Key industry stakeholders

Port Skills and Safety (PSS)

The aim of PSS is to encourage and promote high standards of health and safety and a highly skilled workforce within the ports industry. PSS is core funded through subscriptions, and is open to all port related organisations.

It has a leading role in:

  • production and publication of industry specific guidance material. It has recently produced a series of 'Health & Safety in Ports' guidance sheets which are designed to support the Safety in Docks ACOP (L148) and cover a range of port issues
  • organising the Port Skills and Safety Group (PSSG)
  • developing National Occupational Standards for the industry
  • providing technical advice on any issues relating to health, safety, skills and standards in the ports industry

Trade Unions

HSE supports the vital contribution health and safety representatives and trade unions make to maintaining and improving health and safety in the workplace.

HSE places great importance on worker involvement and consultation, which has proved to be key factor to improving health and safety in the workplace.

Within the Ports industry, the main unions that we engage with are Unite the Union and Nautilus.

Department for Transport (DfT)

The Department for Transport was set up to provide a stronger focus on delivering the Government's transport strategy. Their role is to set strategy and policy context, and to manage relationships with the delivery agencies.

The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch [MAIB] are part of DfT. HSE works closely with both organisations in areas of shared interest and where the expertise of one organisation can assist the other. The work of MAIB in accident investigation is to discover the cause with a view to preserve life and avoid accidents in the future. It does not apportion blame.

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Updated 2022-07-07