Sacramento Maritime Lawyer

The Port of West Sacramento is a busy and hazardous workplace. For workers, the dangers can range from being crushed by heavy cargo to falling in the water, being exposed to toxic chemicals, or even being injured in a fire or electrical accident. If you find yourself hurt on the job, seek the counsel of an experienced Sacramento maritime lawyer.

The Port of West Sacramento

Sacramento, the capital of California, is an important city. It’s also an important port location. Once known as the Port of Sacramento, this inland cargo shipping port is now called the Port of West Sacramento.

It holds a unique position being so far inland. The port is 79 nautical miles up a shipping channel from San Francisco in the heart of California’s rich agricultural interior.

The port was first created, and built-in 1946 as a part of the Rivers and Harbors Act passed that year. Building the port required a channel for ships to come inland as far as Washington Lake, where the harbor and port are situated.

The Act allowed for the building of the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel. The channel was dug out to a depth of 30 feet and spans 43 miles from Suisun Bay to Washington Lake. It was an enormous undertaking, so the port didn’t open to shipping traffic until 1963.

Today the shipping operations at the port are run by SSA Marine. The port takes in and exports a lot of bulk, agricultural, breakbulk, and construction cargo, but no containers. The port is connected to three railways and several interstates.

Recently, it has become part of a green initiative dedicated to moving cargo in more environmentally responsible ways. Dredging is a big business at the port, as the channel has to be kept to a depth of 30 feet.

Dangers of Maritime Work

Although the Port of Sacramento is not the busiest in the state and does not do container shipping, it is still a dangerous place to work. All workers in ports and on ships that come into ports face daily risks.

From equipment injuries to falls into the water to truck accidents while transporting cargo, the numerous hazards and the potential to get hurt are plentiful.

Channel Accidents

To get to the port, ships have to be able to come up the long channel. To maintain the proper depth for the channel, dredging has to be done regularly and plays a bigger role in the functioning of the port than at other ports on the coast.

Dredging workers face unique hazards and more significant risks of being injured on the job. The equipment used, for example, is large and powerful. A worker can easily get hurt or killed if something goes wrong, such as the dredging crane failing somehow. Common dredging accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Head, neck, and back injuries
• Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
• Falls overboard, leading to hypothermia or drowning

Port Accidents

In the port itself, longshore workers also face hazards daily. Working with cargo is a risky business. If the crane lifting load fails, it could drop a part or cargo on a worker. This can easily lead to fatalities on the job.

Ports also have trucks, tractors, and forklifts crossing busy areas, which can lead to collisions and accidents that cause injuries or deaths.

Falls into the water are also always a concern in a port, as is exposure to toxic cargo or the possibility of a fire caused by flammable cargo.

Causes of Accidents

The reasons that maritime accidents occur are numerous but usually can be blamed on some type of negligence.

If equipment isn’t maintained or repaired, it can cause an accident. Workers who haven’t been appropriately trained for a job can cause accidents and miscommunication between workers.

When cargo isn’t stored properly or secured correctly, it can fall on workers or lead to a chemical spill or fire.

Legal Rights and Resources in Sacramento

If you work on a ship in the Port of West Sacramento or as a dredging boat worker, you may get caught in an accident every day. If you are injured in an accident, you need money to pay medical bills and replace your lost income.

Thankfully there are maritime laws to help you get that money, but your employer may not want to provide it. When this happens, you may need to file a claim through one of the many maritime laws to get the money you are owed.

You have access to Sacramento maritime lawyers who can help you make damages claims. Relying on an expert in maritime law is important because the laws can be confusing, and any misstep can mean you forfeit your right to compensation.

You have to ensure you don’t miss deadlines and file the paperwork correctly. You may even have to face your employer’s lawyers in a trial. To ensure you get everything you deserve and need to get well again, find a good maritime lawyer to guide and represent you.