Dry-Docking: How to Keep Ships and Ship Repairers Safe

Working on a ship is never completely safe. Working on dry docks can be hazardous for more than a few reasons. Even with strong, lasting measures in place to protect workers, accidents can still happen.

That’s why being prepared for them is any worker’s best bet. Maybe it was human error. Maybe an employee forgot protocol. Maybe a one-in-a-million, completely unforeseen incident occurred. No matter what happened, your clients will need more than just ship repairers liability insurance. They will need to understand the source of safety incidents and how they can be minimized.

You’re also going to need to have awareness of what is going to keep your workers safe in the future. Because of the kind of parts that go into a ship, there’s going to be hazards that many business owners aren’t aware of, unless if you’re in this particular industry.

So how do you keep ships and ship repairers safe long-term? It goes beyond knowing the right operations and procedures. Without common sense, problems will arise. Here are some tips to help keep ship repairers and ships safe during dry-docking, via Marine Insight:

• Fire – One of the most common disasters is fire on the dock. Even though there’s water everywhere, a ship has a lot of flammable parts aboard, including the engine. If there’s any gas cutting or welding taking place, it’s going to be a fire hazard. If there’s oil involved, it’s going to be a hazard. Flammable material is everywhere, unfortunately. Even paint can trigger a fire because of the chemicals in it. Structural cutting is also something to be aware of, as well as oil spills.
• Injury Due To Falling of Load – No matter what equipment is being used, accidents can happen. When a material is heavier than the individual trying to lift it, there’s going to be a risk that worker takes when transporting it. Even a short distance can be hazardous, especially if an employee isn’t properly trained. Accidents in the engine rooms often end up being fatal. That’s why when workers are using cranes, no one should be alone. Two to a person is a lot safer than someone running equipment and machines alone.
• Falling, Tripping and Back Injuries – Employees are going to fall. Not everyone is going to walk away unscathed. Seafarers can be especially susceptible to falls in certain situations that are particular to the ship repairers and those around the ship. That’s why putting up warning signs, cleaning up floors consistently and ensuring that every employee is following protocol. When people fall, back injuries happen, While not all of them are fatal, they are very serious. Back injuries can permanently put out a worker, which will ultimately cost a company money.  
• Other Hazards to be Aware of – Accidental starts of machinery can happen, as well as burns, enclosed space accidents, electrical shock, and flooding. Just because a boat is on the water doesn’t mean that electricity and fire can hurt the entire project.

About Merrimac Marine Insurance

At Merrimac Marine, we are dedicated to providing insurance for the marine industry to protect your clients’ business and assets. For more information about our products and programs, contact our specialists today at (800) 681-1998.