Conveyor Belt Accidents and Injuries

Commercial fishermen often work long hours in bad weather and rough waters. Their work requires using dangerous equipment that can cause tragic accidents. Conveyor belt accidents and injuries are not uncommon, but workers can seek compensation for medical and other expenses. 

Conveyer Belts in Commercial Fishing

A conveyor belt is an important piece of equipment used on many commercial fishing vessels. Workers use it to quickly and efficiently process fresh fish and other kinds of seafood. Conveyor belts take the catch from the deck to processing areas and into and out of cargo storage.

Carelessness, fatigue, poorly functioning equipment, and negligence can lead to conveyor belt accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.

The Risks of Working with Conveyor Belts

Conveyor belts and their accompanying machinery pose several hazards to those working with them. Several factors are important for reducing the risks of accidents and injuries: 

• Workers must be well-trained to use the equipment and trained in safety procedures.
• They should also be working regular shifts to avoid fatigue.
• The equipment must be in good working order.

Whenever any of these links in the chain has been omitted, the risk of getting hurt while working with this equipment increases.

The types of accidents that can occur for workers are numerous. A conveyor belt is designed to keep moving, and many parts make up this machine, any of which could fail or cause an injury to a worker while engaging in daily work tasks.

Some of the common injuries incurred working with these machines include the following:

• Arm and hand injuries, including amputations and lost limbs
• Loss of fingers
• Cuts and scrapes
• Burns and abrasions
• Bone fractures

Several factors can cause these accidents and lead to injuries ranging from mild to severe and possibly even death.

Adequate Safety Equipment

One crucial factor is the safety equipment of the conveyor belt. Guard rails are supposed to be in place to protect workers from coming into contact with the moving parts or getting caught in the machinery. When this guarding isn’t complete or is faulty, workers get hurt.

Training

Another important factor is poor training. All workers using conveyor belts should be adequately trained to use the equipment. One person who is not trained puts everyone at risk. Careless mistakes may be made by any worker but are more likely in someone who has not been trained.

Adequate Break Time

Workers may also become careless when fatigued. Adequate breaks and shifts of appropriate lengths are essential to avoid fatigued workers and the mistakes they are more likely to make when tired.

Equipment Maintenance

Finally, equipment maintenance is important to all workers’ safety. A mechanical failure can harm workers if the equipment being used isn’t in good working order, is broken in some way, or hasn’t been given regular maintenance.

All of these factors are the responsibility of the employer. If one is missing and an accident injures a worker, the employer may be considered negligent.

Examples of Conveyor Belt Accidents 

Many tragic examples of conveyor belt accidents on ships and boats have caused severe injuries and even deaths. Most of these could have been avoided with the proper precautions.

Lost Limb

One such case occurred in 2014 when a worker on a Korean fishing ship lost his arm to a conveyor belt. His personal flotation device got caught in the machinery, and his arm was yanked out of the shoulder socket. He required amputation from the elbow down.

Conveyor Belt Fatality

In 2012, a fishing trawler in the Barents Sea was the scene of another terrible conveyor belt accident. In this unfortunate incident, the worker did not survive.

When the accident occurred, he was working on clearing a blockage of ice in the conveyor belt. He was working alone, and his body was found later. It appeared that his jacket had gotten caught in the drive shaft and tangled up, pulling the man forcefully down to the surface of the conveyor belt.

He likely suffocated in that position, and because no one else was in the freezer hold, he could not be rescued. Another mistake in this situation was that the worker did not stop the belt before clearing the blockage.

Defective Equipment

Another fatality occurred aboard a fishing vessel in Chinese waters in 2005 and was blamed on defective machinery. Part of the roller failed due to defects in the assembly and fell onto the head of a worker aboard the ship.

This seaman later died in the hospital from the head injuries he received. This tragic situation illustrates the importance of keeping machinery and equipment of all types, including conveyor belts, in good working order aboard all kinds of ships, including fishing vessels.

Legal Rights for Injured Workers and Their Families

Working in the commercial fishing industry is risky, but no one should have to lose their life to make a living. Good training, proper safety procedures, and equipment maintenance could have prevented many conveyor belt accidents.

You have rights if you work with conveyor belts aboard fishing ships and the machinery has injured you.

Regardless of negligence, you are entitled to the money to cover the costs of your medical care and any income you lose while off the job because of your injury. If negligence is involved, you may be entitled to even more compensation.

If you have lost a loved one to a conveyor belt accident aboard a shipping vessel and were dependent on that person, you may also be entitled to monetary damages.

Navigating the maritime laws that ensure these rights for you or a loved one can be confusing. To help you get through it and to maximize the compensation you get for your injuries, contact an experienced maritime lawyer. This professional can help you get what you deserve for suffering and being injured on the job.