Living_On_Board_Subs
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Maritime Training Services Inc.
In case of any conflict between
the requirements shown in the movie
and the company's safety
management system (SMS),
please follow the company's
SMS requirements
Living On Board
Like any job, seafaring has its
advantages and its challenges.
Generous salaries allow seafarers
to provide for themselves
and their families.
On-board crew members
often progress in their careers
more quickly than their
on-shore counterparts.
Technological advances allow
seafarers to communicate
with family and friends more often
and more cheaply than in the past.
Other advantages include
learning many different skills.
Building friendships
with fellow mariners
and visiting countries,
cities, and exotic places
that you had never imagined.
However, work at sea
presents its challenges.
The job can be
physically demanding and lonely.
The work can be dangerous
and conditions can be uncomfortable.
However, if you know about
the demands of the job
before signing up,
you can go into this career
with a better understanding
of whether life at sea
is the right journey for you.
In this video, you will learn
the most common injuries
that seafarers face
and how to prevent them,
how to avoid fatigue
and keep it from affecting your work,
Planning for climate extremes
on your voyage,
and the strategies for
overcoming mental challenges
of living and working on board.
Injuries
Seafaring is one of the most
physically demanding professions
and one of the most
dangerous work environments.
In this section, we will cover
some common on-board injuries
and how to prevent them
from happening.
Work on board often requires
handling sharp or hot objects.
As a result, hand injuries
like cuts and burns are common.
To prevent these injuries,
wear the right type of gloves
and personal protective equipment
(PPE) for the job you are doing.
Burns, trips, and falls
most frequently occur
when improper footwear,
like sandals and flip flops, is worn,
To help prevent foot injuries,
wear proper footwear.
Keep your feet away
from moving machinery,
bite of the line and hawsers.
Hand and foot injuries
can lead to infection
if they are not treated properly.
Seek treatment immediately
for cuts and abrasions.
The affected area should
be cleaned and treated
using first aid techniques.
Avoid eye injuries.
Exposure to hazardous chemicals
or harmful UV or infrared rays
can cause eye irritation,
vision problems, and even blindness.
Wear goggles and glasses
when required.
For work with sparks,
wood chips, paint, metal,
or dangerous substances,
wear a face shield.
Wearing head protection,
like hard hats,
prevents head injuries from bumps.
Pay attention to
low structures and frames
when passing through
different parts of your vessel.
Working around heavy objects
that are hoisted aloft
can drop unto unsuspecting sailors.
Constant vigilance is required,
especially in heavy seas.
Fatigue
Many injuries can happen
when seafarers are fatigued.
According to the
Maritime Labor Convention,
seafarers cannot work for more
than 14 hours in any 24-hour period
or for more than 72 hours
in any week.
Daily rest periods cannot be divided
up into more than two periods,
and the time between two rest
periods cannot exceed 14 hours.
Studies have shown that
24 hours without sleep
is equivalent to being
legally intoxicated.
Fatigue is a serious issue
while working at sea
and a major cause of accidents,
injuries, and deaths.
Your company should do what it can
to minimize employee fatigue
by providing a suitable room for rest
and by following the required
work and rest rules.
Even so, it is your responsibility
to take care of your own
health and safety.
Avoid using your rest time for
entertainment or other pursuits.
Here are some tips
for managing fatigue.
Arrive at the start
of your work period well rested.
You can do this by taking
your scheduled rest periods
and getting the recommended
eight hours of sleep per 24 hours.
Do not eat a heavy meal
before sleep.
Your body does not rest well
when it has to digest food.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine
before bedtime
as both are shown
to disrupt sleep patterns.
Record your hours accurately
so your management is aware
of scheduling problems
that do not allow you
to get your required rest.
Communicate your concerns
with your supervisor.
If you cannot get adequate rest,
they might be able to suggest
ways to solve this problem.
Climate Extremes.
Working in extreme temperatures
can cause fatigue
and lead to other problems.
High temperatures and sun exposure
can lead to heat exhaustion,
heat stroke, sun burn,
skin damage, and skin cancer.
To reduce the risk
of these health problems,
the following is recommended.
Drink eight pints, or 4.5 liters,
of cool, not iced, water daily.
It is best when you drink small
quantities of water frequently
instead of large amounts
a few times a day.
Make sure that you
consume food or drinks
that contains salt or salt supplement
to help your body retain fluids.
Avoid alcohol. Wear light clothing.
Take breaks in shaded areas
with access to fresh air.
Remove clothing during these breaks
to allow your body to cool.
Avoid sun exposure
during hottest times of the day.
Keep your upper body covered,
especially your head and neck,
to avoid sunburns.
Use sunscreen with
an SPF of at least 30,
higher if you're fair skinned.
Apply it generously and often.
Working in cold conditions
is as risky as in hot conditions.
Cold temperatures
impair your ability to do tasks
because cold hands
are not as precise.
Muscles become weak
and joints become stiff.
Exposure to cold can lead
to frostbite and hypothermia.
Frostbite is an injury that is caused
by the freezing of skin
and its underlying tissues.
If untreated, it can lead
to nerve damage and infection.
Hypothermia occurs
when your body loses heat
faster than it can produce it.
This causes your body
temperature to drop.
And when this happens,
your heart, nervous system,
and other organs can't work properly.
If untreated, it can lead
to heart and respiratory failure,
and eventually, to death.
Signs of stress from cold
should not be ignored.
These include shivering,
poor coordination,
blue lips and fingers, confusion,
and reduced mental alertness.
Follow these tips to help prevent
injuries related to cold.
Wear appropriate clothing
like gloves, hats, warm socks,
to maintain a healthy
body temperature.
Avoid becoming wet as that
lowers your body temperature
much more rapidly.
In wet environments, wool clothing
will keep you warmer than cotton
and many other fabrics when wet.
Communicate your discomfort
to supervisors
so they can make
necessary adjustments
to keep your environment safe.
Most companies require
a medical certificate to begin work.
If your health changes
after you begin work,
your certificate needs to be
reassessed by an approved doctor.
Ignoring medical changes can
invalidate your certificate of health
and place your co-workers at risk.
Mental Challenges
Working and living at sea
is hard on the body.
It can also be hard on us emotionally.
Many seafarers
experience loneliness
or other emotional problems
while working at sea.
The life of a seafarer is personally
and financially rewarding,
but some challenges
of this lifestyle include:
time away from family and friends,
feelings of isolation
because of different cultures
and languages of crew,
pressure to remain at sea
to earn money and send funds home,
long hours with little sleep,
stress associated with
dangerous conditions,
and sometimes
harassment and bullying.
Not everyone experiences
these challenges,
but when they do, they can
cause anxiety, depression,
insomnia, loss of concentration,
alcohol and drug abuse
and addiction,
physical problems like migraines
and stomach and backaches,
and tragically, suicide.
How can you prevent these problems
from affecting you and your shipmates?
Here are some recommendations.
Accept that feelings of isolation
and depression are common,
and completely normal
when working in this profession.
Exercise, physical activity has proven
to reduce the symptoms of depression.
Exercise, along with
following a healthy diet,
can help protect your mental health.
Talk with someone you trust
when you feel lonely or depressed.
Many seafarers fear being seen
as weak when asking for help
or talking about their problems.
But it is very effective at
alleviating symptoms of depression.
Lastly, encourage your company
to create a culture
that allows seafarers
to seek help when needed.
Colleagues and friends are
often able to form an impression
of a person's mental state
much more easily than a doctor.
Seafarers can help each other
by noticing symptoms
and providing support
when they see someone in need.
What We've Learned
In this video you learned
the most common
injuries that seafarers face
and how to prevent them,
how to avoid fatigue and keep
it from affecting your work,
planning for climate extremes
on your voyage,
and the strategies for overcoming
mental challenges of living
and working on board.
The purpose of this video
is not to scare you.
Remember that life as a seafarer
has many personal
and financial rewards.
All jobs come with challenges.
Knowing these challenges
ahead of time
will help you deal with
the pressures that come
with living and working
on board a vessel.
Being prepared for your
new lifestyle will help you adapt
to this new career.
Your company
is responsible for ensuring
that you have good living conditions
and the proper training
to work and live safely on board.
But it is your responsibility
to follow the rules and regulations
to stay safe, healthy, and happy.