General duties and responsibilities of seafarers
1.1. Seafarers should participate in ensuring safe working conditions and should be encouraged to express views on working procedures adopted as they may affect safety and health, without fear of dismissal or other prejudicial measures.
1.2. Seafarers should have the right to remove themselves from dangerous situations or operations when they have good reason to believe that there is an imminent and serious danger to their safety and health. In such circumstances, the competent officer should be informed of the danger forthwith and seafarers should be protected
from undue consequences, in accordance with national conditions and practice.1
1.3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1.1., seafarers should only abandon ship on the express order of the master or, in his absence, the competent person next in line of authority.
1.4. Seafarers should:
(a) cooperate as closely as possible with the shipowner in the application of the prescribed safety and health measures;
(b) take care of their own safety and health and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work;
(c) use and take care of personal protective equipment and clothing at their disposal and not misuse any means provided for their own protection or the protection of others;
(d) report forthwith to their immediate supervisor any situation which they believe could pose a hazard and which they cannot properly deal with themselves;
(e) comply with the prescribed safety and health measures; and
(f) participate in safety and health meetings.
1.5 Except in an emergency, seafarers, unless duly authorized, should not interfere with, remove, or displace any safety device or other equipment and appliances furnished for their protection or the protection of others, or interfere with any method or process adopted with a view to preventing accidents and injury to health.
1.6. Seafarers should not operate or interfere with equipment which they have not been duly authorized to operate, maintain or use.
1.7. A seafarer who gives an order or otherwise instructs another seafarer should be certain that the order or instructions are understood.
1.8. If a seafarer does not fully understand an order, instruction or any other communication from another seafarer, clarification should be sought.
1.9. Seafarers have a duty to be particularly diligent during fire, lifeboat and other drills and emergency training.
1.10. The crew should implement the shipowner's safety and health policy and programme as delegated to them by the master in a diligent and professional manner and demonstrate their full support for shipboard safety. They should do everything in their power to maintain their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of other crew members and other persons on board.
