Health & Safety
As a statutory harbour authority, Royal Docks Waterways adheres to the Port Marine Safety Code through a formal marine safety management system underpinned by risk assessment.
Safe operations from the water up
Our policies and procedures ensure all marine operations safeguard the docks, users, commercial activities, the public, and the environment. We provide efficient operational support, regulate vessel movements, and promote safety through initiatives such as near-miss reporting.
Committed to the highest standards
Royal Docks Waterways is committed to marine safety and is a member of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Documents
Our key health and safety documents are available to download below. These set out how we manage marine safety across the Royal Docks, in line with our obligations as a statutory harbour authority.
FAQs
Health and safety at the Royal Docks covers everything from how we manage vessel movements to how contractors work safely on site. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, you can get in touch with our team directly.
The Port Marine Safety Code is a government framework that sets the standard for managing safety in ports and harbours across the UK. As a designated harbour authority, we are required to adhere to it through a formal marine safety management system. It provides the structure for how we assess risk, manage vessel movements and maintain a safe operating environment across the Royal Docks.
Our marine safety management system covers all aspects of dock operations, including vessel movements, access to the water, maintenance of infrastructure, contractor safety, and emergency response planning. It is reviewed regularly and underpinned by risk assessment at every level.
Near-miss reporting is a proactive safety initiative that encourages anyone working on or around the docks to report incidents where something could have gone wrong, even if no harm resulted. These reports are reviewed by our team and used to identify risks and improve our procedures before an incident occurs.
Yes. We are a member of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), reflecting our commitment to the highest standards of safety practice across our operations.
All contractors working at the Royal Docks are required to comply with our health and safety requirements before work begins. This includes providing relevant risk assessments and method statements, completing site inductions, and following all operational protocols while on site.
If you have a safety concern, we want to hear about it. You can report an incident or raise a concern using our online form, or contact our operations team directly. In an emergency, always call 999 first.
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