Workers throughout America have to be extra careful when working with machinery in their employment. But, for those who are employed aboard fish processing vessels in the waters of Alaska, the danger can be amplified.
Not only do fishing industry workers have to use machinery such as skinners, bait choppers and fish headers, they have to do so while aboard a moving vessel. In addition, the safety guards for this machinery may not always be in place and functioning properly.
Fishing Vessel Safety Act
Fortunately, the danger presented by machinery onboard fishing vessels has been recognized and laws and regulations have been implemented to make sure that those who work in these situations are protected.
Specifically, the Code of Federal Regulations mandates that for any machinery aboard a fishing vessel that might “cause injury to personnel,” proper guards, railings and hand covers must be in place.
So, if the danger this machinery presents is fairly obvious, and there are federal regulations in place to protect workers, why do injuries in these circumstances still occur? Well, there could be any number of reasons, but the unfortunate reality is that sometimes the proper safety equipment either isn’t installed properly or isn’t installed at all. If the safety equipment is viewed as something that slows down production on the fishing vessel, for instance, there are those who have no compunction about leaving those guards off at the potential expense of the safety of the crew.
Working on fishing vessels is dangerous and, unfortunately, injuries are common. If you have been injured while working aboard a fishing vessel, be sure to carefully evaluate your potential legal options.