ABS, The American Club, and Lamar University Call for Better Maritime Injury Reporting
(HOUSTON) ABS, the American Club, and Lamar University (Lamar) are calling on industry to advance the cause of safety at sea with more comprehensive reporting requirements for injury and near miss reporting.
The call follows an industry-wide project analyzing more than 12,000 injury records with a financial cost of $246m and a further 100,000 near miss reports from the ABS and Lamar Mariner Safety Research Initiative (MSRI) and nearly a decade of data from the American Club.
The research offers unprecedented insight into the nature of accidents at sea but inconsistent data along with a lack of consistency and comprehensiveness have led the American Club, ABS, and Lamar to urge industry to adopt a comprehensive new standard for maritime injury reporting.
“Nothing is more important to ABS than the safety of the men and women working at sea. This project offers a deeper insight into how and where seafarers are being injured and also highlights what industry can do to take our understanding of safety to the next level,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.
The research reveals how injuries sustained while lifting or in slips, trips/falls are the most frequent incidents at sea, with more than 1,300 incidents in this study’s dataset. According to the American Club data, these incidents cost in excess of $85m for the six-year period studied. The average cost per incident exceeds $65,000: lifting incidents averaged $48,000; falls and trips averaged $88,000; slips averaged $56,000. Looking at costs and anatomical locations, the two most costly body locations were the head and neck, averaging just over $100,000 per incident followed by the back and torso at $66,000.
Joseph Hughes, the Shipowners Claims Bureau’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, “Shipping is currently navigating through a digital era in which asset owners are increasingly able to use the power of operational data to predict potential failures. As those capabilities grow, the industry would be well counselled to also get ‘smarter’ about how it compiles and uses its safety data.”
“This industry, academic, and class partnership provided valuable insight into the financial impact of injuries across the maritime industry. This is another tool to help provide better solutions to help prevent the occurrence and reoccurrence of maritime injuries. We all believe that this partnership will help improve the welfare of the maritime industry’s most valuable asset: its seafarers,” said Dr. Brian Craig, Lamar University, Dean of Engineering and Co-Director of the Mariner Safety Research Initiative.
A PDF of the report accompanies this press release.
ENDS
About ABS
ABS, a leading global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, is committed to setting standards for safety and excellence in design and construction. Focused on safe and practical application of advanced technologies and digital solutions, ABS works with industry and clients to develop accurate and cost-effective compliance, optimized performance and operational efficiency for marine and offshore assets.
About the American Club
American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, Inc. (the American Club) was established in New York in 1917. It is the only mutual protection and indemnity club domiciled in the entire Americas and its headquarters are in New York, USA.
The American Club has been successful in recent years in building on its US heritage to create a truly international insurer with a global reach second-to-none in the industry. Day to day management of the American Club is provided by Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. also headquartered in New York.
The Club is able to provide local service for its members across all time zones, communicating in eleven languages, and has subsidiary offices located in London, Houston, Piraeus, Hong Kong and Shanghai, plus a worldwide network of correspondents.
The Club is a member of the International Group of P&I Clubs, a collective of thirteen mutuals which together provide Protection and Indemnity insurance for some 90% of all world shipping.
About Lamar University
Home to more than 15,000 students, Lamar University (LU), near Houston in
Beaumont, Texas, is among the state’s fastest growing colleges and
universities, and is a member of The Texas State University System. LU offers
more than 100 programs of study leading to bachelors, masters and doctoral
degrees.
The university has been nationally recognized for the quality of its core curriculum and the diversity of its student body. LU stresses academic achievement by emphasizing hands-on learning at all levels, providing ample opportunities for undergraduate research and supporting an excellent Honors Program. The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Several LU colleges and programs hold additional specialized accreditations, including the five undergraduate engineering programs in the College of Engineering. LU also is home to the many unique programs including the Center for Advancements in Port Management, the Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship, and the Mariner Safety Research Initiative.