Among the most dangerous jobs to have are those in the maritime environment. Ships, rigs and docks are by their very nature dangerous places to work. There is a lot of heavy machinery and equipment in use in these places.
In addition, the sea itself presents an added risk. In bad weather, it can overwhelm a structure and sweep workers into the sea. Ships regularly sink and many lives are lost.
As a result, anyone who works in a maritime environment has to undergo specialist safety training. In an emergency, every member of staff must know how to behave and what to do to prevent injuries and loss of life. They also need to be aware of the dangers of their particular work environment to prevent accidents.
The Law
The maritime environment is such a potentially dangerous area to work in that the government has passed special laws to make sure everyone is trained properly.
As well as standard health and safety training, every person who works at sea has to complete the STCW95 safety at sea course. This course covers fire fighting techniques, basic first aid, safety awareness and personal survival techniques, and usually takes five days to complete.
In addition, each workplace has to employ staff who are trained to a higher standard to take overall responsibility for safety on board a ship or on a rig. There must also be personnel who are trained in rendering medical aid. At sea, there is no one to turn to except the personnel on the offshore rig or the ship itself, so safety training is of paramount importance.
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