FACTS
- Working at sea is one of the most dangerous forms of employment due to the hazardous nature of the maritime environment.
- Slips, trips, and falls are the biggest hazards on board.
- A common type of accident is an enclosed space accident. Enclosed spaces are designed to store goods, to enclose materials and processes, or transport products or substances. Entry by workers for survey, inspection, maintenance, repair, clean up, or similar tasks is often difficult and dangerous because of a lack of air, hazardous atmospheres, the presence of chemicals or physical hazards (risk of fall from unguarded heights, falling objects) and risk of engulfment.
- Crane and lifting operations involve a high percentage of accidents on ship decks. Workers may be struck by falling objects during cargo handling or in stormy weather.
- Many accidents occur while anchoring, berthing, or mooring. Winches, ropes, and mooring lines are therefore inherently dangerous. Mooring accidents have serious consequences and may lead to severe injury or death of seamen. Workers can be caught in bights, become entangled with mooring ropes, or get hit with great force by parted ropes in motion.
- Electrical equipment is used on ships for many purposes. However, poor insulation, defective cables, machines, or tools may cause electrical shock accidents.
- Working with machinery may also pose workers at risk: accidents involving machinery may have severe or fatal consequences, such as the amputation of a finger, a hand or a foot or the entanglement of a worker.
- Other accidents are burns caused by steam or engine exhaust. Cold injuries are caused by metal parts while working on deck or on ship structures in very cold weather. Explosion and fire of explosive or flammable cargo is of great danger to the crew and ship. Improperly maintained machinery may also lead to explosions.
STATS
- There were approximately 67,000 workers in the U.S. water transportation industry.
- There were 87 fatal injuries (18.4 per 100,000 workers) among marine transportation workers, nearly six times the rate of all U.S. workers.
- Studies show a high burden of fatalities due to cardiovascular conditions, work accidents, drownings (including from vessel disasters), suicides, and workplace violence. BLS data on the U.S. workforce indicate a substantial number of deaths due to workplace violence and drownings. In the same period, there were approximately 11,000 nonfatal occupational injuries.
- In 2018, there were lots of water transportation accidents. (Marine Department & Ministry of Transport, 2018). The recent accidents were of the Muslim passenger ship, sugar cargo ship, and other goods. The accidents affected the economic system, people who used passenger boats, freight companies, and the environment in rivers.