“ Red Right ….…” Guards for Exposed Hazards A recent fatality of one of our NC fishermen has prompted me to republish this article from last year. It saddened me to hear about this crewman’s fatal accident and it was a grim reminder of the dangers involved in commercial fishing. The machinery on your boat is hazardous to your health. Every industry has its own share of dangerous equipment and commercial fishing is no different. When we exam a vessel for safety on deck, we are looking for pulleys, winches and gears that have no protective guards. On/off switches that are too close to the power winches, as this heavy-duty equipment when running can easily inflict serious injury or in this case instant death. In the engine room there are various exposed moving parts and very hot surfaces. In general, we are looking for machine guards, exhaust pipe insulation, exposed electrical hazards and fall risks.
Every vessel has its own specialized equipment. The Captain is responsible to ensure his crew is safe from the potential hazards. You cannot eliminate risk but certainly steps can be taken to mitigate the dangers of exposed machinery. There have been numerous studies done of the non-fatal injuries in the commercial fishing industry. No surprise that the hand and wrist injuries are consistently the highest percentage. But as you all are aware; one simple mistake can result in a fatal tragedy. Please look over your own work equipment, and ask yourself are these areas safe for the crew to work and if not, what can be done to reduce the hazard.
Stay safe and Return… - Phil Amanna, Coast Guard Auxiliary - Barry Everhardt, Coast Guard CIV, CFVS
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