Many maritime employees in California work on the open ocean. Cruise ships, fishing vessels and countless container ships travel the waters along the California coastline. However, many maritime professionals also work inland as well.
Technically, maritime rules also apply to any navigable waterways within the United States. Some of the rivers in California are navigable waterways that can accommodate vessels of varying sizes. The professionals operating those vessels are subject to the same rules and protections as maritime workers out on the open ocean, but the hazards that they face are substantially different.
What are some of the common sources of maritime incidents on rivers in California?
Changing courses and variable depths
Rivers ebb and flow based on factors including rainfall, season and heat. They can become deeper or shallower in a matter of hours in some cases. Even someone who is familiar with the river they are navigating can misjudge changes in that waterway after droughts or heavy rainfall.
Lower water levels might result in ships running aground. Higher water levels might cover dangerous rocks that lead to vessels tilting or taking on water. Workers can end up thrown off of vessels or injured when they strike the riverbed, rocks and other obstacles.
Other vessels
Professional vessels and recreational crafts are a primary source of risk on navigable waterways. Encountering other vessels out on the navigable rivers across California can lead to serious worker injuries.
Another vessel could block the planned route, leading to sudden deceleration or a collision. Attempts to avoid a collision could result in abrupt motions that produce worker injuries.
Coworker mistakes
Many maritime professionals understand that they have to be fully attentive while out on the ocean, as one mistake is all it takes for a fatal incident to occur. Additionally, the lack of nearby infrastructure can reduce the risk of maritime professionals becoming distracted by mobile devices.
On rivers, professionals are likely to have access to domestic cellular networks. They could very easily become so distracted that they make devastating mistakes while operating vessels or equipment on those vessels. Those mistakes could culminate in other professionals sustaining injuries.
While the risk of going overboard and drowning isn’t as pressing when the body of water isn’t as large, the currents in rivers can be particularly dangerous. Workers may also have a false sense of security that may lead to them being less fastidious about the use of safety gear, such as personal flotation devices.
Workers injured on navigable rivers in California often have a complex compensation process ahead of them. Connecting lost wages and medical expenses to known safety risks can often be the first step toward developing a maritime injury compensation claim.