MAR/General/TBT-MAR-002

Tidal Working Procedures

Marine & Coastal Works › General › Tidal Working Procedures

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Tidal conditions create a constantly changing work environment where water levels, access, and hazards shift throughout the day.
Tide tables must be consulted daily to identify safe working windows and plan activities around high and low water.
The intertidal zone — the area between high and low tide — is only accessible during specific tidal windows.
Rising tides can cut off access to work areas, strand workers, and submerge equipment without adequate planning.
Tidal currents generate powerful water flows that can sweep a person off their feet even in apparently shallow water.
Soft mud and sand exposed at low tide can trap workers who sink and become unable to free themselves before the tide returns.
Weather conditions including wind direction and atmospheric pressure affect tidal predictions and actual water levels.
A tidal working procedure must define safe access and egress times, escape routes, and the point of no return.
Communication equipment must be carried by all workers in tidal areas to raise the alarm if conditions change unexpectedly.
A safety boat or shore-based rescue capability must be available when workers are in or near tidal water.

Cut off by tide	Rising water cuts off access routes within minutes — workers stranded by the tide drown if not rescued rapidly.
Tidal current force	Even knee-deep tidal water flowing at speed can knock an adult off their feet and carry them into deep water.
Soft ground entrapment	Workers sink into tidal mud and cannot free themselves — they drown when the tide returns over them.

Don't

Check tide tables daily and plan all work around confirmed safe tidal windows.
Define the point of no return — the latest time to leave the tidal work area.
Establish escape routes from the tidal zone and brief all workers on them.
Carry communication equipment at all times when working in tidal areas.
Wear personal flotation devices whenever working in or near tidal water.
Ensure a safety boat or shore-based rescue capability is available and crewed.
Monitor actual water levels against predictions — weather affects tidal heights.
Avoid soft mud and sand where entrapment risk exists — use designated access routes.
Brief all workers on tidal timings, escape routes, and emergency procedures daily.
Stop work and begin withdrawal well before the point of no return time.

DON'T work in tidal areas without checking the tide tables for the day.
DON'T remain in the tidal zone past the defined point of no return time.
DON'T access areas without confirmed safe escape routes from rising water.
DON'T work in tidal zones without reliable communication equipment on your person.
DON'T enter tidal water without wearing a personal flotation device.
DON'T work near tidal water without rescue provisions available and ready.
DON'T rely solely on tide table predictions — monitor actual water levels continuously.
DON'T walk across exposed tidal mud without testing the ground and using safe routes.
DON'T skip the daily tidal briefing — conditions and timings change every day.
DON'T take risks with tidal timing — the sea does not give second chances.

See also: Marine Works Safety Awareness | Working Over Water

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