Port employees work in a 24/7 environment in which physical and demanding work is carried out in all weathers, come what may. It is a high pressure environment too, with ships, drivers and the tide all having their own particular schedule.

Accidents are common and, given the size of the machinery and equipment used, can be very serious. Typical risks faced by a port employee include:

• Workplace transport - risks of collision and crush accidents arise when employees and vehicles use the same areas
• Lifting operations - moving heavy cargo from ship to shore means the use of specialised equipment which must be risk assessed and well-maintained
• Falls from height - one of the major causes of serious injury and fatalities in all work accidents
• Dusty/contaminated cargoes - could lead to an occupational illness, such as respiratory disease and or skin complaints etc.
• Manual handling - when heavy lifting is not carried out correctly, workers can suffer long term injury and musculoskeletal disorders
• Confined spaces - risk of drowning and asphyxiation and various other work accidents
• Shift work - breaking regular sleep patterns can be detrimental to overall health and shift working requires good management to ensure employee safety at all times
• Slips and trips - as in any busy work environment, unless safe working practices are put in place and maintain a port can become a high risk area for slips and trips

Following the guidelines

The Health and Safety Executive publishes an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance leaflet which covers safety issues for dock and port operations to assist those with a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

It applies to both large port operations, and small docks and harbours and focuses on helping dutyholders to understand the key requirements for compliance with the law. If the legal safety regulations are not followed and a worker suffers a personal injury at work, then the dutyholder will be held responsible and could face prosecution.

Would you like legal advice about making a claim for compensation?

Employers must protect their employees from injury and illness, so far as is reasonably practicable. This means that if you or a loved one have been injured at work or suffered ill health because of workplace conditions, you might be eligible for compensation.

If you have been injured in an accident at work and are not sure whether you have a valid claim for compensation, why not give us a call on 0800 0891331 and talk things over for free with one of our injury claim experts.