Are There Regulations to Prevent Commercial Fishermen Falls?

Did you know that OSHA has regulations in place to help prevent fall accidents? Employees can sustain falls on boats, including workers doing the maintenance, cleaning, repair, alteration and/or overhaul of a vessel. These incidents can occur at sea, dockside or in a shipyard.

According to OSHA, each year dozens of employees are injured or killed due to falls on vessels while performing work activities.  This includes activities in shipyard service.

OHSA recommends the following safe fall protection practices:

• Using proper equipment, not body belts or ropes around the waist.
• Identifying all fall hazards and, where possible, using handrails, chains, and ropes to protect against hazards such as unprotected deck openings/edges and stairwells to eliminate fall hazards.
• Establishing a proper gangway or ladder to board vessels.
• Practicing good housekeeping. Keeping equipment such as cords and fishing lines out of walkways and work areas.
• Not using cranes to hoist workers unless the crane is specifically approved for lifting personnel.

For more information about OSHA fall prevention measures, you can click on the source link below. Employers that fail to adhere to safety guidelines can face fines. Aside from OSHA, the U.S. Coast Guard also regulates certain fishing vessels, routinely inspecting some boats for safety compliance issues.

Having a Commercial Fishing Injury Investigated

Commercial fishing can be very hard and physically demanding. It should be noted that our attorneys have helped thousands of commercial fishermen involved in accidents on the job. Depending upon where an accident took place and your occupation, you may be able to file a claim under the Jones Act or another form of maritime law, seeking compensation if you have been injured.

An attorney could help determine if your injuries were a result of employer negligence and/or a vessel’s unseaworthiness. In the video above, our own David Anderson explains the importance of obtaining legal counsel in maritime law.

Fall accidents can result in serious injuries, including broken bones, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. All of these may require extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation. Make sure that you seek legal counsel following a fall incident, which may be able to help you obtain compensation for your suffering.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Nationwide Maritime Attorneys

[Latti’s Little Extra: According to the CDC, falls cause about 40.5 percent of all traumatic brain injuries in the U.S.]

Source: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/fallprotectionsafety-commercialfishing-factsheet.html