
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as The Docks, Shipbuilding etc. (Metrication) Regulations 1983 and shall come into operation on the 1st June 1983.
(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, “the principal instruments” means the Regulations and Orders amended by these Regulations, that is to say:— 
 The Docks Regulations 1925;
 The Docks Regulations 1934;
 The Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Regulations 1960;
 The Shipbuilding (Lifting Appliances etc. Forms) Order 1961;
 The Docks Certificates (No. 2) Order 1964.
2 
The provisions of the principal instruments specified in the Schedule to these Regulations in Column 1 shall be amended by substituting for the measurements or expressions set out opposite thereto in column 3 the measurements or expressions set out in the corresponding entry in column 4.
3 
Where any premises or plant, in existence or under construction immediately before the coming into operation of these Regulations complied with the requirements of the principal Regulations as then in force, then those premises or that plant shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of the principal Regulations as amended by these Regulations.
Signed by order of the Secretary of State.
John Selwyn Gummer
Joint Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department of Employment
26th April 1983
THE SCHEDULE
Regulation 2


1 2 3 4
Provision to be amended Subject-matter of measurement or expression Present measurement or expression Measurement or expression to be substituted
The Docks Regulations 1925 Regulation 19(b)(i) Chains etc. to be annealed half inch 13 millimetres
The Docks Regulations 1934 Definitions Length of lock ninety feet 27.5 metres
 Distance from edge of canal fifteen feet 5.0 metres
 Depth of water five feet 1.5 metres
Regulation 1 Height of fencing two feet six inches 760 millimetres
 Distance from side of entrance five yards 5.0 metres
Regulation 9 Width of ladder or gangway twenty-two inches 560 millimetres
 Height of fencing two feet nine inches 840 millimetres
Regulation 11(1) Depth of hold five feet 1.5 metres
Regulation 11(2)(b) Depth of foothold including any space behind the ladder 4 ½ inches 115 millimetres
 Width of foothold 10 inches 250 millimetres
Regulation 11(2)(c) Depth of foothold including any space behind the cleats or cups 4 ½ inches 115 millimetres
 Width of foothold 10 inches 250 millimetres
Regulation 11(2)(d) Depth of foothold including any space behind the ladder 4½ inches 115 millimetres
 Width of foothold 10 inches 250 millimetres
Regulation 17 Width of working space around hatch two feet 600 millimetres
Regulation 19(b)(i) Chains etc. to be annealed half inch 13 millimetres
Regulation 28(c) Height of ladder thirty feet 10 metres
Regulation 35(b) Width of space along edge of wharf three feet 920 millimetres
Regulation 37(a) Depth of hold five feet 1.5 metres
 Height of coamings two feet six inches 760 millimetres
 Height of fencing three feet 920 millimetres
Regulation 40 Distance from deck two feet 600 millimetres
Schedule
Paragraph (a) Safe working load up to 20 tons up to 20 tonnes
 Safe working load 20–50 tons 20–50 tonnes
 Proof load 5 tons in excess 5 tonnes in excess
 Safe working load over 50 tons over 50 tonnes
Paragraph (b) Safe working load up to 20 tons up to 20 tonnes
 Safe working load 20–50 tons 20–50 tonnes
 Proof load 5 tons in excess 5 tonnes in excess
 Safe working load over 50 tons over 50 tonnes
Paragraph (c) Safe working load up to and including 20 tons up to and including 20 tonnes
 Safe working load over 20 tons up to and including 40 tons over 20 tonnes up to and including 40 tonnes
 Proof load 20 tons in excess 20 tonnes in excess
Safe working load over 40 tons over 40 tonnes
The Shipbuilding
and Ship-repairing Regulations 1960
Regulation 2(2)(a) Length of ship one hundred feet 30 metres
 Depth of ship nine feet six inches 2.9 metres
Regulation 2(2)(b) Length of ship one hundred feet 30 metres
 Depth of ship nine feet six inches 2.9 metres
Regulation 2(2)(c) Length of ship one hundred feet 30 metres
 Depth of ship nine feet six inches 2.9 metres
Regulation 3(2) Flash point of oil two hundred and seventy degrees Fahrenheit 132 degrees Celsius
Regulation 7(b) Height of hand-rails two feet nine inches 840 millimetres
 Height of toe-board above floor six inches 150 millimetres
Regulation 8(1) Height of fencing two feet nine inches 840 millimetres
Regulation 9(1)(a) Width of ladder or gangway twenty-two inches 560 millimetres
 Height of fencing two feet nine inches 840 millimetres
Regulation 10(2)(a) Position of top step of ladder twelve inches 300 millimetres
Regulation 13(3) Width of footway seventeen inches 430 millimetres
Regulation 14(1)(d) Position of top of ladder two feet six inches 760 millimetres
Regulation 17(2) Extension of planks forming stages eighteen inches 460 millimetres
Regulation 24(heading) Height of stages six feet six inches 2 metres
Regulation 24(1) Height of stages six feet six inches 2 metres
Regulation 24(2)(c) Width of stages seventeen inches 430 millimetres
Regulation 24(3)(a) Height of guard rail three feet 920 millimetres
Regulation 24(7) Width of stages twenty five inches 640 millimetres
Regulation 25(1) Height of fencing three feet 920 millimetres
 Height of fencing two feet six inches 760 millimetres
Regulation 26(1) Height of coaming two feet six inches 760 millimetres
 Height of fencing three feet 920 millimetres
Regulation 36(3) Size of chains etc. half inch 13 millimetres
Regulation 47 Weight of load 20 tons 20 tonnes
Regulation 55(1) Distance from source of heat fifteen feet 5 metres
Regulation 59(1)(b)(i) Flash point of oil seventy-three degrees Fahrenheit 23 degrees Celsius
Regulation 60(2) Flash point of oil seventy-three degrees Fahrenheit 23 degrees Celsius
Regulation 66(1) Flash point of oil one hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit 66 degrees Celsius
Regulation 69(5) Flash point of paraffin one hundred degrees Fahrenheit 38 degrees Celsius
Regulation 80(1) Height of stages six feet six inches 2 metres
Second Schedule
Paragraph (a) Safe working load under 20 tons under 20 tonnes
 Safe working load 20–50 tons 20–50 tonnes
 Proof load 5 tons in excess 5 tonnes in excess
 Safe working load over 50 tons over 50 tonnes
Paragraph (b) Safe working load under 20 tons under 20 tonnes
 Safe working load 20–50 tons 20–50 tonnes
 Proof load 5 tons in excess 5 tonnes in excess
 Safe working load over 50 tons over 50 tonnes
Paragraph (c) Safe working load under 50 tons under 50 tonnes
 Safe working load 50–100 tons 50–100 tonnes
 Proof load plus 50 tons plus 50 tonnes
 Safe working load over 100 tons over 100 tonnes
 Safe working load up to and including 20 tons up to and including 20 tonnes
 Safe working load over 20 tons up to and including 40 tons over 20 tonnes up to and including 40 tonnes
 Proof load 20 tons in excess 20 tonnes in excess
 Safe working load over 40 tons over 40 tonnes
The Shipbuilding (Lifting Appliances etc. Forms) Order 1961 Schedule, Part III Paragraph (2)(a) Size of rope inches millimetres
Paragraph (3) Tensile strength of wire tons* per square inch Newtons per square millimetre
Paragraph (4)(c) Safe working load Safe working load* Safe working load
Footnote Definition of ton 1 ton=2,240 lbs none
The Docks Certificates (No. 2) Order 1964
Schedule
Paragraph (1) Column (g) Proof load applied tons tonnes
Column (h) Safe working load tons tonnes