Ladder and stair accidents and injuries are common in the maritime industry, whether you work aboard a commercial fishing vessel, a cruise ship, a tanker, or any other kind of vessel. These can be hazardous areas, even on land, especially in rough waters and bad weather. If you are injured, you have the right to compensation from your employer and the right to fight for it if denied.
The Dangers of Stairs and Ladders on a Moving Ship
There are inherent risks in climbing to higher heights, but when the ground under the ladder or staircase rests is shaking, rolling, and moving, the risks increase.
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When you have to navigate these obstacles aboard a ship at sea, the risk of falling becomes much more significant. Even if you have the most experienced sea legs, you could still fall and become injured or even be killed, depending on the distance you fall.
According to research, ship injuries that occurred because of a worker moving from one place to another, often involving a ladder or steps, accounted for 10% of accidents. These accidents account for over 20% of injuries severe enough to cause permanent disabilities.
No matter how experienced you are with moving around on a ship, just one little accident has a significant chance of leading to an injury that could sideline you for the rest of your life. And in many cases, these falls and injuries were preventable.
Moving around on a ship becomes especially dangerous when the waters are rough. This can cause the ship to move suddenly and lead to an unexpected fall. Bad weather can also increase the odds of a fall. W
ind can loosen your grip on a handle, and wet surfaces increase the risk of slipping. When bad weather and rough waters pop up, an accident may genuinely be an accident, but other factors are involved in many cases.
Negligence in the form of poor maintenance is the other factor that increases ladder accidents. If ladders and staircases don’t get regular maintenance and repairs, they can fail when in use and cause a fall.
Common Ship Ladder and Staircase Injuries
Most accidents on steps or ladders aboard ships are slips and falls. If you slip on a staircase or ladder, you could hit the rest of the rungs or stairs, falling to the next level. You may also fall over the side of a ladder or staircase and fall much further.
These kinds of accidents cause:
- Bone fractures
- Bruising
- Cuts
- Head and neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Back injuries
- Fatalities
If you are carrying cargo or equipment, this increases the chance that your fall may cause serious injuries.
Preventing Ladder and Stair Accidents
Falls from ladders or steps may be actual accidents in some cases. Even the most experienced seaman working aboard a well-maintained ship, wearing the proper gear, is at risk of falling from a ladder when the water gets rough, bad weather, or both. On the other hand, many stair and ladder accidents result from negligence and could have been prevented.
The International Labor Organization has set several standards for stairs and ladders aboard ships. If these are not met, an employer or ship owner could be considered negligent in an accident. These requirements include:
- Clearly marking stairs with a maximum weight capacity
- Clearly marking ladders for the maximum angle of use
- Maintaining minimum width for stairs and ladders
- Ensuring stairs and ladders are of the appropriate materials to support specific weights
- Maintaining the correct widths of gaps between stairs and rungs and between the top and bottom of stairs and ladders and the floor
Regular inspections are also part of the ladder and step safety guidelines. Employers are responsible for ensuring that steps, rungs, and other parts of this equipment are in good working order and able to take the weight.
Stairs and ladders should also be kept clean and as dry as possible to minimize slipping and tripping, and workers should wear appropriate footwear. Paints and coatings that increase friction are necessary to minimize slipping on steps and ladder fungs.
Examples of Maritime Stair and Ladder Accidents
Many incidents demonstrate just how dangerous traversing levels on a ship can be.
Pilot Ladder Accident
A pilot in Sydney in 1997 fell from a pilot ladder onto the boat’s deck. He was moving in the darkness and during inclement weather, both of which led to his loss of grip and fall. Pilot ladders can be especially risky and hazardous.
Jacob’s ladders are made of wooden rungs held together by rope. While there are good reasons to use these lightweight ladders that are easy to move, their design makes them dangerous to navigate.
Even experienced maritime workers can easily fall from them, especially in bad weather conditions.
Ladder Falls and Drownings
In another incident from 1998, a worker fell from a ladder and drowned. The worker grabbed a ladder rung, which broke off and caused the fall. He was not wearing a personal flotation device.
In another fall from stairs, which occurred in 1999 off the coast of England, plastic sheets covering the stairs and inappropriate footwear were blamed.
The lack of a safe ladder and safety equipment could be considered negligence. All stairways and ladders should be clear of obstacles, and workers should be provided with the proper attire for navigating a ship.
Fatal Walkway Fall
In 2008, a worker aboard a Saudi Arabian container ship stationed in Hong Kong fell from a walkway and died after receiving an electrical shock.
The walkway was found to have no protective railing, which, had it been in place, would have prevented the worker from falling to his death. The walkway connected two cargo holds, and the fall dropped nearly 60 feet.
Rights for Injured Workers
If you work on a ship and fell from a ladder or staircase, you may have experienced severe injuries. Whether it was a genuine accident or you can prove that someone was negligent, you are entitled to compensation from your employer or employer’s insurer to cover medical costs and any lost income.
You may also be entitled to extra compensation if your future ability to earn a living is compromised or you suffer from mental trauma from the accident.
If you are denied this right, you may need the help of an experienced maritime lawyer to file a claim and fight for the compensation you deserve. This might be especially true if negligence was involved in the accident.
In the unfortunate event that you die in such an accident, your dependents also have rights, and a lawyer can help them get what they are owed in such a tragedy.