ACCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE
Given that this guide is especially aimed at on board medical emergency assistance, this chapter will be a short introduction to the subject. For treatment of acute disorders and their consequences, check the corresponding (Chapter 1, EMERGENCIES, Chapter 2, URGENCIES, Chapter 7, ASSISTANCE TO THE ACCIDENT VICTIM and Chapter 8, PATIENT ASSISTANCE).
The sea worker is especially at risk to accidents in the workplace. Official figures show that the dangers for this sector is greater than in other Groups traditionally considered to be high risk, such as miners, or construction workers. However, a fatalistic approach to the subject, which is widespread in the seafaring environment, that accidents in the sector are inevitable and nothing can be done to change the situation, should not be taken. Experience in other countries and in other sectors show that this is not the case.
We should understand workplace accidents as being all unexpected events in the place of work that cause injury to the worker. The legal definition of workplace accidents is wider and includes injuries caused under circumstances that are not directly work-related in nature, such as those which occur when travelling to and from work, or while attending a union meeting etc.
A fundamental characteristic of workplace accidents is that they appear suddenly and abruptly. This means therefore, that the cause of the injury is easier to identify than that of a professional illness.
Maritime accidents, that is, those that take place on the ship itself and that are influenced by the integrity and security of the vessel, cargo, crew and voyage, are different in that they are generally influenced by climatic and navigational circumstances.