Maritime Safety Concerns Working on Gulf of Mexico Docks

Each year the United States imports and exports millions of tons of cargo through its ports in container ships. These ships must all be loaded and unloaded each time they dock, which creates many opportunities for worker injury and even death.

For example, an Oakland, California man died in August of 2008 when he fell off a container ship into the water and drowned. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the 77-year-old man, Delmont Blakeney, was helping with an offload job when he noticed that a locking device that held the containers was not working correctly.

Blakeney was killed when the locking device came loose and the container spun and hit him. He was pinned between the container and the ship's rail for a moment. He then fell into the water.

Many safety concerns were raised following the tragic accident. During investigations, the following facts and questions came to light:

• Blakeney was in the icy water 40 minutes before a ladder could be found to pull him out. Where were the ladders and other safety equipment?
• Blakeney fell because of a faulty locking device.
• The same month, another longshoreman had fallen in the water when a line snapped, breaking his arm, and a full hour passed before he was rescued, again because there were no ladders or safety equipment close at hand.
• The Oakland harbor docks are far above the water line, and there is no way to get to dry land from the spot the men fell.

This incident is just one of many unfortunate accidents that occur in ports all over the country. In this case, safety equipment and proper maintenance of lines and machinery might have saved Blakeney's life.

The maritime injury specialists at The Young Firm in New Orleans offer their condolences to the family of the victim. They also urge all involved in the shipping trade to abide by safety regulations. And if you were hurt working at a Gulf of Mexico port, they urge you to fight for your rights.