Every professionally operated seagoing vessel with 5 or more crew members must have a safety committee (SC). This does not apply to fishing vessels. The SC maintains safety on board. In the Netherlands, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) oversees whether seagoing vessels have an SC.
Composition of the SC
The ship master of the vessel appoints the members of the SC but is not a member themselves. According to the Regeling veiligheid zeeschepen (Seagoing vessels safety Regulation, in Dutch), only crew members may be part of the SC. The ship master is not considered a crew member under the Schepenwet (Ships Act, in Dutch).
| Crew size | SC requirement |
|---|---|
| More than 15 crew members | 1 officer and 1 able seafarer |
| Between 5 and 15 crew members | 1 officer or 1 able seafarer |
| 4 crew members or fewer | No SC required |
For more information on SC composition (in Dutch), see the Seagoing vessels safety Regulation (in Dutch).
Duties of the SC
The SC advises the ship master on measures to prevent accidents at work on board.
The role of the SC is to:
- Conduct safety rounds to check the ship’s structure and equipment.
- Identify unsafe situations, such as unsafe practices, materials or tools.
- Ensure the correct use of personal protective equipment.
- Investigate workplace accidents.
The managing owner must follow the recommendations of the SC. This is stated in paragraph 9 of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code for ships of 500 GT or more. The classification society includes this rule in the ship’s required ISM system.
Safety handbook
For more information on safety on board, see the Safety First! handbook on Stichting Scheepvaart’s online platform scheepvaartnet.nl. The Safety First! Handbook is available in Dutch and English.