If a vessel is critically short-staffed and there genuinely is no second person available to act as an observer for a planned height work task, what should the Master do?

A. Delegate the decision entirely to the worker themselves

B. Defer the task until adequate personnel are available, or seek an alternative method (e.g. remote inspection) — lone height work should not be authorised regardless of operational pressure

C. Authorise the work to proceed without an observer, since the job is necessary

D. Allow the worker to act as their own observer via a check-in radio call every few minutes

A. The deck area should be cleaned and the slope/level checked against the MEWP's rated operating limits before deployment; if outside those limits, a different position or method should be used

B. Proceed and rely on the MEWP's outriggers to compensate for any surface condition

C. Proceed as normal — MEWPs are designed to handle uneven surfaces automatically

D. Proceed but instruct the operator to move slowly

A. No — the worker should receive a specific briefing/familiarisation on the rigid rail system's traveller mechanism, attachment/detachment points, and any system-specific limitations before first use

B. No, but only if the worker has never climbed a mast before at all

C. Yes — all fall protection systems work the same way functionally

D. Yes, provided the harness is the same brand as previously used