Back, Neck & Shoulder Injuries

BACK INJURIES

Working on or around ships can be backbreaking work, requiring many hours of standing, lifting, pulling and twisting. Even the strongest of backs can be injured from falls, being hit by or handing heavy equipment such as winches, ropes, pulleys, forklifts and heavy cargo.

A back injury can leave a worker with chronic back pain and limited mobility, and may be extremely severe, resulting in paraplegia or quadraplegia rendering the worker permenetly disabled and unable to work at all or work in the same trade. Many of these injuries occur to men and women in the prime of their careers and cause significant changes that reduce a person's ability to earn a living and to continue their pre-accident lifestyle.

SHOULDER, ELBOW & WRIST INJURIES

An injury to a shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand can end a seaman's career and are among the most common injuries on the docks and at sea. Maritime workers need manual dexterity and strength to work pulleys, winches, ropes, load and unload heavy equipment - however, these activities all take a toll on sholders, arms and hands. Working around unguarded machinery, defective and unsafe equipment adds to the chances of suffering an injury.

UPPER EXTREMITY INJURIES

Some of the most common types of upper extremity injuries/problems include:

• Amputations
• Crash injuries
• Fractures
• Severed tendon
• Severe lacerations
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Joint dislocation
• Torn muscle or tendon
• Nerve damage
• Reflex Sympathy Disorder