The Tug Life-Saving Rules Program aims to:
Prevent fatalities and serious injuries onboard tugboats.
Reinforce consistent safety behaviors across all tug operations.
Strengthen individual accountability for safety.
Increase hazard awareness, especially for high-risk tasks
To make these rules clear and actionable, each one is presented
with a personal commitment format:
✅ "I will always" – Positive actions you are expected to consistently follow to
protect yourself and others.
❌ "I will never" – Dangerous behaviors you must avoid because they can lead to
serious injury or death.
1.8 m
Encourage all colleagues to ‘STOP WORK’ when there is an
unsafe activity or condition.
Respect the intervention.
Thank the person who stopped me and may have saved my life.
Report hazards and take action.
Ignore risks just to finish the job.
Hesitate to speak up when safety is compromised.
Leave it to someone else.
Cover up or disguise any unsafe activity or condition.
Wear the right PPE
I Will Always
Wear task-specific PPE properly and completely.
Inspect my PPE before each use and report and any damaged.
Bring my complete PPE whenever I transfer to another tugboat
or go on vacation leave.
Inspect my PPE before each use and immediately report any
damage or defect.
I Will Never
Begin work without required PPE.
Use broken, expired, or unsuitable PPE.
Personal Protective Equipment
saves lives during routine and
emergency operations.
1.8 m
Maintain three points of contact when climbing or working from
a ladder and always hold onto the handrail on stairs.
Check walkways and working surfaces for slip and trip hazards
before starting work.
Check the condition of fall arrestors / lines and anchor points.
Start work without a pre-job risk assessment to identify risks
and appropriate controls.
Work at height without a harness or fall protection.
Climb onto structures or equipment not designed for access.
Ignore spills, debris, or uneven surfaces that could cause slips
or trips.
Run or jump on deck, especially during vessel motion, or jump
from the pier during mooring and unmooring operations.
1.8 m
Identify all energy sources (such as electrical, mechanical,
gravity and kinetic) before starting a task.
Treat all energy sources as live until they have been: Safely
isolated, De-energized and verified.
Lock and tag out equipment before work.
Start work without a pre-job risk assessment to identify risks
and appropriate controls.
Work on energized or pressurized systems.
Remove another person’s lock or tag.
Skip testing for zero energy.
Use unofficial isolation methods.
Maintain a safe distance from hazards, ensuring I am outside the
‘line of fire’ and understand the consequences of equipment
failure.
Keep away from suspended loads, unprotected equipment and
moving vehicles.
Be alert to blasting, welding, grinding, electrical work and falling
objects.
Maintain a safe distance from lines under tension such as
lifting/mooring lines, towing cables or suspended loads –
consider Snap-back areas.
Stand between a load and a fixed object where I can be pinned.
Enter a danger zone without permission or coordination.
Cross under suspended loads or in front of moving machinery.
Ignore visual warnings or barriers marking danger areas.
Participate actively in all emergency drills and treat every exercise as if
it were real.
Check that all life-saving and firefighting equipment is complete,
accessible, and ready for use. Report any defects or missing items
immediately through the VSIR or to the Safety Officer.
Familiarize myself with my emergency duties, station bill, escape routes,
and and the proper use of emergency equipment and gears (e.g., fire
extinguishers, SCBA, life jackets, life rafts).
Encourage and assist others in learning emergency response
procedures.
Treat emergency drills as routine formality or ignore safety instructions.
Delay or neglect to report any emergency equipment defects or safety
hazards.
Tamper with or misuse of life-saving appliances or firefighting
equipment.
Assume someone else will handle the emergency — I am responsible
for knowing and performing my role.
Get sufficient rest before reporting for duty to ensure
alertness.
Undergo my annual physical examination and comply with all
medical requirements.
Follow my doctor’s instructions regarding medication,
treatment, or activity limitations.
Inform the company nurse of any recent illness or medical
concern — especially after vacation or before joining the
vessel.
Report for duty if I am feeling unwell, overly fatigued, or
mentally unfit.
Ignore or hide signs of illness or fatigue — in myself or in
others.
Hide or fail to disclose any medical condition, whether onboard
or before returning from vacation, that could affect my fitness
to work or compromise safety.
Participate actively in all emergency drills and treat every exercise as if
it were real.
Check that all life-saving and firefighting equipment is complete,
accessible, and ready for use. Report any defects or missing items
immediately through the VSIR or to the Safety Officer.
Familiarize myself with my emergency duties, station bill, escape routes,
and and the proper use of emergency equipment and gears (e.g., fire
extinguishers, SCBA, life jackets, life rafts).
Encourage and assist others in learning emergency response
procedures.
Treat emergency drills as routine formality or ignore safety instructions.
Delay or neglect to report any emergency equipment defects or safety
hazards.
Tamper with or misuse of life-saving appliances or firefighting
equipment.
Assume someone else will handle the emergency — I am responsible
for knowing and performing my role.
Secure a valid, signed work permit before starting any high-risk job.
Read, understand, and follow the specific precautions and
conditions listed on the permit.
Attend the toolbox talk or job safety briefing related to the
permitted task.
Verify that all safety equipment (e.g., fire extinguishers, gas
detectors, PPE) is in place and functional before work begins.
Ensure permits are properly displayed at the job site and valid for
the current date and time.
Start a hazardous work without a valid permit.
Sign or approve a permit if I do not fully understand the job or risks.
Alter, bypass, or disregard any listed control measures on the
permit.
Assume that because a job looks routine, a permit is not required.
Allow others to work under expired, incomplete, or unauthorized
permits.
Report for duty sober, clear-minded, and fit to work.
Encourage my crewmates to follow our alcohol- and drug-free
policy.
Cooperate fully with random or for-cause drug and alcohol
testing.
Declare any prescription medications that may affect my
performance.
Consume alcohol or illegal drugs before or during duty.
Tolerate or cover up for a crewmate under the influence.
1.8 m
K now it
Knowing the rules means recognizing the real-life dangers
they are designed to prevent, and understanding how each
one helps protect life, equipment, and the vessel. Safety
starts with awareness.
O wn it
Owning it means taking full accountability for your behavior
and decisions. It’s about speaking up when something is
unsafe, following procedures even when no one is
watching, and encouraging your crewmates to do the same.
When you own safety, you become a leader on board.
L ive it
Living the rules means making safety a natural part of your
habits, your mindset, and your duty. It’s not just compliance
— it’s a way of life.
Thank you
