Attention seamen: know the law before they tell you to board a lifeboat

Seafarers should be aware of the risks of riding in a lifeboat during launching or retrieval. It is a fact that there have been dozens of deaths and hundreds of serious injuries from wires parting, faulty proximity switches, failed davits, corrosive materials and other causes. The IMO no longer requires crewmembers to be on board lifeboats during lowering and hoisting in other than emergency situations. OSHA standards prohibit persons in a lifeboat when it is being raised to its stowed position. Crewmembers have other, safer methods of boarding the boat such as climbing by lifeboat ladders or using taxi boats when in port.

If you have been injured in a lifeboat or rescue boat, call an experienced offshore attorney immediately.

Read more on lifeboat dangers in "Lifeboats and Rescue Boats: Life savers or death traps?" in our article library here.