The rights of disabled people on board passenger ships – is your crew already trained?
Do you know the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterways? You better should: In accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 companies operating passenger ships have to develop appropriate procedures for disability related personnel training that must be implemented within the Safety Management Systems. This regulation refers to all passenger ships (inland and seagoing) and applies to them by 18 December 2012 in the European Union. This means every passenger vessel starting or ending its transport service within the EU is affected.
In order to give disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for maritime and inland waterway travel comparable to those of other citizens, rules for non-discrimination and assistance during their journey should be established. They should receive assistance in ports and on board passenger ships free of charge.
All crew members and other personnel, including those employed by any other contractors, providing direct assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility should be given training with regard to awareness, disability-assistance in general and disability-assistance in emergency situations.
According to Article 14 “Training and instructions“ “…carriers and, where appropriate, terminal operators shall establish disability-related training procedures, including instructions, and ensure that:
- their personnel, including those employed by any other performing party, providing direct assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility are trained or instructed as described in Annex IV, Parts A and B;
- their personnel who are otherwise responsible for the reservation and selling of tickets or embarkation and disembarkation, including those employed by any other performing party, are trained or instructed as described in Annex IV, Part A; and
- the categories of personnel referred to in points (a) and (b) maintain their competencies, for example through instructions or refresher training courses when appropriate.”
How to comply with the regulation
GL Academy is able to support all those who are affected by this regulation and who have to comply with it: We can provide you with a one day training including practical exercises, covering ANNEX IV, disability-related training, including instructions, as referred to in article 14 of EU Regulation 1177/2010. Please ask us for an individual offer for your company at gl-academy-hellas@gl-group.com
