There is a legal requirement for the latest edition of COSWP to be carried and readily accessible on board all UK-flagged merchant ships. It must be made available to any seafarer on board who requests it.

The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP) is an essential publication, offering a comprehensive set of guidelines and best practices to support the safety and health of seafarers. It provides practical advice on safe working procedures to minimise risks and help prevent accidents on board.

Key updates in the 2025 Edition include:
NEW Chapter 34: Safety considerations for seafarers while a ship is being repaired in a shipyard
Updated Chapter 22 (Annex 22.1): Enhanced standards for means of access
Revised Chapter 11: Guidance on safe movement on board during extreme weather conditions
Chapters 9, 10, 12 and 15: Improvements including a new illustration of a hammer suspension system (Chapter 12)
Updated references to current legislation across the code

This is a statutory publication, critical for legal compliance and crew safety. The Merchant Shipping (Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1838)
These regulations require that the owner (or operator) of every UK ship is responsible for carrying and making available the Code of Safe Working Practices on board.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/1838/made