Working to the rules
Governing: Operational Procedures syllabus section 1 (assessment 060-02, MIN 712 Amendment 1); COSWP 2026 chapters 13 to 15.
The notices
The MCA publishes three kinds of M-notice:
| Notice | What it does | Example you will meet |
|---|---|---|
| MSN | Mandatory technical detail of regulations | MSN 1904 (your CoC) |
| MGN | Guidance on how to comply | MGN 659 (enclosed spaces) |
| MIN | Time-limited information | MIN 712 (exam dates) |
The conventions in one line each
| Convention | For the junior engineer |
|---|---|
| SOLAS | Fire protection, machinery installations, steering gear, emergency power, life-saving; chapter IX makes ISM mandatory |
| ISM Code | You follow the safety management system procedures and report accidents, near misses and non-conformities |
| MARPOL | Oil, sewage, garbage and air rules you apply on watch and record |
| STCW | Your certificate, your watchkeeping principles and your rest hours |
Risk assessment
Before any non-routine job: what can hurt someone, who, how badly, how likely, what controls exist, what more is needed. The job then proceeds under those controls. Many SMSs have generic assessments for common tasks; read the one for your job and check it fits today's conditions.
Permits to work
COSWP lists work normally needing a permit: entry into an enclosed space; gas testing; isolation of machinery or power; hot work; work at height or over the side; electrical work below and above 1,000 V; deck work in adverse weather; lifts.
A permit records location, work, test results, safety measures, safeguards and a validity of not more than 24 hours. The authorised officer issues it; the competent person doing the job countersigns; they should be different people. Hand over or close it formally.
Enclosed space entry
The Entry into Enclosed Spaces Regulations 2022 and MGN 659 Amendment 3. Sequence: identify the space; isolate; ventilate; test oxygen (steady 20% or more, normal 20.8%), flammable gas and toxic gases at several levels; permit; attendant with communications; rescue equipment ready; retest. Rescue drills at least every two months. On a yacht: sewage and grey water tanks, fuel tanks, voids, chain lockers, fixed fire system rooms after discharge.
Hot work
| Before | During | After |
|---|---|---|
| Permit; fuel, oil and combustibles removed; both sides of bulkheads and decks checked | Fire watch with extinguisher; screens for sparks | Fire watch continues after finishing; re-check hidden spaces |
| Gas-free certificate for tanks and pipes that held fuel | Ventilation for fumes | Restore detection and close the permit |
| Detection heads covered only as the permit allows | Cylinders upright, secured, valves shut when not in use | Remove equipment |
Electrical work
Isolate, lock, tag, prove dead with a tester proved on a known live source before and after. Isolate at the switchboard or local isolator, never by relying on a control switch. Shore power and generator back-feed are both sources; so are UPS units, batteries and capacitors in variable speed drives. High voltage (over 1,000 V) needs a separate system and an HV course (see High Voltage).
WARNING — "It will only take a minute" Most enclosed space deaths and most electric shocks happen on short, familiar jobs where someone skipped a step. The permit is there for the jobs you think you know.