UK Statutory Instrument 1987 United Kingdom

Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations 1987

These Regulations provide for the control of carriage, loading, unloading and storage of dangerous substances in harbours and harbour areas. The Regulations are divided into 10 parts.

At a glance

Enforced by

HSE

What's here

48 compliance obligations

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 23
  • Operator 11
  • Applicant 3
  • Trader 2
  • Employee 1
  • Employer 1

Plus 7 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 487 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Operators also bound by 4 other Acts
Applicants also bound by 3 other Acts
Traders also bound by 248 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employees also bound by 33 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 192 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Schedules

s.sch001

The hazard warning sign to be used on a hazard...

  • Use the correct hazard warning sign on containers and tanks Any Person
s.sch001

Hazard warning signs to be affixed to a freight container,...

  • Ensure signs on freight containers, tanks or receptacles are properly marked Any Person
s.sch001

Hazard warning signs to be affixed to hazard warning panels...

  • Hazard warning signs must have required black border Any Person
s.sch005

Form and colour of hazard warning panels

  • Use prescribed form and colour on hazard warning panels Trader
s.sch005

Information about substances on a barge or tank barge

  • Display hazard‑panel information when a barge carries dangerous substances Operator
s.sch005

Information to be shown on labels

  • Provide proper labels for hazardous substances at harbour areas Any Person
s.sch005

Colour of hazard warning panels and labels

  • Hazard panels must use the specified orange colour Any Person
s.sch006

At least one month before application for confirmation of the...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must advertise intention to confirm harbour byelaws Local authority
s.sch006

For at least one month before application for confirmation is...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Statutory harbour authority must keep byelaws available for public inspection Local authority
s.sch006

The Secretary of State shall not under the foregoing provisions...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must consult HSC before confirming a byelaw Crown / Minister / Government department
s.sch006

A copy of the byelaws, when confirmed, shall be printed...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Harbour authorities must publish and keep byelaws available to the public Local authority
s.sch007

An application for an explosives licence or for any alteration...

  • Apply for an explosives licence in writing to HSE Any Person
s.sch007

A notice published pursuant to paragraph 2 shall state that...

  • Submit comments to the Executive within 1 month of notice publication Any Person
s.sch007

Within the time for comment or objection the applicant shall...

  • Provide requested information to the Executive Applicant
s.sch007

Where the applicant for a licence or amending licence is...

  • Berth operator must forward licence applications to the harbour authority Applicant
Browse 26 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

Each hazard warning sign shall be in the form of...

s.sch002

Rubber scrap and rubber shoddy, in powdered or granulated form....

s.sch002

Seed cakes (seed expellers) containing more than 1.5% oil and...

s.sch002

Wool waste, wet.

s.sch002

Rags, oily.

s.sch002

Textile waste, wet.

s.sch002

Seed cakes, containing not more than 1.5% oil and not...

s.sch002

Copra.

s.sch002

Cotton waste, oily.

s.sch002

Cotton, wet.

s.sch002

Fibres, animal or vegetable, burnt, wet or damp.

s.sch002

Fibres or fabrics, animal or vegetable, with animal or vegetable...

s.sch002

Fish meal (unstabilised).

s.sch002

Iron oxide, spent, or iron sponge, spent (obtained from coal...

s.sch002

Paper, treated with unsaturated oils, incompletely dried (includes carbon paper)....

s.sch005

Labels for compartmented tank barges

s.sch005

Any reference in paragraph 3 of this Schedule to a...

s.sch005

Specification for hazard warning panels

s.sch005

Form of labels

s.sch005

Any reference to a space number in paragraphs 5 and...

s.sch005

Specification for labels

s.sch006

In this Schedule, “byelaws” means byelaws made by a statutory...

s.sch006

Byelaws shall be made under the common seal of the...

s.sch006

The Secretary of State may confirm, with or without modifications,...

s.sch007

On receipt of an application, the Executive may prepare a...

s.sch007

After the time for comment or objection has passed the...

s.008

Flags and lights to be displayed by vessels

  • Vessel master must display required flag and light when carrying dangerous substances Any Person
s.010

Vessels to keep a safe distance from moored or anchored vessels displaying the flag or light required by regulation 8

  • Keep a safe distance or seek permission before approaching a moored or anchored vessel Any Person
s.011

Marking of barges

  • Display hazard warning panels on barges carrying dangerous substances Operator
s.012

Control of harbour craft

  • Ensure harbour craft masters are fit and competent when carrying dangerous substances Operator
s.013

Provision and use of radios

  • Provide VHF radio and keep listening watch on harbour duty Employee
s.014

Anchoring and mooring of vessels

  • Anchor and move vessels carrying dangerous substances only where authorised Any Person
s.015

Mobility of vessels

  • Ensure vessel readiness to be moved Any Person
s.016

General duties of persons handling dangerous substances

  • Ensure safe handling of dangerous substances Any Person
s.017

Additional duties of employers, self-employed persons and berth operators

  • Provide training, gear and records for hazardous‑substance workers Employer
s.018

Precautions to be taken against fire or explosion

  • Observe fire and explosion precautions when handling dangerous substances on a berth Operator
s.019

Fitness of vessels

  • Ensure a vessel or barge is fit for carrying liquid dangerous substances in bulk in harbours Operator
s.020

Permission for transfer between vessels

  • Master must secure written permission before pipeline transfer Any Person
s.022

Certain operations on vessels forbidden without prior permission

  • Vessel master must forbid hazardous operations on substances without permission Any Person
s.023

Freight containers

  • Manage hazardous freight containers when moving goods into harbour areas Any Person
s.024

Portable tanks and receptacles

  • Ensure safe handling of dangerous substances in portable tanks or receptacles entering harbour areas Operator
s.025

Labelling

  • Label containers and tanks with dangerous substances clearly and durably Trader
s.026

Preparation of emergency plans by harbour authorities

  • Cooperate with the harbour authority on emergency plans Operator
s.027

Emergency arrangements at berths

  • Ensure emergency arrangements at berths when handling dangerous substances Operator
s.030

Storage tanks

  • Ensure the storage tank and transfer of dangerous substances are safe and fire‐safe Operator
s.031

Storage of freight containers, portable tanks and receptacles containing dangerous substances

  • Ensure safe storage of freight containers, portable tanks or receptacles containing dangerous substances Any Person
s.032

Parking of road vehicles carrying dangerous substances

  • Provide a safe parking area for road vehicles carrying dangerous substances Operator
s.034

Need for an explosives licence

  • Obtain an explosives licence before handling explosives in a harbour area Any Person
s.035

Applications for explosives licences

  • Apply for explosives licence following prescribed HSE procedure Applicant
s.036

Consideration of licence applications

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • HSE must consider explosives licence applications Statutory regulator
s.037

Security of explosives

  • Secure explosives in harbour areas and appoint a security officer Any Person
s.038

Vessels and vehicles loaded with explosives to be taken out of harbours and harbour areas

  • Take loaded vessel or vehicle out of harbour as soon as practicable Operator
s.039

Harbour craft carrying explosives not to carry passengers

  • Harbour craft master must not carry passengers with explosives Any Person
s.040

Electro-explosive devices

  • Avoid bringing unsafe electro‑explosive devices to harbours Any Person
s.041

Deteriorated explosives

  • Notify HSE and harbour master of deteriorated explosives and take precautions Any Person
s.042

Records relating to explosives to be kept

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Harbour authority must keep detailed records of explosives handled in the harbour Local authority
s.044

Enforcement of these Regulations

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • HSE must enforce Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations Statutory regulator
Browse 16 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.001

Citation and commencement

s.002

Interpretation

s.003

Meaning of “dangerous substance”

s.004

Meaning of “operator”

s.005

Application of these Regulations

s.006

Notice of entry of dangerous substances

s.007

Harbour master’s powers of prohibition, removal and regulation relating to dangerous substances

s.009

Regulation 6 and 8 not to apply to certain ferry-boats

s.021

Safety precautions for loading, unloading or transfer

s.028

Untoward incidents

s.029

Application of this Part

s.033

Application of this Part

s.043

Power of a statutory harbour authority to make byelaws

s.045

Defence in proceedings for contravening these Regulations or byelaws

s.046

Power to grant exemptions from these Regulations

s.047

Repeals, revocations, modifications and savings

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

HSE

Health and Safety Executive

Workplace health, safety, and welfare regulation across all industries. Enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations. Investigates …

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Regulators

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