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Hazards of Working in Extreme Heat on Ships Heat sickness can frequently occur onboard ships due to the extreme temperature and high humidity conditions in which seafarers often work. However, despite the awareness and available preventive measures, there have been a disturbing number of cases where human indifference has resulted in serious illness and even death. Heat exhaustion Heat exhaustion usually develops gradually and is caused by loss of salt and water from the body through excessive sweating. Those who are unwell, especially with illnesses that cause vomiting and diarrhoea, are particularly vulnerable. As the condition develops there may be: headache and dizziness; confusion; loss of appetite and nausea; sweating; pale, clammy skin; cramps in the arms, legs or the abdominal wall. Perspiration is the body’s best heat-control mechanism but the salt and water that is lost must be replaced. The salt is best taken with food and supplemented by drinks containi...

Seafarer Fatigue: The Importance Of Good Night Sleep We all like to have a good night’s sleep; we feel better when we do and we certainly feel much worse when we don’t. Proper rest and sleep, however, are not merely matters of personal comfort; they are vital to a person’s physical and mental well-being. Furthermore, those without proper sleep are likely to make more mistakes and suffer from more accidents. This is particularly true on working ships, where crew are engaged in both physically and mentally demanding work, at times in dangerous situations and having to fulfill work rosters that are tight and demanding for all on board. To illustrate this easily: for anyone reading who is a parent, remember the first few months after the birth, and the effect that the constant sleep interruptions had on you. Now imagine you have to carry out dangerous work while suffering the effects from repeated poor sleep. You are both physically weaker and mentally less alert. A strong cup o...

Guide To Safe Confined Space Entry On Ships More seafarers die or are injured in enclosed spaces than through any other onboard work activity. In spite of all the guidelines, safety procedures, manuals, and training, accidents in enclosed spaces continue to take place on ships. The facts and figures are disturbing. According to a report, it has been estimated that more than 50% of people who die in confined spaces are attempting to rescue others who have found themselves in difficulty. Latest data from the UK Marine Accident Investigators Bureau (MAIB) show there were 101 enclosed space incidents in an eleven-year period between 1998 and 2009. Ninety three of them were fatal and another 96 of them were serious injury accidents. (Source : Lloyd’s Register) The number of accidents happening because of seafarers entering confined spaces is unacceptable and that although safety procedures have been developed for people to follow, it is clear from the numbers of fatalities and ...

Points To Consider When Preparing For Safety Equipment Survey On Ships Safety is of paramount importance onboard. The ship being a workplace prone to mishaps, no tables should be left unturned to ensure that the vessel is safe to the maximum extent possible. Adhering to the  Planned Maintenance Schedule  pretty much guarantees that the general culture of safety is upheld. And although safety is an aspect regularly taken care of, it might be necessary to overhaul and renew equipment before the scheduled survey. Replacing expired edibles (in the liferaft), pyrotechnics, damaged labels/stickers etc. all require immediate attention. Certificates are also examined and so are the logbooks; so that should be kept in mind as well. Generally speaking, the extent of stringency depends on the visual assessment of the ship, hence it is important to keep every safety aspect, both visually and otherwise. So what are some of the salient points to carry out before the survey? Rea...

Dangerous Diseases/Disorders Seafarers Should Be Aware Working on ships has its perks, but it’s also a well-known fact that working at sea is one of the most hazardous occupations, in regards to personal health and safety concerns of seafarers. Apart from accidents, seafarers are prone to certain serious diseases and health hazards due to the nature of onboard work, change in climatic conditions, type of cargo carried, working hours, materials being handled, epidemic and endemic diseases, personal habits etc. Although seafarers go through a strict medical test before joining a vessel, it is evident that the life of seafarers is constantly at risk while out at sea and what makes it more worse is the lack of professional medical attendance (doctors) on board. The following listed diseases/ illnesses can commonly occur working onboard merchant marine vessels at sea. 1. Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS): Hand transmitted vibration is one of the major hazards that sev...

Resources For Seafarers To Know Everything About The Deadly Ebola Virus Disease According to the recent statistics provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 6500 people have lost their lives until now to the fatal Ebola virus out of 18000 plus cases. The shipping world understands the dangerous of the deadly epidemic virus and has therefore taken all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the crews visiting the affected countries. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has also issued guidance and information on protection measures for ships visiting port in countries in West Africa affected by the Ebola virus disease (EVD).Considering the seriousness of the disease and the risks it poses to the seafarers, we have compiled a list of useful resource for understanding the threats and the precautions to be taken while visiting these affected areas. 1. IMO Ebola Virus Resource Page The IMO Ebola virus information page offers the ultimate resource f...

Precautions and Safety Measures to Curb Drug Trafficking Onboard Ships Big money comes with big business, and Drug Trafficking is big business with international complexities. It is said to be among the most serious crimes of our times. And as a matter of fact, merchant shipping has inadvertently played an unfortunate role in the hauling of the illicit drugs over the years. Soaring volumes of drugs have been trafficked by sea because of favouring circumstances for transportation from producers to consumer regions around the world. There’s no sign that these illegal drug markets are even remotely saturated, as trade and commercial traffic continues its expansion. Of late, there has been a rise in the number of reported incidents involving drug discoveries on ships calling South American ports and ships bound for US or European ports, but the fact remains that there are no shipping routes which could be considered safe. The other thing to look into is that even after massive arr...