Safety in the Marine Port Industry
Keeping port operations running efficiently yet safely is a challenging task. With ever-moving cargoes, vehicles and plant, it is unsurprising that vehicle-related incidents in ports are one of the highest of any industry. The significant majority of all reportable accidents occur in traditional port operational/cargo handling areas and 35% involve vehicles in some way.
Ports are operational throughout the year, day and night and in all types of weather.
They are busy environments with employees working alongside a wide variety of people, including different employers’ drivers who may not speak the same language or be familiar with the port operating infrastructure. Drivers need to pick up or drop off their cargo as quickly as possible and there may be pressures to load or unload a ship’s cargo quickly to catch a tide or to free up a wharf, resulting in marine-terminal workers often working long and irregular hours. Inadequate dock illumination at night can make it difficult for drivers to see and avoid pedestrians or other obstacles, whilst slippery or hazardous driving surfaces can further impair operator performance and contribute to traffic-related injuries and fatalities.
