Ilfracombe Harbour - Harbour Safety Policy
Ilfracombe
Harbour Authority will provide a safe port within the limits of their jurisdiction, which is open to
the public for the transportation of passengers and goods. They will ensure the safety of their Harbour
by exercising their functions to a high standard. They will regulate the use of the Harbour by maintaining
appropriate bye-laws and ensuring that these and other statutory regulations are enforced where appropriate.
The Authority will review the need to continue acting as a pilotage authority and keep it under review.
The Authority will ensure such marine services that are required for the safe use of their Harbour are available and are maintained and operated to a high standard. The Authority will ensure that current plans are available to deal with emergency situations and that the resources required to implement these plans are maintained and exercised. The Policy incorporates input from officers, from staff and from harbour users as high standards of safety can only be achieved through dialogue and co-operation.
Ilfracombe Harbour Authority Is Committed:
- To provide a system to regularly review hazards and risks in
the Harbour and facilitate the evolution of a proactive and auditable Safety Management System.
- To
ensuring that the best channels for navigation are marked and monitored.
- To
have an effective system for promulgating navigation warnings affecting their Harbour.
- To
designing suitable anchorages and moorings locations.
- To
monitoring lights and marks used for navigation within their jurisdiction.
- To
consider the effects on Harbour safety of proposed changes in use or Harbour works.
- To maintain an up too date set of bye-laws in consultation with port users, and to enforce them so as to effectively regulate Harbour use.
- To keep the duties and powers
under review.
- To keep the need for pilotage under
review.
- To ensure that suitable plans for emergency situations are maintained and regularly updated and exercised.
Employees
Have A Duty:
- Should have due regard to Health and Safety issues.
- To
ensure that marine operations are undertaken in a safe manner.
- To report hazard, risk, accident, incident or near miss to the Harbour Master.
Harbour
Users Operating Both Commercially And For Pleasure Are Responsible For:
- Their own health and safety and that of other Harbour users
who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
- Complying with bye-laws, directions and other regulations aimed at ensuring the safe use of the Harbour.
Health And Safety Management System:
- Ilfracombe Harbour Authority have adopted a health and safety
management system in compliance with the principles set out in the Port Marine Safety Code.
- The
health and safety management system includes policies for emergency plans, conservancy, environment,
management of navigation, pilotage requirements and marine services.
Nominated Harbour Safety Officer
The nominated Harbour Safety Officer is the Harbour Master. In his absence, urgent Harbour safety matters should be referred to the Standby Officer Service on (01271) 388240.
Emergencies In The Harbour
Emergencies, where life is in danger, must be notified at once to the Coastguard by dialling 999 or through VHF channel 16.
Other emergencies should be notified to the Harbour Master by the quickest available means.
Reporting Of Accidents, Incidents And Near Misses
The public are asked to bring matters of safety – all accidents, incidents and near misses – promptly to the attention of the Harbour Safety Officer at the Harbour Office on (01271) 862108.
The reports will be used to help in assessment of the effectiveness of the harbour safety management system.
This Policy will be reviewed in five years.
This Policy supports North Devon District Council’s Corporate Strategy with regard to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the District.
