Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies PPOP
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies conducts and promotes collaborative research to identify practical solutions that reduce the unique hazards within the maritime industries. Maritime industries include shipyards, marine terminals, marine transportation, commercial fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing.
- Conduct research to identify and reduce hazards and risk factors for illnesses, injuries, fatalities, and vessel disasters (e.g., flooding, fire, collision).
- Design and evaluate interventions to reduce risk factors and hazards.
- Build partnerships with industry, labor, trade associations, and other organizations to conduct research and promote practical and relevant solutions.
- Coordinate maritime safety and health research among intramural and extramural scientists.
- Developed COVID-19 resources and presentations for maritime workers:
- Guidance document: Protecting Seafood Processing Workers from COVID-19
- Guidance document: What Maritime Pilots Need to Know about COVID-19
- Presentation in partnership with the American Bureau of Shipping: COVID-19 Prevention and Mitigationexternal icon
- Two presentations in partnership with the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System: COVID-19 Testing Strategies for U.S. Merchant Marinersexternal icon, and COVID-19 Vaccines for the Marine Transportation Workforceexternal icon
- Published the study Predicting Commercial Fishing Vessel Disasters Through a Novel Application of the Theory of Man-Made Disastersexternal icon.
- Surveyed U.S. shipyard employers about abrasive blasting processes, materials used, and workplace controls. This information helps to better understand the scope of beryllium exposure in shipyards and prioritize mitigation strategies.
- Developed safety and health communication messages for the seafood processing industry.
- Develop health messages to increase adoption of commercial fishing safety technologies.
- Initiate research on shipyard inhalational exposures associated with welding, abrasive blasting, coating application, and removal of coatings and corrosion.
- Analyze prevalence of adverse health conditions in U.S. maritime workers using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2014-2018, in 38 states.
- Partner with the University of Texas Medical Branch to examine workplace and social risk factors for COVID-19 among diverse Gulf of Mexico seafood workers, including class, race/ethnicity, language, and nativity.
- Conduct an analysis of winch-related injuries in Alaska’s commercial fishing industry.
- Develop an interactive online platform to make data from the Commercial Fishing Incident Database available for public use.
Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The NIOSH Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies promotes safety and health for all maritime workers, including those employed on vessels, at waterfront facilities, and on shore directly supporting marine operations. This snapshot shows recent accomplishments and upcoming activities.
Marine terminals are critical ports of entry for imported goods in the U.S. and serve as points of distribution for further transport via ship, rail, and road.
To learn more, visit
www.cdc.gov/niosh/cmshs
August 2021