New partnership formed by ABS to reduce maritime-related safety incidents. Credit: Anatoly Menzhiliy.

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), in partnership with the American Club and Lamar University in the US, is set to launch an initiative to reduce maritime-related safety incidents.

The partnership will initially focus on providing evaluations and guidance on slips, trips and falls, which are major causes of injuries on ships.

It aims to identify, prepare and provide actionable safety-related guidance for the organisations to more efficiently prioritise resources and measure the growth on the improvement of seafarer’s safety and health.

The partnership will also help to determine common behaviours and hazards impacting maritime personnel.

It will collect and evaluate injury and incident data to identify lessons learned and corrective measures to help prevent the occurrence and reoccurrence of injuries on-board ships.

“Our goal with this initiative is developing practical industry recommendations that can be applied to improve the day-to-day safety of maritime crews and staff.”

American Club senior vice-president William Moore said: “Our goal with this initiative is developing practical industry recommendations that can be applied to improve the day-to-day safety of maritime crews and staff.

“By working with ABS, a recognised leader in maritime safety, and Lamar University, this effort will move the ball towards the ultimate objective of reducing work-related incidents.

“We all fully appreciate what impact fatalities and serious debilitating injuries will have on associated costs to marine liability insurers – let alone the abject misery caused to the families of affected seafarers.”

The ABS Mariner Safety Research Initiative estimated that the commonly reported cause of slips, trips, and falls are situational awareness that accounts for 40% of cases, while poor housekeeping is reported to represent 29% of maritime-related incidents.