2.1 These Guidelines do not apply to ships which have asbestos aboard as allowed by SOLAS regulations II-1/3-5.2.1, 3-5.2.2 and 3-5.2.3.
2.2 The purpose of the Guidelines is to set up a maintenance and monitoring programme with the principal objective of minimising exposure to asbestos fibres of anyone on board (passengers, crew, riding crews, maintenance personnel in port) while the ship is ìin serviceî (i.e., as opposed to when the ship is in a repair or dry-dock status with minimal crew members or only shore-side personnel on board).
2.3 The present Guidelines address the following three situations:
.1 general exposure of crew/passengers to asbestos which may be present on the ship;
.2 more direct exposure of crew members working in areas where there is reasonable likelihood that asbestos is ñ or asbestos fibres are ñ present; and
.3 specific exposure of crewmembers and other workers when they are maintaining or repairing equipment or systems known to contain asbestos-based insulated materials.
2.4 Planned repairs or removal of such materials should be carried out by specialist personnel and not normally by crew. In cases where the crew is involved in urgent repair work at sea, special measures should be observed as listed in annex 1. Procedures should be developed for the safe retention of any waste asbestos on board the ship before it can be transferred and disposed of ashore.
2.5 The provisions of these Guidelines do not apply to any warship, naval auxiliary or other ships owned or operated by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service. However, each State should ensure, through the adoption of appropriate measures not impairing operations or operational capabilities of such ships owned or operated by it, that such ships act in a manner consistent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, with these Guidelines.