Lloyd’s Register (LR) and The Standard P&I Club have jointly produced a booklet on hatch cover safety. A Master’s Guide to Hatch Cover Maintenance is intended to aid crew in the safe operation and maintenance of large hatch covers. It is currently being distributed to owners and operators of all LR classed ships that have large hatch covers, for placing on board.

A Master’s Guide to Hatch Cover Maintenance has nine sections: hatch cover and their function; basic advice; common false beliefs about hatch covers; leakage problems; leak detection tests; monitoring and inspection; maintenance and repair; heavy weather precautions; and safety when working with hatch covers. In addition, two appendices show procedures to open and close hatch covers, and include a check sheet to assist crew members when carrying out hatch cover condition assessments.