Health is the key to a long-lasting career at sea

All seafarers are subject to a mandatory Pre-employment Medical Examination (PEME). However, there are cases when seafarers who passed PEME then have heart failure on board during the voyage. The SUR Chief Technical Labor Inspector, Evgeny Khizhnyak, told about one of such cases. He, along with other specialists, joined the Investigation Commission to probe the death of a 52-year-old crew member on board a Russian-flagged vessel:

– Crew members found their colleague, an AB Seaman, unconscious in the cabin. The day before was a normal, routine working day. As before, the AB fulfilled his duties on board, communicated with colleagues, and did not complain about his health or personal problems.

Evgeny Khizhnyak added that ethyl (wine) alcohol in the amount of less than 0.15 ppm was found in the sailor’s blood; the examination did not find any other drugs or substances. The cause of the incident was a sudden deterioration in health, which led to cardiovascular failure.

By the way, the annual medical examination had not revealed any contraindications for the sailor to work at sea.

From the information collected, the commission determined that the incident was not related to the operations of the vessel. However, the company informed its employees about the incident with the AB Seaman and provided additional first aid training.

– All types of heart problems have similar warning symptoms: shortness of breath, irregular or fast heartbeat, chest trigger sensation, discomfort, pressure, heaviness, pain in the chest, the arm or under the breast, weakness or dizziness, nausea, sweating, swollen ankles and abdomen, cough with white sputum, - Khizhnyak explains. – To minimize the risks of heart disease, you should stop smoking, minimize alcohol intake, take a balanced diet, control your body mass index, sleep at least seven hours a day, do at least 20 minutes of exercise a day, maintain healthy blood pressure – 120/80, monitor your blood sugar levels, and finally, to visit a therapist for a routine check at least once a year. Evgeny Khizhnyak adds that it is very important to take PEME with all responsibility and tell doctors any warning symptoms of heart failure you have.

“In addition, upon joining the vessel, seafarers, particularly captains, should understand that they are subject to stress due to the specifics of their profession, which affects the human cardiovascular system,” - the SUR Chief Technical Labor Inspector, Evgeny Khizhnyak, emphasized.

photo ILO