Navigation (Health) Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1922, No. 1, made under the Navigation Act 1912-1920, aim to address the need for stringent health regulations for ships, particularly in relation to medical practitioners and first aid personnel on board. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, the Regulations are designed to ensure that ships, particularly those on long voyages, maintain appropriate health standards. This legislative instrument introduces amendments to the Navigation (Health) Regulations 1921, including the introduction of fees for overtime services of Medical Inspectors of Seamen and mandates the presence of qualified medical practitioners and first aid personnel on ships based on the size of the crew and the nature of the voyage. The policy objective is to enhance maritime safety and health by ensuring that adequate medical provisions are available on ships, particularly those on long voyages or carrying a significant number of people.

Scope and Application

These Statutory Rules, made under the Navigation Act 1912-1920, extend to all foreign-going ships and Australian-trade ships on voyages between consecutive ports of call exceeding 600 nautical miles. They apply to the owners and masters of such ships and mandate the carriage of a duly qualified medical practitioner or a person certified as qualified to render first aid, depending on the number of persons on board. The regulations specify the additional fees to be paid for overtime services of a Medical Inspector of Seamen and detail the approved authorities for the certification of first aid personnel. This legislation ensures that adequate medical provisions are available on ships to safeguard the health of crew and passengers during voyages, thereby upholding maritime health standards. The Regulations do not specify exclusions or exemptions but rely on the overarching provisions of the Navigation Act 1912-1920 for any necessary exceptions.

Key Provisions

The Statutory Rules 1922 No. 1, made under the Navigation Act 1912-1920, introduce several amendments to the Navigation (Health) Regulations 1921. These amendments include modifications to the charges for overtime services of Medical Inspectors of Seamen (regulation 3), and requirements for certain ships to carry medical personnel (regulations 4 and 5). Regulation 3 stipulates that for services provided outside ordinary working hours or on Sundays and holidays, an additional overtime charge must be paid. The fees are specified as 10 shillings and sixpence for services before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on a working day, and £1, 1 shilling, and 0 pence for services on a Sunday or holiday. Regulations 4 and 5 mandate that the owner or master of specific types of ships must ensure that a qualified medical practitioner or a person qualified to render first aid is part of the ship’s complement. Specifically, regulation 4 requires that foreign-going ships or Australian-trade ships on voyages longer than 600 nautical miles with 100 or more persons on board must carry a qualified medical practitioner. Regulation 5 extends this requirement to ships carrying between 11 and 99 persons, stipulating that such ships must carry a person certified as qualified to render first aid if they do not already have a qualified medical practitioner on board. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in various civil or administrative consequences. Although specific penalties are not detailed in the text, breaches of maritime regulations generally can lead to fines, vessel detention, or other administrative actions as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities. The exact nature and severity of the penalties would depend on the specific circumstances of the breach and any applicable maritime law or subsequent legislation.