GUIDELINES FOR DECLARING/REDECLARING COMPETENT PERSONS UNDER REGULATION 2(d) OF THE DOCK WORKERS (SAFETY, HEALTH & WELFARE) REGULATIONS, 1990, SPECIAL PERMISSION TO CARRY OUT TEST AND EXAMINATION, ETC.,

1. Declaration of competency

(a) All applications shall be sent to the headquarters directly in the prescribed format (in duplicate) duly completed in every respect.

(b) Detailed scrutiny will be carried out by Dy. Director of the Dock Safety Division (HQ). If the application is in order one copy will be sent to.D.D(S) of the concerned Region for examination of the proposal. At the field level, inspection of the testing facilities will be done by the Dy. Director(S) of that region. He may take the concerned Inspector of the Port with him for this purpose. The Dy. Director should look into the adequacy, upkeep and maintenance of the testing facilities calibration certificate etc. and thereafter he shall submit a report to headquarters with specific recommendations.

(c) On receipt of the report, (if satisfactory), the candidate concerned, will be called for written test and interview at the headquarters. The question bank for the test will be prepared by the Dy. Directors in the headquarters on the basis of the questions provided by the field officers and the officers of headquarters themselves. This question bank will be approved by the Dy. Director General and kept in his custody. The marks for written test should not be less than 75% for consideration of declaration as competent person. The test should try to find out the adequacy of the knowledge and experience in respect of testing as well as the rules and regulations in the area for which competency is sought. There will be no interview at the headquarters but a personal talk with the Director General, Dy. Director General and any Director in the organization, if needed.

(d) The question paper will comprise of multiple choice questions, fill in the blanks, match the columns, descriptive wherever necessary etc. and will be prepared by D.D.G. Required number of copies will be made and kept with DDG and after finalization, the question paper will be deleted from the computer. In case DDG is not in position, DIC (Docks) will replace him.

(e) On the day of the written test/personal talk, the packet of question papers will be handed over to D.D. of Dock Safety Divn., who will at the scheduled time, open the packet and distribute the question paper to the candidates. Candidates will be made to sit separately. The written examination shall be of 100 marks.

(f) The answered test papers shall be evaluated by an officer of the Dock Safety Division and the valuation report should be submitted on the same day.

(g) All candidates who qualify in the written test shall be called for personal talk on the same day, with the Director General and Dy.Director General and any other Director if necessary and a decision will be taken as to the declaration of competency or otherwise. On approval, the competency order will be issued to the concerned person within a fortnight along with the existing terms and conditions.

(h) The validity of the competency granted shall be for the period of one year.

2. Redeclaration of competency

(a) The processing of competency will take a minimum of 60 days.

(b) The procedure for renewal of competency will be the same as in the case of declaration of competency. The process for renewal of applications will not include written test but will have a personal talk with Director General. Dy. Director General and any other Director if necessary. It will include a report from the Inspector of the respective port with regard to compliance of various conditions, the rules and regulations, the adequacy and upkeep of the testing facilities, calibration of the equipment, etc. Apart from this the Inspector shall submit a check list duly signed (as per Format prepared by Headquarters). Other formalities will remain the same as in the case of fresh applicants. The renewal of competency will be for 3 years.

3. Approval for Upgradation of existing testing facilities.

The procedural formalities for considering proposals received from testing establishments for up gradation of the testing facilities will be the same as in the case of fresh proposals received for grant/renewal of competency. However, there wouldn’t be any personal talk.

4. Qualification/experience requirements.

The revised qualification/experience shall be as under:-

Qualification

(a) A degree in any branch Engineering from a recognized University or equivalent qualification and having minimum seven years experience in a Department of the Central Government which deals with the administration of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health &Welfare) Act,1986 or training, education or research in a Central Government Department in the field of accident prevention in industries and in Ports.

Or

(b) (i) A degree in any branch of engineering from a recognized University or

equivalent qualification and having a minimum of seven years experience in a large workshop or factory of repute out of which minimum two years should be in the fields as prescribed below:

Or

(ii) Diploma in any branch of engineering from a recognized Institution or equivalent qualification or pass certificate of competency 1^st class M.O.T. (Steam & Motor), and having a minimum of ten years experience in a large workshop or factory of repute out of which minimum four years should be in the fields as prescribed below :

Experience :

(a) For lifting appliances, loose gears :

Experience in a large workshop or a testing establishment or factory of repute engaged in manufacturing or testing, examination, repair and maintenance of lifting appliances and loose gears such as hooks, shackles, slings, rings, etc. or on board the ship in a responsible capacity undertaking the job of examination, inspection, repairs and maintenance of lifting appliances and loose gears.

(b) For wire ropes :

Experience in a factory or a large workshop of repute engaged in manufacturing or testing, examination and inspection of wire ropes in a responsible capacity.

General

(a) An additional condition may be added in the competency order specifying that the renewal application for competency shall be submitted before 60 days of the expiry of competency granted earlier.

(b) The personal talk for considering renewal of competency applications shall be held in headquarters, as and when required.

(c) Fresh applications for competency shall also be considered as and when required.

5. The procedure for issuance of special permission orders.

Under special circumstances, the CIDS shall issue special permission to competent person to carry out specific tasks in the local port or outstation ports to take care of the following exigencies along with the existing terms and conditions.

(a) When the Competent Person wants to undertake tests, beyond his approved

test capacity, subject to arranging for extra certified deadweights.

(b) To mutually allow Competent Persons belonging to the same Testing Establishment and having testing facilities in different ports, to temporarily function as Competent Person in such ports to meet out exigencies like competent persons at that port going on leave, fall sick, etc.

(c) Where competent persons for specific purpose is not available at that port, competent persons who are declared for specific purpose like testing and examination of lifting appliances and loose gears including container spreaders to go to other ports to carry out the specific task of testing and examination of container spreaders subject to availability of necessary testing and other facilities at the ports concerned, etc.

In case CIDS is not available and the special permission issuance cannot be delayed for his arrival, the same can be issued by DDG failing which by DIC (Docks). However, the same should be ratified on return by D.G.