Gangway Operations: Safety of the Accommodation Ladder
The revised guideline distinguishes design, fall protection and operational measures: PPE, safety net and access control depend on configuration, risk, Administration and SSP/SMS.
Operational Explanation
MSC.1/Circ.1331/Rev.1 is a guideline. Section 3.10 recommends lifejackets and safety harnesses for personnel rigging accommodation ladders and gangways; 1 July 2026 defines equipment installed on or after that date for construction standards, not a universal PPE commencement date.
Regulatory Reference
SOLAS II-1/3-9 gives effect to guidance for construction and installation of means of access. MSC.1/Circ.1331/Rev.1 §§1.2, 3.4, 3.8 and 3.10 separates installation date, design configuration, fall protection and recommended PPE; it does not create one independent universal date for every operational measure.
Scope of Application
Means of access subject to SOLAS II-1/3-9 and their approval. The 600 mm criterion concerns ladder design under stated conditions. Safety nets and side protection depend on fall risk and §3.8 alternatives. Access control follows the approved SSP and current security level.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Check approved configuration, angles, loads, winch and hoisting arrangement.
- Apply the §3.8 fall-risk criterion and determine whether side protection removes the need for a net.
- Implement guideline PPE under Administration and SMS requirements without inventing a universal date.
- Control access under the SSP and security level without presuming one open point or a 24/7 watchman.
Practical Example
Before port, the officer checks approved limits and configuration, assesses a net or equivalent protection from risk, applies PPE implemented in the SMS and controls access under the SSP and security level.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
Material errors include treating 600 mm as a universal operational clearance; linking a net only to water; assigning PPE an independent universal date; imposing a security configuration absent from the SSP; or treating ladder and winch as one lifting appliance.
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Do not trust visual perception of the angle alone: always verify the actual value against the limits indicated on the ladder.
- Treat the accommodation ladder as lifting equipment in every respect, not just as a pedestrian passage: it deserves the same inspection discipline.
- Always coordinate the ladder's structural safety with its role as a security control point: they are two different dimensions of the same critical point.
Preparation checklist
- Approved configuration and limits checked
- Net/side protection assessed under §3.8
- PPE applied under implementation and SMS
- Access controlled under SSP/security level
- Ladder distinguished from its winch
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 14 August 2026 · page fingerprint 9e09fe796fc7