I am a member of ABSE, and one of a number of examiners on the Broads, but unlike the majority of them I am not connected with a marina or marine engineering business and therefore I don't offer any remedial engineering work as part of the examination. This means that the owner can do any work himself, or choose his preferred engineer to effect any repairs, safe in the knowledge that the fault list has not been padded to increase revenue.

Prior to the examination I will arrange a telephone discussion with you to explore any concerns you may have and to cover the main points (and the recent changes) in the BSS standards. If at any time you have questions I will provide the advice you need to help you ensure that your boat meets BSS standards. If your boat fails its BSS examination, I will provide specific advice on bringing it up to the BSS standards.

 What is the Boat Safety Scheme

In 1996 the majority of the main inland waterways and rivers in the UK adopted the Boat Safety Scheme - BSS, where all boats have to be examined every 4 years to ensure that they remain safe. (MOT for boats).Owners of the Broads largest boats now have to comply with the new Boat Safety Scheme from April 1st 2007. To enforce the scheme the Broads Authority has had to pass some new byelaws.

At a recent meeting with officials from the department of transport, Defra and Natural England, agreement was reached that the Broads Authority could make byelaws to introduce the Boat Safety Scheme as an interim measure until the Broads National Park Bill comes into effect.

The department of transport will therefore support the introduction of the Boat Safety Scheme via Byelaws and support their introduction within the timescales pursued by the authority.
This is a significant breakthrough as previous attempts to obtain legislation failed due to conflicting advice from the government departments, and the recent progress indicates a clear commitment from the government departments to enable the Byelaws.

This introduction of the Byelaw will mean that vessels navigating the Broads without a valid BSS by the relevant introductory date, will be navigating illegally and liable to prosecution.

Cost of BSS exams set to rise

The cost of a Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) examination is set to rise from 1 April after the Environment Agency and British Waterways withdrew funding for the programme. To make up for the loss of the financial assistance, which last year ran to £200,000, the BSS is more than doubling the price it charges examiners for official BSS certificates, from £11.25 to £24. This means the end price for examinations will rise to make up for the hike.If you require any further information, or would like me to carry out a test please go to our contacts page and fill out the on line quote.

How the BSS works

Once a boat has been examined and a pass certificate issued, you should send your pass certificate along with the necessary licence application paperwork to the relevant navigation authority. Your examiner will keep a copy of the examination report, will give you a copy for your records and send a copy to the Boat Safety Scheme office.Examiners will also complete an 'Appliance Status Record' which logs relevant details on the model, make and condition of all appliances on your boat. This Record will then be checked and amended accordingly at the time of the next examination to show any changes in the condition or operation of the appliance(s)

The Record will also help to reduce inconsistencies between examiners when inspecting and testing the same appliance(s) over a period of time. It also helps record any modifications to existing appliances or new installations on board the boat, and gives you a document that you can show to any prospective buyer in the future.

Please try these links below to gain more advice and find out more relevant information:

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

www.britishwaterways.co.uk

Implementing the modernised BSS general requirements

The most important message for boat owners is that although the approach of the BSS after April 2005 represents a sea- change the expectations on boat owners as to complying with the requirements will be a relatively small change.The examination will still be done with a check list approach and the revised Examination Checking Procedures will have a remarkably familiar look.Our Management Committe has recommended to the participating navigation authorities that no 'overlap' period is necessary because the Scheme will vary little from the current requirements laid on owners of privately owned, privately managed craft.

We are therefore assuring you that in preparing for the current BSS examination, there is little advantage or disadvantage in delaying a due examination. Indeed as there are seven new compliance items (albeit fairly minor) you could potentially have slight advantage in having the examination under the current requirements.

Latest news letter/article from the Broads Authority

The Boat Safety Scheme rolls out.

The revised Boat Safety Scheme standards for private craft were launched at the London Boat Show in January after many months of consultation with boating, marine trade and technical groups.The new requirements allow a greater degree of flexibility in complying with the safety regulations. There is less emphasis on construction based equipment and much more on objectives.

The BSS will be republishing its guide shortly with clear recommendations on ways to meet the requirements. This to is being drafted with the help of boaters, examiners and people in the marine trade.The Broads largest boats and hire craft over 30 Sq meters and private craft over 21 Sq meters, are encouraged to have their BSS examination by April 1^st next year to keep the scheme on track. The revised requirements only apply to privately owned craft. Others will have to comply with the current requirements. This is because a separate and different review of Safety Standards for these vessels is underway by the Marine and Coastguard Agency.Boat owners are encouraged to comply with the original timetable so there will not be a build up of boats waiting for work to be done.

“As we move towards 2007 there will be a much greater number of boats about to get certificates and there are a limited number of yards and examiners” he said. “The longer people leave it the harder it will be for them to get a certificate on time. It is also a good idea to get boats up to a safe standard for the sake of safety on the Broads”.The enforcement of the scheme is now divided into two phases. From April 2007 all hire craft and private motor craft over 21 Sq meters and over should meet the standard’s. From April 2008/9 the scheme will apply to private motor craft under 11 Sq meters and private sailing craft.

All boats with engines, and/or cooking, heating, lighting, refrigeration and other domestic appliances will need to pass a BSS examination before they can be issued with a licence to navigate the Broads. For further clarification contact the Broads Authority on 01603 610734.

Boat Owners will be able to pick up revised BSS guides, the essential handbook to prepare for an examination, from the Broads Authority’s Head Office at 18 Colegate, Norwich. They can also be posted or downloaded from www.boatsafetyscheme.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Boat Safety Scheme?The Boat Safety Scheme is jointly owned by British Waterways and the Environment Agency.  It's designed to minimise the risks of fires or explosions on boats cruising the UK's inland waterways network, by specifying a set of requirements that most boats must meet before they can be granted a navigation licence.  The Scheme also recommends a number of 'safety best practice' measures which enhance the personal health and safety of those on board privately owned boats.

As licensing bodies, British Waterways and the Environment Agency have a statutory duty to insist that all boats on the waterways they care for are as safe as possible.  This helps to minimise the risks of fires and explosion which can kill or seriously injure visitors to the waterways network.  It's in everyone's interests to help ensure the waterways are as safe as possible.

Who manages the BSS?

British Waterways and the Environment Agency jointly own the Boat Safety Scheme.  It's administered through the Boat Safety Scheme office, where technical officers prepare reports on various safety items, monitor trends within safety legislation and work closely with other safety-related organisations.  They also provide an information service to the boating public and BSS examiners.

Although British Waterways and the Environment Agency take ultimate responsibility for the management and decision-making processes within the Scheme, input is actively sought from other navigation authorities, boating user groups, trade and professional bodies and other regulatory organisations.

The Boat Safety Scheme has been endorsed by all the UK navigation authorities, represented by the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA), and will become a requirement for licensing purposes on waters managed by the Broads Authority from April 2007.

What are the Boat Safety Scheme Standards?

The BSS Standards are a set of essential safety requirements and best safety practice advice.  The Standards include safety criteria for boat systems such as electrical installations, inboard/outboard engines, appliances, ventilation and fuels. Each Standard is broken down into individual Check List items that are applied to the boat, its installations and its appliances during an examination.  A privately owned boat used only for recreational purposes must comply with around 75% of (specified) Check List items before being granted a navigation licence.  However, private boat owners are actively encouraged to comply with the remaining 25% of Check List items, since these represent best safety practice and offer the most opportunities for safety on the waterways.

Does the Boat Safety Scheme apply to all boats on all inland waterways?

The full set of Boat Safety Scheme requirements apply to all boats based on all British Waterways managed navigations and most Environment Agency waters, with the exception of privately-owned boats used solely for recreational purposes.  A navigation licence will be issued to these types of boats that only comply with the Mandatory requirements of the Scheme.  Of course, it's also best safety practice to ensure your privately-owned boat meets the Advisory Check List items too.

The Boat Safety Scheme has been endorsed by all the UK navigation authorities, represented by the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA), and will become a requirement for licensing purposes on waters managed by the Broads Authority from April 2007.

If you keep your boat on a waterway managed by any other navigation authority other than British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority, then it is a good idea to contact the relevant authority to see how much of the BSS applies and whether any other regulations are in force.

Hasn't the BSS changed recently?

Yes.  The changes to the Scheme have been made in order to make it much simpler and easier to understand for everyone   It is important to  be aware that the BSS Standards themselves have not changed  and remain the same in number.  The requirements of the Check List items have not altered either; but it is useful to note that the emphasis placed on some of the items as a requirement for licensing has been relaxed. Other changes include the publication of the Boat Safety Scheme Guide, the development of this website, revised BSS committee structures and a new quality assurance and management system to ensure consistency between examiners and throughout the examination process.

If the BSS has changed, that must mean the Standards have changed too then?

No, the Standards remain exactly the same.  It is the emphasis placed on some Check List items that make up each safety Standard that have changed.

What are Mandatory and Advisory Check List items?

Put together, the Mandatory and Advisory Check List items become the BSS Standards that are applied to most private boats on the inland waterways.  Mandatory Check List items are those which most private boats must comply with in order to gain a licence for navigation.  Advisory Check List items are examples of sound safety advice.  British Waterways and the Environment Agency consider that not meeting the advisory Check List items should not prevent a licence from being granted, but strongly recommend that these measures are taken to improve your own personal safety and the safety of those around you.

Are there any special dispensations within the Standards for small craft, sea going yachts, commercial boats, etc, etc?

It is best practice to invite a competent person to look over any craft with an eye to commenting on safety, at any time and for a reasonable cost.  Sharing knowledge of risks helps make the waterway environment safer when it comes to boats.

That said, provisions and special conditions do exist within the BSS Standards for particular types and usage of some boats. What happens if a boat has been granted a licence based on failure of a 'Time Limited Exemption (TLE)'? British Waterways and the Environment Agency are currently reviewing all licence applications made with one or more TLEs and will write to any boat owners who must now meet requirements that have been reaffirmed as Mandatory. In any case, the TLEs still represent best safety practice and should be implemented to minimise any risks of injury or death.

Does it cost anything to get a boat examined?

Yes it does.  However, the fee paid by you as a boat owner includes a full boat safety survey as well as access to competent advice from the examiner on safety precautions in the future for boat installation systems and appliances. Examiners' fees vary widely, usually according to the distance they will have travelled and the total time spent in examining the boat and preparing a written report.  At the end of the day, it's a good idea to compare prices without compromising on the additional value examiners can bring to promoting safety during the examination.

How frequent are the examinations?

You will still need to renew your BSS Certificate with a boat examination once every four years.  At this time, the examiner will carry out a full inspection on appropriate appliances and installations, looking for wear and tear as well as damage or frailty in any system which could present a safety risk in the foreseeable future.  They will also check to see whether any alterations or modifications to appliances and systems have been done in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.  Examiners will, from 1 April 2002, also complete an 'Appliance Status Record' which logs relevant details on the model, make and condition of all appliances on your boat.  This Record will then be checked and amended accordingly at the time of the next examination to show any changes in the condition or operation of the appliance(s) Do I have to have an 'Appliance Status Record' completed during the BSS examination? Yes.  The Record helps reduce inconsistencies between examiners when inspecting and testing the same appliance(s) over a period of time.  It also helps record any modifications to existing appliances or new installations on board the boat, and gives you a document that you can show to any prospective buyer in the future.

What is The Boat Safety Scheme Guide?

The Boat Safety Scheme Guide is an essential handbook for all powered-boat licence holders and is made freely available to them by their navigation authority.  It takes the boat owner step-by-step through each part of the BSS Standards, showing what risks can exist and explaining how these are prevented through complying with the Check List items. It contains illustrations which identify the parts and installations of a boat , showing the  boat owner how to check whether  their boat complies with the requirements.  It also contains examples of how things can go wrong, and tips from examiners who are keen for you to pass the BSS examination first time around. A handy fold-out reference sheet concludes each chapter ,showing all the Check List items applicable to each BSS Standard. This makes it  convenient to read through the Guide whilst checking the boat's level of safety compliance at the same time. The Boat Safety Scheme Guide is designed to be kept on board and referred to at any time.  A plastic wallet included in the Guide allows  you to keep BSS Certificates, warranties, invoices and other paperwork related to the boat in one place.  Clearly, being able to produce complete paperwork  showing the history of the boat, its installations and appliances can also improve its market value . If the requirements of the BSS Standards change won't the Guide become invalid? It is very unlikely that the BSS Standards and the Check List items will change in the next two years because the scope of the Scheme has now been fully re-appraised by its owners, British Waterways and the Environment Agency.  It is, however, likely that by 2004 the Guide will need to be re-published to take account of developments in safety and statutory legislation. The Environment Agency and British Waterways are committed to providing private boat owners with information about safety and the risks that can arise from faulty systems and components.  The Boat Safety Scheme Guide is an important way of aiding understanding of boat safety risks and how everyone can  avoid them.

But surely there will be the odd amendment to the Scheme over  the next two years?!  What happens then?

The pages of the Guide have been specially numbered and are laid out in a handy A5-sized ring binder file so that if it becomes necessary to alter advice or instructions given in the Guide this can be done independently of  the other pages.  Your licensing authority will simply write to you enclosing a new page for the Guide and, where necessary, any further information concerning the amendment.

TECHNICAL ADVICE FOR OWNERS TAKING ON THEIR OWN WORKS, PLEASE READ MY OTHER PAGES, UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON ELECTRICS/BATTERIES, GAS AND FUEL INSTALLATIONS.

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