SAFE PLANNING AND CONDUCT OF OVERSIDE WORK Published: 14 July 2026 Overside work includes any task carried out on or over the ship’s side, whether from the ship, the quayside, or from small boats or rafts alongside. These tasks are often routine (for example painting, minor maintenance, arranging staging, or using bosun’s chairs) but they expose crew members to one of the most unforgiving hazards at sea: the risk of falling into water. Industry experience shows that such events remain one of the leading causes of severe injuries and fatalities on board ships, typically happening suddenly and without warning. Environmental conditions, ship motion, shifting equipment, or even a momentary lapse in balance can turn an otherwise ordinary task into a life‑threatening emergency.Overside work should be avoided where reasonably practicable. Where it is unavoidable, it must be approached with the same level of caution as other high‑risk activities such as enclosed‑space entry or hot work. Careful planning, full authorisation, competent personnel, clear communication, and readiness to stop work immediately if conditions deteriorate are essential parts of safe execution. Overside work is covered in the ship’s Safety Management System (SMS), where procedures will define overside work, outline when such tasks are allowed, how they must be controlled, and what authorisations are required. Central to this is the Permit‑to‑Work (PTW) system. A PTW ensures that the risks are assessed, key personnel are informed, and safeguards are put in place before the operation begins. Where overside work is conducted alongside or involves launching boats, staging, or interaction with shore facilities, permission from terminal operators or port authorities may be required. Ship staff should confirm local port requirements in advance to ensure compliance and avoid unsafe conditions arising from conflicting operations. The SMS usually requires that personnel carrying out overside work are properly t