# The Merchant Shipping (Hours of Work) Regulations 1995, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations give effect in part to the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention 1976 (International Labour Organisation Convention 147) (Cmnd 7183) laid before Parliament on 24th April 1978 and ratified by the United Kingdom and which is in force internationally, which requires that safety standards regarding hours of work be established.
These Regulations place general duties on operators, employers and masters of United Kingdom sea-going merchant ships (excluding fishing vessels and pleasure craft) to ensure that masters and seamen do not work more hours than are safe for the ship.
Working hours and rest periods of masters and seamen, whose work includes regular watchkeeping or ship handling, and chief engineers, chief officers and second engineer officers are to be laid down in a schedule of duties to be produced and displayed on all vessels. The duties specified in the schedule of duties do not apply in certain emergency situations.
General duties are also placed on seamen to use their best endeavours to be adequately rested, before and during a voyage. Penalties are prescribed for breaches of the Regulations, and power to detain ships is provided.
A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Marine Safety Agency, Department of Transport, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1EG. A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/157/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-hours-of-work-regulations-1995/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.