Background
Directive 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels is the thirteenth individual Directive within the meaning of article 16.1 of the OSH Framework Directive (89/391/EEC). The Directive contains provisions for owners of fishing vessels of 15 meters in length an over.
Definitions
The terms "fishing vessel", "new fishing vessel", "existing fishing vessel", "vessel", "worker", "owner" and "skipper" are defined.
Contents
Member States must take necessary measures to ensure that:
• owners ensure their vessels are used without endangering the safety and health of workers;
• occurrences at sea that affect or could affect the safety or health of workers are described in a report that should be forwarded to the relevant competent authorities and are recorded in the ship’s log or similar document;
• vessels are subject to regular checks by authorities.
New and existing fishing vessels must comply with the minimum health and safety requirements laid down in the Annexes. Where a vessel undergoes extensive repairs, conversions or alterations, these must also comply with the relevant minimum requirements laid down in the Annexes.
Member States must take necessary measures to ensure that owners:
• ensure that vessels and their fittings and equipment are technically maintained and that defects found are rectified as quickly as possible;
• take measures to ensure that vessels and all fittings and equipment are cleaned regularly to maintain an appropriate level of hygiene;
• keep on board the vessel an adequate quantity of suitable emergency and survival equipment in good working order;
• take account of the minimum safety and health requirements concerning life-saving and survival equipment given in Annex III;
• take account of the personal protective equipment specifications given in Annex IV;
• supply the skipper with the means needed to enable him to fulfil the obligations imposed by this Directive.
Workers and their representatives must be informed of all measures to be taken regarding safety and health on board vessels and this information must be comprehensible to the workers concerned.
Workers must be given suitable training on safety and health on board vessels and on accident prevention. The training must cover fire fighting, the use of life-saving and survival equipment, the use of fishing gear and hauling equipment as well as the use of signs and hand signals. Moreover, any person likely to command a vessel must be given detailed training.
Member States must report to the Commission every five years following the implementation of this Directive.
Annexes
Annex I: Minimum safety and health requirements for new fishing vessels
Annex II: Minimum safety and health requirements for existing fishing vessels
Annex III: Minimum safety and health requirements concerning life-saving and survival equipment
Annex IV: Minimum safety and health requirements concerning personal protective equipment
Read the full text of the Directive
National laws implementing this Directive
Further information
- Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the practical implementation of Health and Safety at Work Directives 93/103/EC (fishing vessels) and 92/29/EEC (medical treatment on board vessels) (2009)
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/531 of 24 November 2014 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council by identifying the costs eligible for support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in order to improve hygiene, health, safety and working conditions of fishermen, protect and restore marine biodiversity and ecosystems, mitigate climate change and increase the energy efficiency of fishing vessels
- Evaluation of the Practical Implementation of the EU Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Directives in EU Member States - Directive regarding work on board fishing vessels (2017)