October 22nd, 2009
Recent reports have highlighted the dangers faced by todays maritime workers, in particular those involved in on-shore work, mooring and anchoring ships and boats at ports and docks.
There has been a large increase in the number of shore based UK shipping workers injured during the mooring and anchoring process.
With there being so many different designs of large ship in use, the forces acting on them can be huge and need to be understood by today’s mariners and shore workers.
A contributory factor to the rise in marine accidents has been the increase in the size of modern ships, complicated by a lack of experience amongst ships crews, this is often down to insufficient or a lack of training.
In addition many mooring accidents occur as a result of poor maintenance, old equipment, and unsuitable designs of areas such as mooring decks.
The lack of experience and inadequate equipement is a dangerous mix and accidents can (and do) happen as a result, injuries from mooring accidents can be very serious and sometimes fatal.
Anyone working on shore should have been given adequte mooring and anchoring training and provided with suitable equipment and safety clothing to carry out the job with minimum risk of injury.
Maritime employers have a duty of care to their workers (both on and off shore) and if someone is injured through no fault of their own the injured victim will likely be able to make a claim for compensation against their employers insurance policy.
It is important that victims of mooring and anchoring accidents speak to a specialist Solicitor who has knowledge of the law and understands the process involved in making a claim of this nature.
Pinto Potts are specialist accident claims Solicitors who can help anyone who has been hurt in an anchoring or mooring accident, for free, confidential advice and to speak directly to a Solicitor call freephone: 0800 316 4434.
