Logan Voss
When you were a child, it may have seemed cool to work on the docks of a shipyard. After all, massive boats are some of the coolest things you can see as a kid. However, as an adult, you are more aware of the most dangerous aspects of working in a shipyard. Knowing what these hard-working individuals face daily gives you more appreciation for what they do.
A Day in the Life
One of the most dangerous components of working in the shipyard is its erratic schedule. A normal working day for most people is 9-5 in a cozy office building. Shipbuilders must work around the clock, with some workdays lasting into the wee hours of the night or starting early in the morning.
Handling Heavy Machinery
Shipyard equipment is massive, requiring considerable expertise and strength to operate. One slight error while operating may be exceedingly dangerous for any shipyard worker, potentially leading to death.
In addition to the improper use of heavy machinery, there are endangering tasks that bring workers close to a blazing torch. Welding is integral to building ships, and if the welding technique used for shipbuilding is the wrong one, it may bring grave consequences.
Cramping Your Style
You might want to look for a different career if you are claustrophic. Most ship personnel work in small, confined areas. Cramped rooms are among the riskiest areas to work in. Working in such tight quarters could lead to banging your head, bruising your arms, or straining a muscle when you contort your body to fit in a tight spot.
Furthermore, the tremendous pressure found in such small places may result in far more serious and irreversible damage, such as eardrum rupture. Shipyard employees often complain about hearing issues because of working under continual pressure.
Asbestos Exposure
Although the dangers of asbestos are clear, many shipyards still use it for building ships. Personnel participating in ship production and those not explicitly involved in that facet of shipyard labor are vulnerable due to extraordinarily high levels of asbestos that can cause illnesses.
Do you know those mesothelioma commercials? Shipyard workers can relate to that far too well, considering that mesothelioma is one of the main afflictions one can get from excessive exposure. What’s frustrating for many is the effects of this exposure might not rear their ugly heads until years later, when it’s already too late.
Shipbuilders are some of the toughest, most impenetrable folks working today. They know the most dangerous aspects of working in a shipyard before heading to the site and continue to work their tail off. For that, we are thankful.
