Part 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) (Nationals Standards) Regulations 2003
- Lifting, pushing and pulling (manual handling) – Safe Work Australia
- Manual handling (Lifting, pushing and pulling) – Comcare.
Psychosocial hazards
- Mental health resources and supports – Seacare Authority
- Good work design and applying it to psychosocial risks – Safe Work Australia
- Psychosocial health and safety and bullying in Australian workplaces – Safe Work Australia
- Psychosocial hazards – Comcare
- Beyondblue
- The Black Dog Institute
- Lifeline.
Remote or isolated work
- Remote or isolated work - Safe Work Australia
- Remote or isolated work – Comcare