Page 54 - CHIRP Annual Digest 2017

CHIRP Maritime

Article. 40 The only thing that the company provided was a pain relief
patch. I even passed out due to the pain during this period.
Health Matters!
I asked the company whether the Korean Coast Guard could
The majority of reports coming to CHIRP Maritime, as well help in getting me off safely when we were about to anchor
as most of the emphasis in our publications, have been on off Ulsan port, but this was rejected because they said it
risks to vessels and to personal safety. Injury risks are fea- might increase insurance premiums. Eventually, on the
tured, but shortcomings in the prevention or management of evening of 14th December, I was disembarked by means of
illness have rarely been covered. the provision net, (which is normally used for loading grocer-
ies etc.). At the time, there were strong winds and the sea
Our close collaboration with the International Seafarers Welfare was quite rough. Moreover, it was very dark and the ship was
and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and our continued support rolling because she was in ballast condition. As I was lifted
for the fishing industry, indicate there is an increase in health by the crane, I sprained my ankle once again. As a seaman,
related incident reports that CHIRP could usefully consider. I believe that was beyond the call of duty - it was very dan-
gerous given the situation.
CHIRP now encourages reporters to contact us when they
identify shortcomings in the management of work related After I got off, I went to the Ulsan customs office, but nobody
health risks, especially where there is non-compliance with from our company came to assist, so I took a taxi to the hos-
the health requirements and recommendations derived pital accident and emergency department. At the hospital,
from ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC), and the my ankle was swollen up so much they could not perform
Work in Fishing Convention that will come into force from 16 the operation I needed. It took a month to get the operation.
November 2017.
It was an occupational accident, but the company did not pay
We plan to feature articles and presentations to inform and my salary or any medical expenses, so I reported it to the
encourage reporting of work related health risks and to Korean Maritime and Port Administration. This did not resolve
include examples of non-compliance with health provisions the problem so I presented a petition to a labour supervisor
listed in the Conventions. Reporters are invited to use the in the Regional Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The
customary method of reporting to CHIRP. company urged me to drop charges against them. They said if
I dropped the charges they would pay my salary. I answered,
The above article was published in MFB49 “Pay first, then I will drop the charges”. Finally, they deposited
my money the day before the problem was due to be investi-
Article. 41 gated. The Regional Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
regard the accident as an occupational injury, and said the
Abuse of MLC 2006 company should take full responsibility for the matter since
otherwise they would be neglecting their employee’s welfare.
OUTLINE: An injury on board to a Second Engineer, where
the Company did not assist with medical treatment, repa- I required a second operation, but the company stated that
triation, or medical expenses. I could not get any operation without their confirmation. I
trusted my doctor but the Company did not, so I suggested
What the Reporter told us: other medical centres for third party advice - those doc-
I was sailing as a 2nd Engineer, and whilst the ship was getting tors stated that a second operation was appropriate. I am
ready to leave the anchorage and berth for cargo operations on still under treatment which has now been going on for 35
05th December at 0700 hours, I fell by accident and fractured months. I have had two operations on my ankle and still
my ankle. The Captain tried to send me to the local hospital, have a trapped spinal nerve.
but the company rejected the request. I called the company
superintendent, and was told, “It is not an argument of right The argument continues with the company. They have made
and wrong. How can I get a relief 2nd Engineer to the ves- it clear that getting an operation is out of the question. They
sel with such short notice?” Following cargo operations, the never took the moral responsibility - I am only someone who got
ship departed Port “A” South Korea on 05th December, and injured due to the nature of my job and it is not their problem.
anchored off Port “B”, China on 06th December for 5 days. My
ankle was still fractured though and it has not recovered yet. I hope nobody else will have to go through what I had to
go through. The company treats their crew in a very unfair
I asked them to send me to the hospital, but the company manner even though we are their representatives on board.
said, “Don’t stir this up into a big thing. We will get you off The first priority should be the safety of the crew - the MLC
when we arrive back in South Korea. There is going to be a agreement says so.
major inspection. Stop making such a fuss and be quiet!”. We
berthed at Port “B” on 12th December, where an inspection CHIRP Comment
was conducted concurrently with the cargo operations. The CHIRP does not know the name of the company, as it is
inspection whilst I was injured is recorded in the log book. the MLC principles that the reporter wishes to put before a
wider audience. The Maritime Advisory Board commented
For 10 days, from the day of the accident until we arrived that this report highlights the fact that commercial consid-
back in South Korea on 14th December, I was not able to erations have overridden safety and humanitarian concerns,
get any prescribed medicine, not even pain-relieving tablets. particularly highlighting that:

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