Shipyard Safety: The Importance of PPE

The boat building industry, which has grown over the past five years, employs over 36,450 workers and generates at least $11 billion a year, according to a 2018 Industry Market Research Report from IBIS World.

Shipbuilding is vast: there are yachts, superyachts, motor boats, canoes, sailboats, rowboats, dinghies, and other personal small watercraft carriers. All of these are made by boat builders in the shipyard industry. Even though these boats are fun to make, accidents happen and people get hurt. And when workers are out recovering, both them and the company are losing money.

According to 2003 data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), shipbuilders that are injured on the job spend more than 31.5 days away from work; this amounts to 31 percent of workers who get hurt. And think about how outdated those numbers are. More workers could be getting hurt now. Or there could also be less harm thanks to preventative methods.

When you are consistent with shipyard safety, fewer accidents happen in general, even if you can’t stop them. This is the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that all shipbuilders should have before going on the job, via information gathered from the United States Navy.

Keep Your Eyes Open and Keep a Hard Hat (and Eye Protection) on While Working

Once there are employees on the work site, it’s a good idea to scan before walking around to take in the scenery. See what spots are labeled and why. Let them figure out where they’re supposed to be as well, all while staying safe. Figuring out the job first will help prevent human error.

Sure the hat might not be comfy. But if something falls unexpectedly, your client is definitely going to want that hard hat on their head. And they’ve only gotten better in protection over the years as well. It’s not just about things falling on someone’s head; workers can fall from ladders or high spots too. The correct hard hat can keep one from a pretty serious or fatal head injury.

There’s going to be debris flying around everywhere, so don’t take the chance. If there are employees with sensitive eyes, make sure they are properly covered too. You’ll thank yourself later when your clients manage to avoid any bad accidents.

It’s Going to be Loud, So Always Have Ear Protection on Site

If you’ve been to a concert and thought that was loud, working on a shipyard is going to be much louder. Your client should address all employees to always have ear protection like earplugs before arriving on site. Sometimes even double protection is needed, which at that point employees need big noise-canceling earmuffs. Signs are posted when ear protection is needed, so it’s not something that has to be worn all day.

Wear Your Uniform, Boots and Always Clean Them Properly

Shipbuilders are going to have specifically designed uniforms that will protect them while at work, which they can leave at the job site if they have to be cleaned of hazardous chemicals. But if boots are probably the biggest uniform necessity, besides a good old flashlight.

Since your client will have employees working in a shipyard, it would be best for them to have steel toed boots. If your client provides the most successful environment possible for their workers, they will not have to worry about the possibility of boat builders insurance claims.

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.