Overview - ISO 15085:2024 (Small craft - Protection from falling overboard and means of reboarding)
ISO 15085:2024 specifies design, construction and strength requirements for safety devices and arrangements on small craft intended to minimize the risk of persons falling overboard and to facilitate unaided reboarding from the water. The standard adopts a risk-based approach using defined deck zones and replaces earlier guard‑rail/guard‑line prescriptions with a unified concept of “falling overboard barriers.”
Key exclusions: canoes and kayaks, personal watercraft (including powered surfboards), and devices (e.g., trapezes) that allow crew to operate entirely outside the craft perimeter.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 15085:2024 covers a comprehensive set of safety features and associated requirements, including:
- Deck zone risk approach - requirements are organized by deck zones and intended functions during “normal operation.”
- Barriers to falling overboard - geometric design and strength requirements for guard-rails, low guard-rails and guard-lines now unified under a single barrier concept.
- Handholds and foot-stops - locations, mounting, continuity and structural strength to help retain persons on deck.
- Slip-resistant surfaces - general requirements and specific provisions for trampolines and nets.
- Toe straps for dinghies - included for hiking out; trapeze systems remain out of scope.
- Hooking and attachment points / jack-lines - sizing, location and strength for safety lines and harness connections.
- High-speed craft provisions - additional requirements for handholds, body support and seat fixing strength.
- Means of reboarding - requirements and tests for rigid and non‑rigid ladders and reboarding performance (unaided).
- Operational and storage temperature - functional temperature ranges for safety devices.
- Documentation - owner’s manual requirements and test annexes (e.g., seat testing for high-speed craft).
Practical applications - who uses ISO 15085:2024
This standard is intended for:
- Boat designers, naval architects and small craft manufacturers (for design and type approval)
- Component manufacturers (ladders, handholds, barriers, toe straps)
- Certification bodies and regulatory authorities evaluating safety compliance
- Shipyards, boat builders and refitters implementing safety retrofits
- Owners, marinas and training providers seeking guidance on equipment and safe reboarding procedures
Related standards
Normative references include:
- ISO 8666:2020 (Small craft - Principal data)
- ISO 12217 series (Stability and buoyancy assessment and categorization)
ISO 15085:2024 is practical for improving onboard safety, guiding product development, and aligning small craft with contemporary risk-based safety practices for fall-prevention and reboarding.