Occupational Safety Onboard

Occupational safety issues are important to all members of the crew. Further, if there is a nurse on board, occupational health care is an important part of his/her work. Working environment on board is more demanding than on land.

First, the crew is often working long hours in confined space, where the persons are exposed to variety of occupational risks including physical risks (e.g. noise, vibration), chemical risks (exhausts, lubricants, paints, solvents etc.), accidents (equipment, slips/trips and falls etc.) and biological (viruses, bacteria etc.). Second, occupational environment on board of ship is particular in terms of psychoemotional risks and other workplace issues (shiftwork, night work, sleep disorders etc.). Further, emergencies in working environment such as epidemics, and extreme weather conditions increase the occupational risks.

One related course is developed: Occupational Safety and Risk Assessment

Occupational Safety and Risk Assessment

The course is related to management of occupational risks on board. Topics of the course are occupational safety, occupational risks on board, radiation, preventive risk assessment on board, health examinations, early observation and mini-interventions, nursing the crew on board, consulting a doctor on board and ashore and wellbeing of the crew on board. The learning objectives of the course: the participants learn what is occupational safety, what are the occupational risks on board, the factors and situations that expose persons to accidents and the ways of preventing them.