When someone is immersed in cold water, such as an employee of a deep-sea fishing company who falls overboard in a storm, they are going to go through three critical stages. These can have a major impact on the type of injuries they suffer and whether or not it is a...
Working as a commercial diver can be a very lucrative career choice. This is a specialized industry, as not many people have the skills, training and certification to work as professional divers. It is also a relatively high-risk industry, so those who can routinely...
Anchor handling is one of the most demanding operations performed aboard offshore vessels. Heavy equipment, moving chains and changing sea conditions create a work environment where even a brief lapse in judgment can result in a serious injury. Many incidents are...
A fire breaks out on a drilling platform 50 miles offshore. Alarms sound, but the lifeboat davits will not release. The muster station radio is dead. You and your crew are trapped with no clear way off a burning structure. These failures happen more often than...
Commercial fishing has long ranked among the nation's most hazardous occupations. If you work on a commercial fishing vessel, you know that rough weather, heavy equipment and long hours can create risks throughout every trip. As more vessels adopt artificial...
Going overboard is one of the worst possible incidents a maritime professional can experience. Some people get swept overboard by unusually large waves. Some lose their balance due to choppy waters. Others may end up tangled in nets or ropes. Falling overboard can...
For many individuals in the fishing industry, working on a commercial vessel means relying on heavy equipment every day. When that equipment begins to fail, even an experienced crew member can suffer a serious injury in seconds. Many fishermen are used to handling...
Seamen who work on the deck of a ship face serious hazards, some of which can be mitigated through proper communication. Deck work depends on being able to see what’s going on, timing actions properly and having clear instructions. When communication breaks down,...
Those working in maritime environments take daily life-and-death risks. One bad storm or one overlooked maintenance issue may be all it takes for a tragedy to occur in a maritime work environment. Families reeling after a tragedy involving an offshore worker may have...
If you are new to working at a port or shipyard, one question you may have is what happens if you suffer an injury on the job. The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides benefits for certain injuries, and understanding how it works can help...
