STATUTORY RULES.
1959. No. 54.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVIGATION ACT 1912-1956.*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Navigation Act 1912-1956.
Dated this twenty sixth day of June, 1959.
W. J. Slim
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Minister of State for Shipping and Transport.
NAVIGATION (MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT) REGULATIONS.
Citation.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Navigation (Miscellaneous Equipment) Regulations.
Interpretation.
2.—(1.) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—
“Class I. ship” means a passenger steamship registered in Australia or engaged in the coasting trade, other than a Class IV. ship;
“Class II. ship” means a cargo steamship registered in Australia or engaged in the coasting trade, other than a Class IV. ship;
“Class III. ship” means a sailing ship (whether fitted with a mechanical auxiliary means of propulsion or not) registered in Australia or engaged in the coasting trade;
“Class IV. ship” means a steamship engaged in trading only on the River Murray and its tributaries.
(2.) Where a word or phrase used in these Regulations is defined in section 187a of the Navigation Act 1912-1956, that word or phrase as so used shall, unless the contrary intention appears, have the meaning given to it in that section.
(3.) In these Regulations, a reference to the tonnage of a ship shall be read as a reference to the gross registered tonnage of the ship.
Barometers.
3. A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with a barometer.
Chronometers.
4.—(1.) Subject to this regulation, a ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with a chronometer.
(2.) The last preceding sub-regulation does not apply to a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship if the ship is a limited coast-trade ship of less than three hundred tons.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 26 June, 1959.
754/59.—Price 5d. 9/27.5.1959.
(3.) Where, in regard to a ship that is a limited coast-trade ship of less than one thousand six hundred tons, the Director is satisfied that the nature of the trade in which the ship is engaged renders compliance with the requirement of sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation unnecessary, he may, by writing under his hand, exempt the ship from that requirement.
Anchors, chain cables, hawsers and warps.
5. A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with anchors, chain cables, hawsers and warps in such numbers, and of such weight and strength, as the Director determines having regard to the size and intended service of the ship.
Accommodation ladders and gangways.
6.—(1.) A Class I. ship of not less than five hundred tons shall be provided with an accommodation ladder fitted on each side of the ship.
(2.) A ship that is—
(a) a Class I. ship of less than five hundred tons; or
(b) a Class II. ship, a Class III. ship or a Class IV. ship,
shall be provided with—
(c) an accommodation ladder fitted on each side of the ship; or
(d) a gangway capable of being used on either side of the ship.
(3.) An accommodation ladder or a gangway provided in accordance with this regulation—
(a) shall be at least twenty-two inches wide;
(b) shall be furnished with steps or transverse treads as suitable stepping intervals; and
(c) shall be so equipped with handrails as to permit its use for its intended purpose without contravening the next succeeding regulation.
Use of accommodation ladders, &c., on Australian ships.
7.—(1.) The master of a ship to which this regulation applies shall not permit the use of a gangway or an accommodation ladder provided in the ship (other than an accommodation ladder to which the next succeeding sub-regulation applies) unless the gangway or ladder is furnished along the whole length of one side with a handrail of a prescribed type and along the whole length of the other side with a handrail of a prescribed type.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
(2.) The master of a ship to which this regulation applies shall not permit the use of an accommodation ladder one side of which is resting against the side of the ship unless the ladder is furnished along the whole length of its other side with a handrail of a prescribed type.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
(3.) For the purposes of this regulation, each of the following types of handrail is a prescribed type of handrail:—
(a) a fixed handrail consisting of rails not more than two feet apart, the upper rail being not less than three feet six inches above the level of the gangway or accommodation ladder; and
(b) a removable handrail consisting of taut ropes or chains not more than two feet apart, the upper rope or chain being not less than three feet six inches above the level of the gangway or accommodation ladder, supported by stanchions not more than six feet six inches apart, each stanchion being fitted with means to prevent accidental dislodgement.
(4.) This regulation applies to Class I. ships, Class II. ships, Class III. ships and Class IV. ships.
Use of accommodation ladders, &c, on foreign ships.
8.—(1.) The master of a ship to which this regulation applies shall not permit the use of a gangway or accommodation ladder on the ship (other than an accommodation ladder to which the next succeeding sub-regulation applies) unless the gangway or ladder is furnished along the whole length of each side with an adequate handrail.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
(2.) The master of a ship to which this regulation applies shall not permit the use of an accommodation ladder one side of which is resting against the side of the ship unless the ladder is furnished along the whole length of its other side with an adequate handrail.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
(3.) In this regulation, “adequate handrail” means a handrail that, in the opinion of a surveyor, is as adequate as—
(a) in the case of a fixed handrail—a handrail of the type specified in paragraph (a) of sub-regulation (3.) of the last preceding regulation; or
(b) in the case of a removable handrail—a handrail of the type specified in paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (3.) of the last preceding regulation.
(4.) This regulation applies to ships in ports in Australia other than ships to which the last preceding regulation applies.
Safety nets.
9.—(1.) This regulation applies to Class I. ships, Class II. ships and Class III. ships and to any other ships that are in ports in Australia.
(2.) A safety net that complies with the requirements of this regulation shall be provided for each accommodation ladder or gangway carried on board a ship to which this regulation applies.
(3.) A safety net shall be approximately eighteen feet in length and approximately eight feet in width and shall be made of rope not less than one and one-half inches in circumference.
(4.) A side of the mesh of a safety net shall not exceed seven and one-half inches in length and each mesh shall be securely seized at each corner.
(5.) A rope of not less than one and one-half inches in circumference and of adequate length shall be fitted at each corner of the net.
Use of safety nets.
10.—(1.) The master of a ship shall not permit the use of an accommodation ladder suspended in the tackles, and resting against the side, of the ship unless a safety net provided in accordance with the last preceding regulation is in place beneath the lower end of the ladder in a position calculated to protect from injury a person who may fall from the ladder.
(2.) The master of a ship shall not permit the use of a gangway or an accommodation ladder (other than an accommodation ladder to which the last preceding sub-regulation applies) unless a safety net provided in accordance with the last preceding regulation is in place beneath the upper end of the gangway or ladder in a position calculated to protect from injury a person who may fall from the gangway or ladder.
Penalty: Fifty pounds.
Depth-sounding devices.
11.—(1.) A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with two hand lead lines each at least twenty-five fathoms in length and each having a lead weighing at least seven pounds.
(2.) A ship that is—
(a) a Class I. ship;
(b) a Class II. ship of not less than five hundred tons; or
(c) a Class III. ship of not less than five hundred tons,
shall be provided with a mechanical depth-sounding device, together with such accessories and spare parts as are sufficient, in the judgment of a surveyor, having regard to the type of device and to the trade of the ship, to enable the device to be maintained in working order at all times while the ship is at sea.
(3.) Where a ship of less than five hundred tons, being a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship, is not provided with a mechanical depth-sounding device, the ship shall be provided with—
(a) a deep-sea lead line at least one hundred and twenty fathoms in length;
(b) two leads each weighing twenty-eight pounds; and
(c) a suitable reel.
International Code flags.
12. A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with a set of flags of the International Code and a code book corrected to date.
Hand flags.
13. A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with a pair of hand signalling flags.
Signalling lamp.
14. A ship (other than a ship to which section 191b of the Navigation Act 1912-1956 applies) that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with—
(a) a morse-signalling lamp; or
(b) a daylight-signalling lamp of a type approved by the Director.
Pilot ladders.
15.—(1.) A ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall be provided with a pilot ladder that complies with the requirements specified in the next succeeding sub-regulation.
(2.) A pilot ladder shall—
(a) be so constructed and equipped that it is capable of being used on either side of the ship in such a manner that a person can pass safely from the head of the ladder to the deck of the ship;
(b) be of sufficient length to reach the water when the ship is unloaded and has no list; and
(c) be provided on each side with a manrope of a circumference of not less than two and one-half inches.
(3.) A ship that is provided with a pilot ladder in accordance with the last preceding sub-regulation shall be provided with means for illuminating the pilot ladder.
(4.) The Director may, if he considers that a ship is so small that the provision of a pilot ladder is unnecessary, by writing under his hand, exempt the ship from the requirements of this regulation.
Class IV. ships.
16. A Class IV. ship shall be provided with such safety appliances in addition to the equipment required to be provided in a Class IV. ship by the other provisions of these Regulations as, in the opinion of the Director, are necessary for the safety of the ship.
Ship to be equipped in accordance with these Regulations.
17. The master of a ship that is a Class I. ship, a Class II. ship or a Class III. ship shall not take the ship to sea unless the ship is provided with equipment in accordance with these Regulations.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.