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SAMPLE POLICY TO PREVENT FALLING OVERBOARD INTRODUCED

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, has made available a new sample Fall Overboard Prevention Policy aimed toward inland river operators. The new sample policy, developed to prevent injuries and fatalities, is targeted toward fall overboard prevention. As part of AWO's ongoing effort to upgrade the industry's safety standards, the sample policy can be customized for an AWO member company's use in its Responsible Carrier Program, thereby strengthening the company's commitment to safety. The Responsible Carrier Program is an award-winning, U.S. Coast Guard-recognized safety code of practice developed by AWO for barge and towing companies that involves every aspect of fleet operations, including management, equipment and human factors.

The Coast Guard/AWO Safety Partnership was the genesis of the new policy. The Partnership launched a Quality Action Team (QAT) which studied incidents of falls overboard on the inland river system for the 10-year period of 1985-1994. The QAT's analysis revealed that during that period, nearly 71 percent of crew fatalities in the inland towing industry resulted from falls overboard. Crewmembers working on deck suffered the greatest number of fatalities. In response, AWO incorporated a fall overboard prevention policy in its Responsible Carrier Program, and together with the Coast Guard developed the "S.A.F.E. (Stay Alert For the Edge) Decks" campaign and brochure, aimed at heightening awareness of the risks of falls overboard among deck crewmembers at greatest risk.

The new sample policy is an effort by AWO to go beyond the QAT's recommendations and provide guidance for companies to use in improving their fall overboard prevention programs. AWO's Coastal Safety Committee is currently developing a sample fall overboard prevention policy tailored to the coastal sector's unique operations.

The sample policy has already been shared with all AWO member companies, and is also available to any other company that requests it.