Work-site casualties and environmental risk assessment on Polish vessels in the years 1960–1999

Objectives: To assess environmental risks of fatal incidents in the maritime work-site and guides for possible prevention. Methods: All casualties at the work-site in the years 1960-1999 among 25 525 seafarers employed on board Polish vessels were identified according to the ICD-10 classification. The main measure of risk: mean fatality rate per 1000 employees/year was calculated for external and internal causes of death. The impact of the maritime work environment was analysed. Results: 668 seafarers died on board 405 Polish vessels, and 66 percent of deaths were from external causes. The mean fatality rate 1.17 per 1 000, was five times higher for external (drowning, missing, other accidents) than for internal causes ( circulatory system diseases): 412 deaths from accidents and 29 from disease. Despite modernization of the fleet, the environmental risk factors have strong impact on the mortality. The highest-risk groups were Baltic fishermen, seamen, deck crew, under 40 years of age