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ShipBoard Safety Checklist- Safety & House Keeping Checklist

Modern shipping industry recognizes safety is the prime concern for all shipboard activities. Summarized below are some basic check items ensuring safe working environment onboard vessel.

These procedures are only indicative, not exhaustive in nature and one must always be guided by practices of good seamanship .


Accommodation -Safety checklist

1. All emergency lights operational, color coded and marked with "E"

2. Internal and external lighting in accommodation ok

3. Escape routes unobstructed; exits clearly marked

4. Safety signs and placards posted and clearly readable

5. All portable fire extinguishers & stowage locations numbered, in place & inspection dated

6. Life jackets, immersion suits & EEBDs correctly stowed & marked

7. Adequate number of ashtrays provided and correctly placed. (On Tankers-Safety ash trays)

8. For safety reasons, fire station not locked but only sealed

9. Internal communications equipment tested and operating correctly

10. Muster list signed and properly displayed at appropriate locations

Accommodation - Housekeeping/General checklist

11. Is the cleanliness of common rooms satisfactory


• Mess rooms & smoking rooms

• Gymnasium

• Laundry

• Ship's Office & Cargo control room

• Changing rooms

• Common toilets and showers


12. Cleanliness of all cabins, alleyways and staircases satisfactory

13. All garbage bins & lids in common spaces, color coded, labeled and made of non-combustible material. In cabins, 2 bins available (1 for plastic)

14. Area free of overloaded, unauthorised or jury-rigged electrical items

15. Galley and food storage areas:


• Cold chambers set at correct temperatures

• Pots, knives, cooking utensils are clean

• Provision chambers are clean

• Any signs of cockroaches or other

• Infestation in the galley or storage areas

• Reefer chamber alarm tested and working

• Food products are within expiry dates


16. Catering personnel comply with the following:


• Any wound, cut or illness reported to master

• Wounds, cuts are appropriately covered

• No smoking in galley/mess rooms (tankers)

• Washing hands with soap prior handling food


17. Quality of fresh water is good

18. Stores are neatly stowed in lockers

19. Approved First Aid supplies are readily available, accessible and clearly marked

20. Hospital is clean, unoccupied and ready for use

21. Garbage properly stowed, segregated & disposed



Machinery spaces -Safety checklist

22. Escape routes, ladders and emergency exits unobstructed and clearly marked

23. All handrails, guard-rails and safety guards correctly fitted and secured to protect against fall

24. Spare life-jackets marked and in good order, emergency equipment accessible and operational

25. All lights operational, stairways and work areas adequately lit, emergency lighting in E/R checked

26. “No Hot Work” stenciled on all fuel and lub oil tanks in E/R

27. Safety signs and placards posted and clearly readable

28. Switchboard area clear and free of obstructions and rubber mats in position

29. All portable fire extinguishers correctly stowed, accessible and inspection dated

30. All fixed fire-fighting equipment unobstructed and in good condition

31. All personnel wear correct personal protective gear

32. High voltage areas clearly marked

33. Muster lists displayed

34. Protective guards for rotating machinery properly secured in place

35. Steering gear space free from oil, gratings or non-slip surfaces in place around the steering gear

36. Shielding of high pressure fuel pipes in place, steam pipes properly insulated

37. Self-closing device on sounding pipes and glass level gauges functional & not tied in open posn

38. Steam, water or oil leaks anywhere in the machinery space

39. Area free of spilt oil, grease, combustible rubbish, tools and equipment not in use

40. Area free of combustible liquids in open containers

41. Pipe Insulations are oil free

42. Walkways, stairways and ladders clear of obstructions

43. Walkways, stairways and ladders are clean, dry and have non-skid surfaces where appropriate

44. Low clearance limits stripe marked

45. Oil soaked rags and other flammable materials kept in covered non-combustible bins

46. Supplies and materials properly stored

47. Chemicals properly labelled and stored, acids & alkalis segregated, MSDS & PPE available at site

48. Approved First Aid supplies readily available, accessible and clearly marked

49. Bilges free of oil

50. Is the engine room workshop tidy with equipment protected as required & safety instructions posted



Deck area - Safety checklist

51. Escape routes and embarking areas marked, unobstructed and no slipping and tripping hazards

52. “Danger-Enclosed Space” marked outside all such spaces having access other than via manholes

53. All deck lights operational and in sound enclosures

54. All hand-rails and guard-rails correctly fitted and secure, all ladderways guarded by railings

55. All safety & hazard zone identification signs posted & readable, fire plan wallets updated

56. HRU's for life rafts and EPIRB's correctly fitted (incl. weak link) and within expiry date

57. All lifebuoys correctly stowed, life buoy lights and smoke markers valid & in good condition

58. Lifeboats in good condition

59. All personnel wearing correct personal protective gear

60. Decks and walkways free form oil / grease and is there anti-slip paint at mooring areas

61. Piping systems on deck are properly clamped

62. W/T doors closing properly with packing in good condition

63. All weather tight hatches closing properly with packing in good condition

64. Is the oil pollution clean-up equipment in good condition and are the storage locations clearly marked?

65. Deck cranes, mooring winches & windlasses are free from oil leakages

66. Area free of combustible rubbish and tools and equipment which are not in use

67. Area free of leaking pipes and fittings

68. Supplies and materials are properly stored

69. All cans in paint store are closed, cargo & bunker samples on tankers are stowed in paint store

70. MSDS provided and readily accessible. (Paints, chemicals & Tanker Cargos)

71. Drip trays are in good condition empty and clean with capacity clearly marked

72. All sounding caps in place & properly tightened?



Other areas (Tankers) -Safety & house keeping checklist

73. Cargo pump rooms are marked with entry requirements

74. Pump room rescue equipment ready for use

75. Pump room- Internal communications equipment tested and operating correctly

76. Pump room-Cargo pump glands visually inspected for leaks and marked

77. Pump room- Area free of leaking pipes and fittings, bilges free of oil & water

78. Pump room lighting in good order

79. Emergency towing arrangements forward and aft ready for use

80. No unsafe camera, cell phones, torch, walky-talkie or other electronic equipment in use on deck

81. Electrical conductivity arrangement at flanges of cargo,COW & electric cable pipes in good order


Further Reading


How to ensure safe working atmosphere in the engine room

Ships crew familiarization training onboard

Job specific training onboard



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    ShipBoard Safety Checklist- Safety & House Keeping Checklist....




Other info pages !

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Cargo & Ballast Handling Safety Guideline
Reefer cargo handling Troubleshoot and countermeasures
DG cargo handling Procedures & Guidelines
Safety in engine room Standard procedures
Questions from user and feedback Read our knowledgebase
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