There are a wide range of different water transportation occupations. Examples of water transportation workers include: captains, motorboat operators, pilots, ship engineers, deckhands, deck officers and marine oilers.
Workers in the water transportation industry can be exposed to safety risks during the course of their work. Some such workers end up suffering injuries or illnesses in connection to their job. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of employer-reported nonfatal workplace injuries/illnesses among private sector workers in the water transportation industry in 2013 was 2.5 injuries/illnesses for every 100 full-time workers.
The statistics indicate that well over half of the employer-reported workplace injuries/illnesses in the water transportation industry in 2013 were of a serious enough nature that they caused a worker to have to have a job transfer, have work restrictions or miss days at work. The 2013 rate of injuries/illnesses that had such effects in this industry was 1.6 per 100 full-time workers. Thus, it is not uncommon for water transportation workers to experience employment-related effects in connection to occupational injuries or illnesses.
A water transportation worker may be very concerned when they suffer an injury that has employment-related effects (such as one that causes missed work days or a job transfer). They may be particularly worried about what financial implications the employment-related effects could have. An important thing to note is that avenues for monetary relief may be available for water transportation workers who were hurt while working. Skilled maritime law attorneys can help hurt water transportation workers get a full picture of what legal options they have.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, “EMPLOYER-REPORTED WORKPLACE INJURIES AND ILLNESSES – 2013,” December 4, 2014
Bureau of Labor Statistics, “What Water Transportation Occupations Do,” Accessed Sept. 11, 2015
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