Crab fishing is well known as one of the most dangerous professions in the United States. Many workers face serious injuries, and fatal accidents are more common in this industry, per capita, than they are in many others. Crab fishing is a relatively small industry,...
Year: 2026
Rushing makes workplace injuries more likely
When workers feel the pressure to rush, it increases the odds that they will be injured on the job. This is true in a maritime context, for workers on commercial fishing ships or cargo ships, but it also generally applies to a wide range of employees. Mistakes are...
Studies link maritime workers to lower back injuries
There are many injury risks for professional fishermen and maritime workers. They have a very physically demanding job. They also work in remote locations and are exposed to the elements. One issue that some studies have found is that there is a high prevalence of...
What is the borrowed employee doctrine in an offshore injury case?
Multiple companies may have business on the same offshore oil rigs. Sometimes, a worker from one company may be “loaned out” to another for a time because of their particular skills. During that time, they will take their orders from a supervisor with that company. If...
Can a seaman choose their own doctor after a maritime injury?
After a maritime injury off the California coast, your employer may send you to a company-selected doctor. You may wonder if you must keep seeing that provider when you want another opinion. Maritime law provides qualifying seamen with protections for medical care....
3 dangerous stages during immersion in cold water
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...
Lost future earnings for commercial divers
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...
Common causes of anchor handling injuries at sea
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...
When emergency evacuation systems fail on offshore platforms
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...
Can AI and smart sensors make commercial fishing safer?
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...

