Directive 92/29/EEC - medical treatment on board vessels

The Directive aims to ensure that minimum safety and health systems are in place to improve medical treatment on board vessels.

Background
Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels contains provisions for the owners of fishing vessels who are obliged to ensure that their vessels carry medical supplies. The specific requirements depend on the category of the vessel.

Definitions
The terms "vessel", "worker", "owner", "medical supplies" and "antidote" are defined. Three categories of vessels are defined which are described in full in Annex I of the Directive.

Contents
Each Member State shall take the measures necessary to ensure that:

every vessel flying its flag or registered by it always carries on board medical supplies which meet the specifications for the category of vessel to which it belongs to;
the quantities of medicinal products and medical equipment are determined according to the characteristics of the voyage, the activities to be carried out during the voyage, the nature of the cargo, and the number of workers;
the content of the medical supplies are detailed on a check-list corresponding to the general framework laid down in Annex IV of the Directive;
every vessel carries a watertight medicine chest for each of its lifeboats;
the content of medicine chests is detailed on the check-list;
every vessel that is more than 500 gross tonnes, with a crew of 15 or more workers and is engaged on a voyage of more than three days has a sick bay;
every vessel that has a crew of 100 or more workers and is engaged on an international voyage of more than three days has a doctor on board.

Any vessel carrying dangerous substances must have medical supplies including antidotes appropriate to the danger presented by such substances. In principle, all antidotes should be carried on ferry-type vessels since the nature of the dangerous substances transported on these vessels is not always known well enough in advance. The content of the supplies must be detailed on a check-list.

The provision and replenishment of the medical supplies are to be undertaken on the responsibility and at the expense of the owner. Responsibility for the management of the supplies lies with the captain.
The medical supplies must be accompanied by a guide to their use. Professional maritime training must include instruction in medical and emergency measures. The captain and the worker or workers to whom he delegates the use of the medical supplies must receive special medical training in accordance with the general guidelines of Annex V.
Medical supplies must be subjected to annual inspection.

Annexes

Annex I: Categories of vessels
Annex II: Medical supplies (non-exhaustive list)
Annex III: Dangerous substances
Annex IV: General framework for the inspection of vessels’ medical supplies
Annex V: Medical training of the captain and designated workers

Read the full text of the Directive

National laws implementing this Directive

Further information