Following the industry wide consultation at the end of 2011, the revised National Occupational Standards for Marine Pilotage have been approved by Industry and the UK Maritime Pilots’ Association (UKMPA).

It has been submitted to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) for approval to be loaded onto the national database.

We will keep you informed of progress and as soon as the NOS are loaded, you will be able to see them on our web-site.

As the industry training organisation, PSS is custodian of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for ports.

One of the NOS in the portfolio is the Marine Pilot NOS (MPNOS), which have just been reviewed. An expert team has worked through the existing MPNOS and re-drafted them and we now need your assistance to review this new draft.

We are looking for the widest range of views and if you consider yourself to be a stakeholder in the port industry we would be delighted to hear from you.

The NOS are attached to this story.

Port Skills and Safety is a unique and powerful proposition for port organisations.

We bring together the best that the industry has to offer on safety and skills and make it available to our members:

• through a single point of contact

• where there is no commercial conflict and everything to be gained from sharing

We make connections between ports and their strategic partners, providing a robust, single-point pathway for:

• industry to make its case to strategic partners and keep them aware of port priorities

• strategic partners to gather information, explore opportunities

The new PSS Services Brochure is now available to download. It describes the benefits available at no extra cost to all full members.

Please follow this link to the document:

http://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/publications/new_pss_services_brochure

PSS is custodian of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for ports. The portfolio includes NOS for Harbour Masters.

Chief Executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners Jim Stewart has been named the new Chairman of Port Skills and Safety. He is joined by Steve Gobbi, Group Marine Director at Peel Ports Group who has assumed the Deputy Chair.

Mr Stewart and Mr Gobbi were unanimously elected at the September quarterly board meeting.

This guidance has been produced by the ports industry, with assistance from the Health and Safety Executive, to help those who owe duties under health and safety legislation to identify key risks. This guidance also gives examples of good practice, which dutyholders can use to inform their risk assessments and procedures.

Ports and the activities which take place there vary. Employers and any other dutyholders must comply with the legal duties imposed on them by health and safety legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Over 150 delegates from all parts of the ports industry and logistics supply chain attended the Health & Safety in Ports – A Decade of Progress conference, at the Mersey Maritime Museum Liverpool on 14 January 2011.

The conference was hosted by the Health and Safety Executive in partnership with Port Skills and Safety, the industry body charged with promoting safety and skills in the sector.

The joint event featured ten guest speakers:

• Judith Hackitt, CBE – Chair Health & Safety Executive
• Stephen Bracewell Chief Executive Harwich Haven Authority
• Bud Hudspith Health & Safety Ad

PSS are proud to announce that joint Port Industry/HSE Guidance documents are now available for all industry stakeholders.

Health & Safety in Ports – A Decade of Progress

14 January 2011 – 10:30 to 15:30

Mersey Maritime Museum, Liverpool

The Health and Safety Executive are hosting this major conference to address the strategic direction for health and safety within the Port Industry and future relationships between Industry and Regulator.