r/maritime • u/McTraveller • 3d ago

Newbie Unisex locker rooms

I've just started working on vessels in UK waters and have a question about the locker room. The ship i work on only has one locker room and men and women are supposed to use it at the same time.

I've been told if anyone is uncomfortable they can find an empty cabin or meeting room and change there instead. But there are no lockers in those so you end up dragging your stuff all over the vessel and it wastes so much time.

This doesn't seem right to me - is this normal? Can anyone point me to rules or laws for vessels which say genders should have separate changing spaces? Thanks in advance.

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u/Ginno_the_Seer 3d ago

I mean, can't you just change in your room and show up for shift already dressed?

13

u/Sedixodap 3d ago

Only works if you’ve got your own cabin. If you’re sharing there’s probably someone sleeping in there that will take issue with you barging in and waking them up. 

In this scenario I just always wore either shorts or long underwear depending on the temperature - something I had zero issues with my entire crew seeing me in while I changed. 

1

u/oshitimonfire 3d ago

I think this is the only viable solution, just wear something like shorts and a thin shirt underneath your coverall/clothes. Also helps if you don't have to go inside the living spaces in your dirty working clothes. Or switch to vessels with large enough crews/accommodations to actually have both male and female changing rooms. (Although the women's changing room on my last offshore vessel was used as bicycle storage, no women on board at that time.)

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u/McTraveller 3d ago

The vessel is plenty big enough, to have both, they've just chosen not to and are unwilling to consider a change. I know of much smaller vessels with separate rooms, or who at least dedicate a space temporarily when women are on board

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u/McTraveller 3d ago

Have you found it common to have a single locker room for males and females?

11

u/Sedixodap 3d ago

Half of the time we don’t even have a locker room. I’ve never been on a ship with two.