The Dangers Dredge Workers Face
Working on a dredger, just like many other jobs within the maritime industry, carries a significant risk of injury or death.
If you or someone you love has fallen victim to a dredge-related work accident, trust in the experienced Houston maritime injury attorneys at Lapeze & Johns to help you obtain full compensation for the damages you have suffered.
Today, we want to discuss the dangers of dredge work and shed some light on what you can do if you’ve been injured — or have lost someone — on the job.
What Are Dredgers?
A dredger is simply a specialized vessel that is used to excavate the bottom of rivers and shallow coastal waters. This is necessary work as sediment builds up on the bottom of these water channels, making them unnavigable to larger ships. The sediment is removed then taken to and disposed of at another location.
In order to do this, however, these dredgers employ the use of very heavy machinery like cranes, buckets, and grabbers. Because of this, dredger equipment can be considerably dangerous to work with.
It isn’t uncommon for these machines to take the life of a seaman or other maritime worker involved in a dredger accident.
What Causes Dredging Accidents?
By design, dredgers are meant to dredge water channels. These vessels or barges vary in terms of size and purpose, and because of this, they all present different types of hazards to their workers.
The most common types of dredgers that companies employ for these types of jobs are:
- Snagboats
- Fishing Dredge
- Bed Levelers
- Clamshell Diggers
- Backhoe Dredge
- Mechanical Dredge
- Hydraulic Cutterhead Dredge
- Pneumatic Dredge
- Suction Dredge
- Water Injection Dredge
The most common accidents that occur on a dredger are caused by:
- Defective Equipment
- Poor Maintenance Habits (e.g. equipment, dredger, etc.)
- Running Aground
- Excessive Speeds
- Negligent Push Boat Operations
- Working When Unsafe Weather Conditions are Present
- Inadequate Worker Training
- Impaired Workers
- Intentional Lack of a Safe Worker Environment by Employers
These types of accidents can, and often do, cause serious injury. If you have been seriously injured in a dredging accident, do not hesitate to contact the Houston maritime lawyers of Lapeze & Johns at 713.739.1010.
Common Types of Injuries Sustained in a Dredger Accident
The types of injuries that victims of a dredger accident sustain can range from minor to severe. Some of these injuries include:
- Strains and Sprains
- Hand and Wrist Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries
- Back/Spinal Cord Injuries
- Hip Injuries
- Leg, Knee, or Ankle Injuries
- Head and Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Eye Injuries That Can Cause Blindness
- Ear Injuries
- Hernias
- Lung Injuries
- Burns
- Crush-Type Injuries
- Amputation
- Drowning
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
If you have been injured—or lost someone—in a dredger accident, your time to be compensated has come. The experienced and compassionate Gulf Coast maritime injury lawyers of Lapeze & Johns are determined to help you begin recovering.
You work hard for your paycheck, and you trust your employer to keep you safe while you make an honest day’s pay. Sometimes, however, some employers may act negligently in order to turn a profit, and that puts you and your coworkers in danger.
If you or someone you love has fallen victim to a dredger accident and sustained severe injury, the unmatched legal experience shared by Lapeze & Johns can help you get your life back on track by helping you secure the compensation you deserve.
Contact us at (713) 766-4855 to set up your free legal consultation.
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