Introduction to the Vessel Safety Management Committee

About Vessel Safety Management Committees

Standard A4.3, paragraph 2(d), requires the establishment of a safety committee and the appointment or election of safety representatives on board ships on which there are five or more seafarers. Please note that the Ship’s Master is counted as a seafarer. The Safety Committee is a forum for consultation between the master, safety officials and others of matters relating to health and safety. It may be used by individual employers for consultation with the Company and seafarers. Its effectiveness will depend on the commitment of its members, in particular that of the Master.

The Aim of the Course

The aim of this Fully Online, Introduction to the Vessel Safety Management Committee is to instruct the learner in the Companies duties,  the Employer’s duties, the various personnel, and their positions [of authority] and associated responsibilities of the Committee and the development of a positive ‘safety culture’ within the operation of the vessel.

Regulations Addressed

The Introduction to the Vessel Safety Management Committee Course has been developed with the following considerations:

• Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers [Chapter 13]

Awarding Body

Learners who successfully complete this short, online course will receive a Certificate of Completion from VIRSEC.

Certification Renewal

There are no expiry dates placed on Introduction to the Vessel Safety Management Committee Course certificates. Learners do not currently have to undertake a refresher of this course unless directed to do so by the company they are working for.

Course Learning Objectives

The online Course meets with the following Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the function of the Safety Committee
2. Understand the Purpose & Objective of a Safety Committee
3. Understand the Composition & Responsibilities of a Safety Committee
4. Understand the Requirement for Safety Meetings
5. Identify the Requirement for a Safety Representative
6. Identify the Responsibilities of the Master
7. Identify the Requirements of a Safety Officer
8. Identify the Training Requirements for Safety Committee Members

Course Duration

The Introduction to the Vessel Safety Management Committee Course duration is approximately 30 minutes. A slight variation is allowed for individual reading speeds, but this minimum must be met in order to successfully pass this course. Learners may enter and exit the course as often as they require. Your licence allows you access to the course for up to 6 months to complete [if required] or upon successful completion of the course and awarding of your certification.

Viewing the Online Course

We recommend using either a tablet device, laptop, or desktop to take this online course as there are slides within that cannot be properly viewed on a smartphone. We also recommend using Chrome to view the course as this has been recommended as the most course-friendly viewing.

Taking the Course Online or Offline

You are able to take the course fully online as expected, but we also have enabled an offline capability available through an APP (available via Googleplay or the Apple App Store). You may download the course to the APP and take the course whilst at sea, or in areas of poor internet quality. Once you have returned to land, or are in an area of good signal quality, you may then upload the course to the system, and sync it with your User area on the LMS [https://virseclms.org]. To learn more about taking the course(s) offline, please contact us at training@virsec.org.

Bulk Purchases

If you require to purchase this course in bulk, please contact us at training@virsec.org and we will provide you with assistance.

• The function of the Safety Committee
• The Purpose & Objective of a Safety Committee
• The Composition & Responsibilities of a Safety Committee
• The Requirement for Safety Meetings
• The Safety Representative
• The Responsibilities of the Master
• The Safety Officers
• Training Requirements for Safety Committee Members

VIRSEC Certificate of Completion

Learner who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion from VIRSEC. This will be available to download from your Learners Portal immediately after you successfully complete the course and associated short assessment. If you experience any issues, please report this to us at training@virsec.org and we will assist you.