Definition

Noun: A boatswain's chair is a simple seat used for work at height, especially on ships. It consists of a flat board (or sometimes a more shaped seat) and ropes. A person sits on the board, which is suspended by the ropes, allowing them to be raised, lowered, or positioned to work on the side of a ship, on a mast, or on the exterior of a tall building.

Usage

The term is used specifically to describe this piece of equipment in maritime, construction, and maintenance contexts. * Workers use a boatswain's chair for painting, repairs, or inspections in high or hard-to-reach places. * It is a basic form of suspended access equipment.

Examples

• The sailor was lowered over the side in a boatswain's chair to inspect the hull.
• For safety, always secure the ropes of a boatswain's chair to a strong anchor point.
• The window cleaner used a boatswain's chair to reach the top floors of the old building.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often associated with traditional maritime work but is still used in modern industrial rope access techniques.
• Regulations often govern the safe use of a boatswain's chair, including requirements for the strength of materials and worker harnesses.

Variants and Related Words

• Bosun's chair: This is a common alternative spelling and pronunciation of "boatswain's chair." "Bosun" is a phonetic shortening of "boatswain."
• Swing stage: A larger, often powered platform used for similar suspended work, typically in construction.
• Suspended scaffold: A more general term that can include boatswain's chairs as a simple type.

Synonyms

• Suspended seat
• Rope seat
• Stage (in certain industrial contexts)

Related Phrases

• To work from a boatswain's chair: Describes the action of performing a job using this equipment.
  • He spent the afternoon working from a boatswain's chair to repair the antenna.

Noun

1. a seat consisting of a board and a rope; used while working aloft or over the side of a ship