What happens in the room
Governing: MSN 1886 Amendment 3, section 3; MCA "Seafarers medical certification guidance". Builds on: L1.2.
The examination
The gov.uk guidance lists the usual steps:
- medical history, taken by the doctor or a practice nurse;
- height and weight;
- a urine sample;
- hearing and sight tests: distance, near and colour;
- a physical examination, in underclothes.
Hearing has been part of the scope since the 2010 changes that made the ENG1 MLC-compliant.
How the doctor thinks
MSN 1886 cannot list every condition. The governing principle is that no disease or defect should be present which could be aggravated by working at sea or represent an unacceptable risk to you, your shipmates or the ship. In borderline cases the doctor must weigh the occupational circumstances:
| Factor | Why it matters at sea |
|---|---|
| Hazardous work | Demands a high, continuing standard of fitness |
| Limited medical facilities | Few ships carry doctors; treatment may be days away |
| Medication supply | Losing a vital medicine must not cause rapid deterioration |
| Closed community | You must live and work in confined quarters |
| Small crews | One person's illness burdens everyone |
| Emergency duties | Drills and real emergencies can be strenuous |
| Air travel | Crew join and leave by air; conditions such as pneumothorax matter |
The gov.uk guidance names the conditions most likely to affect fitness: heart disease and rhythm problems, lung disease, insulin-treated diabetes, stroke, epilepsy and unexplained loss of consciousness, severe head injury, mental health treatment, alcohol or drug problems, severe deafness, eyesight or colour vision below standard, transplants and prostheses, and medication that reduces alertness. This course does not teach the individual thresholds; they sit in MSN 1886 Annex A and are the doctor's call.
TIP — Medication aboard If your medication is acceptable for sea service, MSN 1886 says to arrange a reserve stock held in a safe place with the master's agreement. On a yacht, tell the captain or medical officer early, not at the first customs inspection.
Eyesight
Each eye is tested separately, with and without visual aids. You must meet a higher standard with aids and a minimum standard without them, so that you can still act in an emergency if your glasses are lost.
Colour vision
Colour vision is screened with Ishihara plates. Deck and dual-career candidates for a Certificate of Competency need full colour vision.
| Department | If you fail Ishihara | If you fail the follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Deck | Take the CAD test at an MCA-approved centre (you pay the centre) | Restriction: not fit for lookout duties at night; not eligible for MCA CoC or rating certification |
| Engineering | Doctor arranges City University or Farnsworth D15 | Restriction: not fit for work with colour-coded cables or equipment |
| Catering, hotel, other | No further test described | Restriction: not fit for lookout duties |
The MCA has stopped lantern testing. If you can evidence a past Holmes Wright B lantern pass, you do not need a CAD test. Without evidence, you will need one.
WARNING — New deck entrants A new deck candidate who fails the CAD test cannot obtain a deck CoC. A trainee deck officer in that position is made permanently unfit for that route. Test colour vision before committing to cadetship fees or a yachtmaster-to-OOW plan.
Results on the day
If you pass, you normally leave with the certificate. If the doctor needs more information or advice from the MCA's Chief Medical Adviser, you will not get it on the day, and you may be issued a temporarily unfit certificate while that is resolved. The categories are covered next.