Jones Act Maritime Safety Rules for Barges to Prevent a Ship Accident (Part B)
Basic Barge Maritime Safety Rules
According to OSHA maritime safety provisions, the regulation of safety on construction barges underway and other “uninspected vessels” is overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard. If the ship accident takes place in waters under OSHA’s jurisdiction, its rules and regulations will apply for situations not covered by the U.S. Coast Guard’s regulations.
Some of the general rules under both organizations include:
installation of an OSHA-approved guard rail system or use of a Personal Fall Arrest System;
availability of personal floatation devices for every crew member;
regular inspection of all machinery and equipment onboard the barge;
use of emergency shut-off systems;
scheduled testing of all safety equipment, especially fire prevention systems;
having at least 1 hand-portable fire extinguisher for barges that are less than 50 tons; and
mandatory training for crew members on safety rules, regulations and practices.
A breach of these and any other safety rules could result in you asking, “What is the Jones Act going to mean in my injury claim?”
The Importance of Knowing Maritime Safety Rules
One of the best types of evidence in a maritime injury claim is to show that maritime safety regulations were neglected. Several parties can be held liable for this breach of safety when a ship accident occurs. Typically it is your supervisor, but there are many other third parties that may be included in a liability claim that your Jones Act attorney can help you sort out.
Your main employer, the ship’s manager and even the maintenance crew all could be held liable for maritime safety violations. It’s not a question of what is the Jones Act providing you in regards to safety rules; this law does not govern specific maritime safety rules. The Jones Act is only useful to your claim if you can prove another’s negligence of the rules caused your boat accident.
Proving negligence in a ship accident is a frustrating process if you’re not familiar with who is regulating the maritime safety rules for barges. Remember that you have the right to have a Jones Act attorney help you resolve your claim so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
Injured in a Ship Accident? Contact a Jones Act Attorney
The Jones Act provides you with certain protections your employer may not want you to know about. A Jones Act attorney from The Young Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, can help you if your employer violated maritime safety laws for barges and you suffered a serious injury in a ship accident.
If you are asking what is the Jones Act in regards to your maritime injury claim we urge you to contact us today for a FREE case evaluation – call 1-504-680-4100 or toll-free at 1-866-938-6113.
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