According to a new survey from Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Gallup, working or living near the sea is the most dangerous way to make a living. Ocean workers or those who work on or near the water report injury rates more than any other industry grouping.
The poll on the survey shows 25% of all ocean workers experience harm on the job within the past 2 years, seven points higher than the average and twice as high as the safest sectors.
Workers in this sector reported lower rates of safety training than those in shoreside industries. Just 32% had ever received occupational safety and health training, compared to 38% in other fields. They were also far less likely to report injuries, reflecting a culture that values toughness. Only 41% of those hurt at sea reported the incident, 10 points below the average in other industries.
According to the survey, as expected of seagoing life, ocean workers faced greater weather-related risks than any other group. About 33% reported serious harm from severe weather in the past two years, compared to 20% in different sectors.
The Ocean worker category may not accurately reflect the risks in commercial shipping, as it also includes the fishing industry, which has a significantly higher risk profile. In the U.S., fishing’s workplace fatality rate is 28 times the national average. Globally, Pew Charitable Trusts estimates around 100,000 deaths in the fishing sector each year, many unreported due to the exploitative practices of IUU operators.
