MOB Rescue with OSCAR - Water Rescue Training Dummy and C-Hero Lift.

Marine Safety Beyond Training

To ensure that marine employees are as safe as possible working on the water, water safety and man-overboard protection need to be built-in to the culture of the organization. However, studies have shown that occasional training programs are not as effective in ensuring safety. Water Safety Programs need to be demonstrated starting at the leadership level to be most effective. Making water safety part of the company culture. Pairing training with investment in water safety products and mechanisms help to make this a natural part of the culture.
In a 2018 research essay written by Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev in Anthropology Today, studies show that short-term changes in training programs are not as effective as they should be. Dobbin and Kalev mention, “sometimes a short-term change occurs in attitudes, but very few find a widespread change in actual behavior.” Dobbin and Kalev offer a few reasons why these programs generally don’t work as intended.

Why Water Safety Training Programs Don’t Always Work

First, “short-term educational interventions, in general, do not change people.” This is true for worker safety courses. Second, some researchers argue that the training activates stereotypes in people’s minds rather than eliminating them. Third, training can make people complacent, thinking that because they went through the program they’ve solved the problem. Fourth, people don’t like to be told what to think and may rebel if they feel that they’re being pressured to think a certain way. Therefore it’s imperative for a successful training program to implement a solid policy to effect change, not a “check the box” culture that is easily dismissed.

Water Safety Needs to Start with Leadership

Emerald Marine Products has manufactured safety products for the maritime industry since 1996 and has partnered with dozens of other safety training institutions and product manufacturers. We have seen the successful implementation of safety procedures when the executive level of the company invests in product and policy creation that is used every day, not just quarterly or annually as required by some certification agencies. By instituting at the executive level it trickles into the entire company culture, making it feel intuitive and natural., When employees watch their leaders place a high value on safety and products that save lives, they will accept the reasoning behind use, training, and testing.

When our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is part of the employee’s gear and tested every shift, it becomes second nature that a fall overboard situation could occur, the actions to reduce the possibility of a MOB is top of mind. This solidifies the learning by the employee.

Fighting Complacency and Building Confidence of Water Safety Training

One of our partner companies C-Hero goes one step further in engaging employees with their MOB retrieval products. C-Hero offers an e-Training program on their products and the process of recognizing a MOB incident and the procedures to retrieve the MOB. The training instructs the employees but also provides accountability of the training, including the requirement for the employee to be video recorded and submitting that video for certification. It almost becomes a “badge of honor” that the employee has demonstrated their ability and dedication to the life-saving procedure.

A Company Dedicated Solely to Water Safety Equipment and Training

Investment in dedicated equipment and “Practice Makes Permanent” is a thorough way of instilling a successful water safety program. When it comes to fall overboard awareness, practice, and retrieval, Emerald Marine Products offers products and partnerships that can be your one-source solution for instilling a MOB awareness/prevention safety culture. Let Emerald Marine Products guide you on safety solutions that best meet your company’s needs. Contact EMP via our Contact Us webpage or phone us at 800-426-4201. Make your safety training programs effective, long-lasting, and a constant part of your company’s culture.

ALERT Portable DIY Man Overboard Alarm System

Man Overboard – Are AIS SARTS the Best MOB Devices?

Man Overboard – Are AIS SARTS the Best MOB Devices? was an article written on March 2, 2012, by gCaptain’s John Konrad. It’s been over seven years since this article was written. As a manufacturer of Man Overboard MOB devices, we wanted to see how the MOB personal beacon market has changed in those seven years.

Has the Reason for a Man Overboard Incident Changed?

Reasons a Man Overboard incidents occur haven’t changed. The most obvious fact that has not changed in the past seven years is “If the man overboard is not found, he or she will not be recovered.”

Mr. Konrad writes about two different systems on the market to increase the chance of a man overboard recovery, AIS SART devices, and DSC systems. Generally led by aggressive marketing budgets by AIS SART device manufacturers, many maritime writers are unfamiliar with our MOB alerting solution that has been on the market for over 20 years. Emerald Marine Products has worked hard to educate mariners about the pros and cons of these systems. Twelve years ago, Mr. Konrad did not cover our product. Suffice it to say, our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is better than these two technologies because it provides the most important function of MOB recovery – speed in the notification of a man overboard.

Why is the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System Different from AIS SARTS Systems?

The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is an automatic water-activated beacon. Within seconds the boat the person fell off of is notified of a MOB. Those seconds are the difference between a successful rescue and a prolonged search and rescue. The devices Mr. Konrad outlines in the article are not automatic, and not capable of doing what it reports to do unless properly registered and understood. The actual time of MOB awareness with these devices could be in the minute range as opposed to seconds.

In the 2012 article, Mr. Konrad asked, “What is the future?” He then goes on to write…

“While some believe that DSC based SARTS are the answer, I’ve seen too many false alarms broadcast over the system in recent years. I like the AIS SARTS a lot but I think the ultimate solution will be a hybrid of the existing systems and I believe that AIS will soon replace the 121.5 homing signal still present in most 406 epirbs.”

Mr. Konrad’s prediction is correct that more 406 epirbs are on the market than 121.5 homing signals as the 121.5 Mhz frequency is no longer monitored for SAR. Just recently gCaptain reported that Sea Tow, a respected maritime rescue company, will no longer offer VHF Marine Radio checks. Again, we see technology that is being replaced or abandoned at an alarming rate. Our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System’s technology is simple to use and doesn’t require third party support to function.

Has Technology of ManOverboard Personal Beacons Changed in the Past Seven Years?

Mr. Konrad then writes…

“But what I like most is a simple waterproof radio so I can talk to nearby ships from the water. So the perfect system for me would be a bluetooth handheld VHF with integrated AIS that I can clip to my lifevest. Here are the features I’d have in my ideal unit I would like to clip to my lifejacket:

I’d like the unit to serve as a microphone to a base VHF (I have the RS-82 system abroad the gCaptain test boat) when in bluetooth range. When out of bluetooth range (like if I fell overboard) an alarm sounds on the base unit.
Water Activated, I’d like the following to go off when the unit is immersed
- Strobe light
- AIS tracking
Integrated GPS EPIRB
Two batteries
- One for the emergency functions & one for the rest”

Emerald Marine Products’ Refresh of Personal Beacon Technology

In 2017, Emerald Marine Products began the development of its new generation of the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System. We too looked at some of the technology that Mr. Konrad requested in 2012 but three very important reasons made our decision to stick with our 418MHz technology.

Number one was the ability to provide automatic alerting. The ability to alert a mariner within seconds, and not a minute, was imperative to a successful MOB rescue. Hundreds of companies that use our product agree.

Second, cost. We understood that to put in some of the technical components Mr. Konrad outlines in his article, it would drive the production costs up so high, even mariners willing to spend “the big bucks” on life-saving equipment would be turned off by the cost.

Finally, our third reason is we already had technology in our product that could extend the alerting of a MOB far beyond the boat itself. Our man overboard personal beacon is not dependent on third-party software, hardware, certification, or registration to operate properly.

ALERT Portable, DIY Man-Overboard Alarm System

ALERT Portable, DIY Man Overboard Alarm System ™, combines ALERT2 Receiver, two ALERT418 Transmitters, heavy-duty stand, antenna, cable, and 110volt power converter. Set-up within minutes. No programming needed. No third-party installation required. You are ready for any fall-overboard alert within seconds. In addition to the internal alerting, the unit can be wired to perform engine kill or other external alerting capabilities.

$1,795.00

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Let’s Review

The best chance of surviving a man overboard incident is rescuing from the boat itself. Isn’t it imperative that the alerting of a man overboard happens within seconds and the boat launches the rescue? In the event, the boat can’t launch the rescue, the captain or able-bodied crew member can get on the radio and broadcast coordinates of the MOB within seconds, again less time than any other technology would offer. The chances of both a visual of the MOB and a coordinated rescue can happen quickly with the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System.

ALERT Portable, DIY Alarm System, making it even easier to protect your crew

Recently we introduced the ALERT, Portable DIY Alarm System which allows you to walk on a vessel with our system, plug it into a 110-volt outlet, hand out the transmitters for the crew to attach to themselves, and the crew is protected. Within minutes. No need to register technology or teach how the technology works or send the items back for annual certification. Mentioned in National Fisherman.

It’s always gratifying to see members of the Maritime Industry write articles about Man Overboard awareness and the solutions that are in place to help a MOB from becoming a fatality. At Emerald Marine Products our total focus in Man Overboard Alerting. Next time you look into a MOB solution for your crew, look at our solution before you simply pick-up a box at the local marine supply store.

No Commitment Trial

Still don’t believe that the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is the easiest and quickest response MOB alerting product? Contact us to explore a trial usage of our man overboard alarm system.

OmniBeacon extends alerting capabilities

Extending the Alert of a Man-Overboard is Crucial

Seconds count and a Man-Overboard (MOB) Alarm will make the difference between a work stop order or a fatality. A MOB alarm goes off within seconds of a man-overboard, allowing the Captain and crew to get an immediate visual of the MOB. Extending Man Overboard alert is crucial. A rescue operation is launched in under a minute. A life is saved! The same goes for a temporary work operation near water where someone inadvertently falls in the water. When the MOB alarm sounds, employees are notified in seconds and able to identify and rescue that person.

Instant Man-Overboard Alarm with Unlimited Range Extension

The ability to relocate and extend the actual alarm is very important. Our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System, the quickest responding MOB alerting system on the market, has an 85-decibel internal alarm in the Receiver that is typically installed in the wheelhouse. But the MOB alarm doesn’t have to remain in the wheelhouse. Extending the range of a man-overboard alarm is a key component and a unique feature of our fall in the water alerting products.

Man-Overboard Alarm For Any Location Near Water

In the twenty-plus years Emerald Marine Products has been manufacturing fall overboard alerting and training products, we have seen the usage of our MOB devices go beyond the wheelhouse. Almost any place imaginable where employees are working on or near water, marine terminals, dredging operations, bridge construction, even water treatment plants have understood the need for a quick response to a person in the water. Sometimes the 85-decibel internal alarm on the ALERT Receiver is not enough to make personnel aware of a fall in the water situation. Thankfully, all ALERT Receivers have “dry contacts” on the back of the units which allows for the addition of extended alerting capabilities. With these contacts, you can attach a number of devices that operate by a “push of a button” or “click of a mouse.”

How To Extend a Man-Overboard Alarm System

Over the years, many of our customers have gotten quite creative on how to extend man-overboard alerting. These solutions range from an external strobe or bull horn to communicating with remote data centers via the internet. At marine terminals, the ALERT Receiver is typically installed in an office which is great, but attaching a strobe or bull-horn can instantly alert employees on the dock of a MOB situation. Some companies have very remote locations where only two or three employees are working. These companies have used cell-phone auto-dial devices to call safety response personnel within seconds of a man-overboard alarm. Recently we became aware of one company using the OmniBeacon that functions as a strobe and an auto-dialer unit to extend alerting of a man-overboard.

Emerald Marine Products is proud of our customers who take man-overboard awareness seriously enough to not only install our products. Furthermore, we are inspired by the creativity displayed inventing solutions at remote locations where launching a rescue might be hampered by a lack of personnel or equipment by extending the alert to centers where help can be activated.

Design the Man-Overboard Solution for your Situation

Extending Man Overboard alert is crucial. Emerald Marine Products’ ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System can improve the safety of your employees regardless of where they are working on or near water. If your company is challenged on how to monitor and be aware of any danger your employees face while working on-site, let Emerald Marine Products help you design a solution that can extend the alerting capabilities of a fall in the water situation. Contact us through this link or call us at 800-426-4201.

Cost of a Man-Overboard Alarm System

Cost of implementing a man-overboard alerting system may be a barrier to saving lives. Knowing if a man-overboard situation (MOB) has occurred on your premises is what keeps executives and safety personnel up at night. Fortunately, a solution for detecting a MOB has been around for 20 years. Sometimes referred to as MOB Beacons, Marine Survivor Locator Device, or Locator Beacons, it’s all about technology that will alert of a fall overboard. Making a decision to invest in a man-overboard beacon system should be imperative for a company with employees working on or near water. However, the cost and time to implement a MOB alerting system can seem daunting.

Emerald Marine Products has been protecting employees working on or near water for over twenty years so we have a clear understanding of the costs and time to implement a solution. We have a solution that is easy to implement and very cost-effective.

Understanding True Cost of Ownership of a Man-Overboard Alerting System

In regards to the cost of implementing a system, you want to not just look at the initial purchase price, but the total cost over the lifetime of a product for the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). We recently had the opportunity to put our mathematical skills to work to calculate the TCO of our ALERT Man-Overboard devices. Why is this important? There are competing products in the MOB Beacon/Locator Beacon marketplace, so it’s important to consider what MOB alarm systems will last longer and understand associated maintenance costs.

Important Purchase Factor: How Long Will the MOB Beacon System Last?

If you are involved in purchasing safety technology, one of your concerns is how long with MOB alerting technology last? Emerald Marine Products is proud of the fact that our man-overboard alerting devices have been serving the maritime industry for over twenty years. It is doubtful many of today’s Man Overboard Beacon vendors will be around that long. In our twenty-year span of business, we have seen other MOB Alerting products and technology go out of business

Bluetooth and AIS man-overboard products are very sexy and the rage for “the latest technology” but the truth is, Bluetooth and AIS man-overboard products can be very costly in the long run. Any technology that relies on Apps for use will require updates and continued technical support of its software. Bluetooth and AIS are reliant on other vendors’ products and this doubles or triples the concern for long-term longevity and support. Most systems are not “commercial-grade” and are not expandable.

ALERT MOB alarm products do not require any software to operate. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System relies on the decades-old wireless transmission on the 418MHz frequency. No need for costly software or updates to keep the technology current. Bluetooth and AIS alerting systems may have an initial price less than our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System but the TCO may take on a different cost once the longevity of the system is considered.

Dependence on Other Technology to Support a MOB Alerting System

Many MOB Beacon App-based systems have a life expectancy of 2-3 years based on supporting software technology by the manufacturer or the operating system the apps need to function. Constant updating for bug fixes and security concerns are guaranteed. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System requires no software updates to remain functional. So when looking at the CTO of the ALERT MOB system, you simply need to look at the initial purchase price and any costs associated with new batteries or replacing a worn pouch or outer shell.

TCO of the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System

Last month, we received 40 ALERT2 Man-Overboard Alarm System Transmitters for a service check-up. This group of 40 allowed us to see how our man-overboard transmitters have fared over a span of time. We are happy to report that other than updating some worn pouches, outer shells, and batteries, the ALERT2 Transmitters were fully functioning. This proved that units in five-plus years of heavy maritime use may require a new pouch or batteries, but nothing more.

In reviewing this sample group of 40 units, and many other servicing checks over the years, we have confirmed our products last 7plus years. Based on a lifetime of 7 years (at a minimum) at an initial cost of $274 plus one set of new batteries, the total cost for one transmitter per day for 7 years is $0.05/day. Assuming one ALERT2 Receiver will be needed to support five ALERT2 Transmitters (numbers will vary so we took an average). We calculated that the average life of a receiver is $0.44/day. As you increase the number of employees, you decrease the TCO of man-overboard alarm protection.

Your Company Can Be Protected from a Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit of a Man-Overboard Fatality

We have all heard of the analogy, “for the cost of a coffee at Starbucks you can…” We hate to use that analogy, but when it fits it fits. Using these sample figures previously outlined, a crew of five can be protected for $0.69 per day over a five-year period, A fleet of 10 boats and 40 crew can be protected for $6.40/day over a five-year period. If the TCO doesn’t convince your financial department, think of the money spent on a lawsuit for an injury or fatality when a life-saving product exists and wasn’t used.

Now Easier Than Ever to Implement a Fall-Overboard Alerting Solution

Finally, with the simplicity of costs now comes, the simplicity of operation. With our newly released ALERT Portable, DIY Man-Overboard Alarm System you can have an ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System functional at a job site (vessel or dockside) within minutes. We are so confident in the life-saving capabilities of our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System, we will make it available for a no-risk 30-day evaluation to qualified companies. Further information about the financial, technical, or operational aspects of keeping your employees working on or near water safe, contact Emerald Marine Products at 800-426-4201 or email info@emeraldmarineproducts.com.

F/V Northern Jaeger Outside Emerald Marine Products

F/V Northern Jaeger Visits Emerald Marine Products

Every once in a while we are pleased to see a vessel sailing up Puget Sound past the Emerald Marine Products office that is a customer of ours. We were pleased to see the F/V Northern Jaeger sail by last Saturday. The Northern Jaeger proudly uses the ALERT418 Man-Overboard Alarm System to protect the crew working near the stern of the ship.

American Seafoods has been a great customer of the Emerald Marine Products MOB awareness product line for many years. Recently they upgraded the ALERT2 system to the ALERT418 system which provides the ship with additional information in the event of a Man-Overboard incident.

We strongly believe that all commercial fishing vessels, especially the smaller family-owned fleets would benefit from the life-saving capabilities of the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System. From automatic alert within seconds, to engine-kill capabilities to entended alerting capabilities, the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm Systems is the best choice for commercial fisherman. For further information contact us.

Commercial Fisherman with ALERT2 MOB Device

Commercial Fisherman Need a Man-Overboard Alerting Device

Lore and TV Shows showcase the danger involved in making a living as a commercial fisherman. It’s that time of the year when commercial fishermen leave their loved ones to provide a decent working wage fishing.

Whether you’re a solo fisherman or part of a crew, your exposure to the dangers of the high seas. Long hours, rouge waves, misplaced objects, improperly placed stowage, are all opportunities to create a man-overboard situation. If you or a crew member falls overboard and no one knows about it, a fatality is sure to occur. A fatality that affects loved ones emotionally and finacially for generations.

The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System protects crews and solo fisherman who wear the lightweight and durable Transmitter. This device is automatically activated in the event of a fall-overboard, and its Spray-Tight Pouch will protect from false alarms when working in wet conditions. Should a simple mistake take a person over the side of a boat, the ALERT System will instantly notify the vessel. If you are a solo fisherman, the boat can be wired for engine-kill which could give you the opportunity to swim back to the boat.

We encourage you to take a look at our line of Man-Overboard Alerting Devices made with industrial-grade products for years of lasting protection. Your loved ones will be glad you took the time and made the investment to save your life.

Wired for Engine-Kill

The phrase, “Wired for engine-kill” has a very serious tone to it. And It should. The practice of killing an engine at an appropriate time can save a life. A kill switch or emergency cutoff switch is a safety mechanism used to shut off machinery in an emergency. Kill switches or emergency cutoff switches are manufactured in many forms for uses within different industries. For explanation purposes, we refer to the marine industry’s use of a kill switch as an engine-kill switch.

Emerald Marine Products has been manufacturing a man-overboard alarm which includes the technology to turn off an engine since 1996. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System effectively works as a kill switch for the boat’s engine, hence the term “engine-kill.”

The Benefit of Engine-Kill Technology

Engine-kill technology is one of the most important tools for man-overboard boat safety. A boat underway encounters various circumstances that could cause the pilot to be ejected from the boat. If the person ejected is the sole occupant, or the only person capable of maneuvering the boat, it’s a matter of life or death that the person can make it back to the boat. On average, using our ALERT Man-Overboard products, a quick engine-kill from a fall overboard can stop a boat within seven seconds. Making it possible to swim back to a boat. Another life-saving reason for an engine-kill on the boat is to prevent the “Circle of Death” a maneuver by an unmanned boat that will cause it to cruise in circles that could actually “run over” the person in the water.

Here is a video highlighting the “Circle of Death” issue. https://www.passagemaker.com/trawler-news/uscg-requires-engine-cutoff-switches-on-more-boats?jwsource=cl

Installing Engine-Kill Technology is Easy and Required by Law

Since the 1970’s the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has investigated the risks of cruising solo with engine-kill technology installed on a boat. As the years have passed, technology to install engine-kill capability in a boat has evolved, making the installation and use of this life-saving technology easier, more affordable and less obtrusive. In December 2018, Soundings Trade Only Today magazine reported “in December (2018 Congress) passed the Frank Lobiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018, which includes a provision requiring boat and engine manufacturers, distributors and dealers to install engine cutoff switches on new boats “less than 26 feet overall in length and capable of developing 115 pounds or more of static thrust.”

The requirement pertains to inboards, outboards and sterndrives. The switches must meet American Boat and Yacht Council standards.” Click here for the full article.

At Emerald Marine Products, we believe this technology is also essential for a solo fisherman and single-hander,regardless of boat size and date of manufacture.Even more important that someone who is operating a boat alone, is protected and safe in the event of a fall overboard. We also believe that the need to install an engine-kill technology increases as the value of the occupants increase. Any commercial fisherman should have engine-kill technology installed on their boat, as highlighted by one of our customers https://emeraldmarineproducts.com/testimonial/cruising-home-at-16-knots/

Emerald Marine Products has been providing life-saving technology to the maritime industry for over twenty years. We were one of the first to market engine-kill technology in our products. We would be happy to discuss what system might work for your particular circumstances. Recreational or Commercial. Contact us using our contact page or simply call us at 800-426-4201 and we will have an honest conversation on what technology will work best for you to protect yourself and your crew.

Man-overboard protection continues during COVID-19 crisis

Man-Overboard incidents continue, so we are continuing operations

We hope that you and your teams are healthy and safe.

On March 22, 2020, Washington Governor Insley issued Proclamation 20-25 requiring Washitonians to stay at home, closing specified retail businesses, and requiring social distancing measures and other restrictions. We want to let you know that Emerald Marine Products is not included in the list of businesses prohibited from operating.

Emerald Marine Products’ diverse customer base in marine transportation, commercial fishing, water rescue personnel, and terminal services qualifies us as an Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce. The Man-Overboard Alerting devices we provide to our customers are critical for maintaining the continuity of safety products to Critical Infrastructure Sectors as defined by Homeland Security and CISA.

Now might be a good time to inspect your ALERT Transmitters

Occasionally we receive ALERT Transmitters to inspect and repair. We are pleased to see well-worn transmitters. It shows that they are being used in heavy industrial applications protecting employees. It also shows the reliability of our man-overboard transmitters, as some of these transmitters are in their fifth or sixth or even longer year of service.

If your company is experiencing a slow-down due to the Coronavirus, or weather, this might be a great time to inspect your ALERT Man-Overboard Alerting products to make sure they are functioning properly. For testing procedures and other important videos on maintaining your ALERT products, click here.

This may also be a good time to make sure the batteries in the unit are at the voltage they should be. For ALERT2 Transmitters make sure the unit has 3.6-volt lithium batteries. Never put 1.5-volt Alkaline batteries in the unit. The alkaline batteries may produce enough power to provide a positive test of the unit but do not provide the needed voltage for transmission strength and longevity. For proper placement of batteries for ALERT2 Transmitters, click here.

Do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions and to communicate any impacts this situation may be having on your operations.

Coronavirus and Emerald Marine Products

The maritime industry is grappling with safety issues never imagined a few months ago. We are already witnessing the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on world trade, international travel, and our economy. Emerald Marine Products, like all of our industry partners, take the impact of Coronavirus very seriously. As a manufacturer of man-overboard alerting devices, we are ensuring that our manufacturing supply chain and distribution are operating in accordance with the CDC. More than ever, as crews are limited and people are social distancing, we need to ensure that every person working near or on the water is protected in the event of a fall overboard.

Emerald Marine Products is working with our suppliers and testing stations to ensure all products are sanitized. Our preferred shipping vendor, United Parcel Service (UPS) had also written of their continued efforts to make sure products shipped through their service are compliant with procedures to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. You can view UPS response here: click here.

Emerald Marine Products is aware that the current situation of the Coronavirus has the full attention of a company’s Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) department. We recognize the main concern of these departments is keeping employees healthy and having evacuation procedures in place in the event a crew member becomes sick on a vessel. We would like to recommend a variety of resources to support your organizations:

For the most up-to-date information regarding Coronavirus and the maritime industry, we suggest visiting the American Waterways Operators (AWO) Coronavirus (COVID-19) website: https://www.americanwaterways.com/covid19.

Another great source for HSE Departments is Fusion Technology’s Pandemic Plan Template which steps through the various stages and processes to monitor and have in place procedures to protect your employees:https://www.pandemicreadinesstoolkit.fusionrm.com/s/.

In response to the current COVID-19 crisis, Emerald Marine Products wants to assure our current customers and other companies doing more with less, that we are staffed and supplied to support your man-overboard alerting needs quickly and efficiently. At this time of social distancing and less staff, We urge you to ensure your employees are protected in the event of a fall overboard. Emerald Marine Products is committed to working as quickly as possible to find solutions for your crew members and shore side workers to be protected and safe. Setup and procedures for our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System are quick and easy. We are available to assist with any questions you might have about our fall overboard alerting devices, training dummies and MOB retrieval products. Further information on our life-saving products can be found at www.emeraldmarineproducts.com.

As the Coronavirus impact changes daily, we are all working to mitigate the further spread of this virus, protecting our employees and our way of doing business. The Maritime industry is vital to the health of our country and international trade. We are proud of the hard work maritime companies, and their most valuable asset, their employees are accomplishing to keep our economy strong during these unsettled times. We at Emerald Marine Products are grateful for the industry’s efforts and hope to be of continued service protecting employees from fall overboard fatalities through this crisis and for years to come. Plan, protect, stay safe.

SCF Lewis & Clark Fleeting have excellent MOB procedures and testing in place!

When Deckhands or Shore-Side Workers go Missing

We are not addressing work stoppage, strikes or just plain no-show incidents. We are addressing when a worker who executes their job on or near water suddenly disappears. Potentially into the water!

Any company that has employees working on or near water grapples with the concern of a Fall Overboard or MOB incident. It’s in the back of their safety-conscious mind every day. Does it keep them up at night? Hopefully not. The truth is most companies that work on or near water have a plethora of safety issues to deal with. In Emerald Marine Products’ experience, a MOB is one of those “put it on the back shelf” concerns. Statistically, it’s not a top safety concern but the implications of an MOB are far greater than a fall, collision, or medical issue.

A non-fatal MOB will most certainly cause a work stoppage, a potential medical issue and possibly a lawsuit. A fatal Mob will most certainly cause a work stoppage, an investigation by law enforcement, a potential medical issue and most certainly a lack of confidence from the employees and a lawsuit. The financial cost of a non-fatal or fatal MOB can be drastic. “That’s what we have insurance for” is not a defense for not having awareness of MOB issues and address the concern. Insurance may take care of some financial aspects of an MOB incident, but damage to the employees’ confidence, the company’s reputation and the soul retching guilt of the incident can be caustic to the companies future. On the last point alone, we have heard of a non-fatal MOB cause a suicide because the person in charge of the person who fell in the water (but survived) felt so guilty they didn’t better protect them.

You know MOB awareness, protection and rescue needs to be addressed, but where do you begin? As with any procedural change in an organization, change begins with education. Educate yourself and all stakeholders on what a MOB situation is. How vulnerable are your employees to such an incident? If your employees work on or near water, of course, the potential is there. But is the potential of a MOB increased due to; long work shifts, employees out-of-sight from other employees, weather extremes, inexperience, etc? As the potential grows, the implementation of a MOB plan is essential. What’s next?

You are determined to put an operational procedure in place to train your employees on both the hazards of an MOB and most important a response to a MOB. Emerald Marine Products has been manufacturing MOB alerting products for over twenty years. It is with our partnership with C-Hero, manufacture of MOB retrieval products, that our ability to offer companies a complete solution in awareness and retrieval of MOB incidents is complete. Emerald Marine Products and C-Hero have taken the mystery out of MOB awareness, operational execution and continued compliance.

First, begin with awareness. Outfitting any employee working on or near the water with proper protection such as Personal Floating Device (PFD), head, hand, footgear, VHF radio, personal light beacon, and our ALERT Man-Overboard Transmitter. Train your employees of root causes of potential fall situations (tripping on lines, fatigue, misplace objects). All employees working on or near water should be tested in MOB procedures regularly.

Actual MOB procedures can be easily found and adopted by your company if not already implemented. However, in our research, we have found most implementation is lax and irregular. Demand that all supervisors adhere to strict execution on both the exercise and frequency of the MOB test. Outfitting your company with a life-like victim such as our OSCAR – Water Rescue Training Dummy will provide years of easily maneuvered MOB testing procedures. An MOB drill should not use anything less than a full-grown adult victim in both size and weight. Using any training device not the size and weight of an adult is an affront to both your commitment to properly trained employees and the true readiness in the event an actual MOB occurs.

Realistically, what is the ability of your employees to provide a MOB retrieval in a timely manner? If your operation is shore-side and the water has a fast-moving current, how quickly will the person in the water be out of sight? Out of range of a local retrieval? This is a concern that needs to be addressed quickly. If the retrieval will come from another source, do employees in the rescue process know who to contact? Test it! If a local retrieval is possible (such as the boat the person just fell off of), is the rescuer’s ability to properly navigate the rescue boat and able to get the MOB out of the water in a timely fashion? Again, test it!

C-Hero makes several retrieval products to fit your company’s needs and budget. But in all safety procedures, the budget should not drive the solution. If your operation requires a device to lift a person out of the water, and no device exists on your boat, you need to budget for a lift. If all you need to get the MOB to the area where they can be safely lifted out of the water, then explore what type of retrieval product(s) will work best for the physical abilities of your employee. It is the repeated testing of a MOB drill that you will discover or confirm that your process is effective. If testing is frequent and consistent, you will see the level of confidence grow in your employees. Empowering them to be aware of a fall overboard concern will increase their vigilance of fellow employees’ whereabouts. Increasing the safety net within your company’s safety culture.

What about a safety culture once set and then management changes break down the compliance? C-hero has built a robust training and compliance application that is easy to administer. It allows for a step-by-step approach in MOB retrieval training. Once trained, the employee is video recorded in their participation in the training procedure. The video is then reviewed by management and given an approval rating. Annual compliance of each employee can be easily administered. The process can become the “heavy hand” that further institutes compliance within your company.

If Deckhands and Shore-Side Workers going missing is a concern of yours. If the responsibility of your employee’s well-being is a concern of yours, there are products and plans available to easily implement into your safety culture. Contact Emerald Marine Products to discuss your needs when addressing the issue of your employees working on or near water. Addressing your concerns now; before an unexpected event brings a costly accident to your attention.