Northern Territory WorkSafe has issued a safety alert regarding the increased risk of overboard incidents on fishing vessels when workers are completing tasks where there is no edge or fall protection.
The alert comes after an incident occurred recently involving a fishing vessel which was returning to an NT port after an extended period of time at sea.
Several crew members were accessing the vessel’s roof space and one member moved too close to the edge and fell overboard.
The crew member was not wearing a life jacket or fall protection at the time. While he was able to be retrieved and was brought back on board, he could not be revived.
The preliminary findings from NT WorkSafe’s investigation found that there was no appropriate fall protection in place on the vessel.
The investigation is ongoing.
The WHS Act 2011 applies to all commercial vessels because they are considered workplaces.