Working in a ship yard means spending time in one of the most dangerous job sites around. In Virginia and other states with major ports, ship yard workers face a lot of dangers on the job that can cause injuries or even death.
Dangers of ship yards
The ship yard is like any other industrial worksite: Large moving pieces of metal, power tools and heights all combine to create a risky environment. Other risks include enclosed and hot spaces, the fumes from welding, and the toxins created from paint and other chemicals that can be harmful if breathed in.
Potential illnesses and injuries
There are risks for sudden injury as well as chronic health conditions. This is especially true for respiratory illness as a result of the fumes and toxins. Cancers of various kinds tend to appear in ship yard workers at higher rates than most other types of worker. Illnesses and serious injuries can cause an employee to miss work and have long-term impacts for their health and life expectancy.
The right forum to settle these issues is sometimes a court of law, which can work out the details of the significance of the injury and the duration that it might continue to cause issues. Workers who have been injured or who deal with a chronic illness may be able to seek workers’ compensation as well as file a third-party personal injury claim depending on the details of the case.
Working in a ship yard comes with several different hazards that can result in serious injury and chronic illness. Both have a major impact on the ability of workers to perform and attend their jobs, and they can also affect the health of the worker in the long term, which is why workers’ compensation benefits are available to injured workers.