UK’s MCA offers free Health Guides
MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY News Release
19 July 2007
Are you easily irritated? Do you have limited concentration and feel tired all the time? The Maritime & Coastguard Agency recognises these as some of the signs associated with seafarers suffering from fatigue, and has today published two guides highlighting fatigue in seafarers and how to manage it.
Your Health at Sea 4 – Fatigue in Seafarers Safety management at Sea 6 – Managing Fatigue in Seafarers. Copies are available free of charge from the Agency’s distributors EC Group
Tel.0845 603 2431.
The guides are intended to raise both awareness of fatigue, and to assist Seafarers and managers in the Maritime Industry to improve their fatigue management skills, in order to ensure safe operations. The guides explain what fatigue is, and contain some useful tips and best practice guidance for both recognising and reducing the problem.
Sharon Judge, Deputy Manager from the Seafarer Health and Safety Branch at the Agency said:
“MCA appreciates the problems with fatigue at sea and the potential negative impact on both operational safety and the individual well being of the seafarer”.
Our aim is that these guides will assist seafarers and managers to recognise the signs and symptoms of fatigue, and educate them about taking steps to avoid and reduce fatigue.
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Fatigue, a sailors constant companion. Going to sea certainly let’s you know quickly just how far you can push your body before you start dropping things, forgetting to do things and generally going around in a fog.
Unfortunately publishing a guide doesn’t solve the problem in my opinion.
Minimum manning, rough weather, cargo handling and mechanical breakdowns are all in the life of the modern day sailor.
The sad fact is exhausted people make mistakes then are held crimanally liable, when the Shipping Company should be held at least partially responsible.
Unfortunately most ships are out of sight, out of mind until there is an accident then the press and public are howling for blood and a person to blame.
You might like to check out http://maritimeaccident.wordpress.com . Even worese, in my view are the accidents that happen out of sight and out of mind that no-one ever hears about (The record on lifeboat accidents is horrendous).
Bob Couttie
Maritime Accident Casebook