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tigued and less able to perform their required functions. DUTY OF CAREAn employer has the responsibility to protect its workers, overriding the employees enthusiasm if required. We would not let a young worker go to sea without a life jacket, even if they maintained that they were a champi- on swimmer, so why do we continue to let fast boat operators risk serious injury and turn a blind eye towards it? Historically it has been shown that workers will resist acknowledging the dangers they face, leaving the employer to enforce safety practises until they be- come common practise. Examples in- clude safety glasses in workshops, hard hats in construction sites and Kevlar clothing for chainsaw operators.The most severe injuries, seen as a result of bad slamming events, in- clude fractures to vertebrae or other extremities, and rupture of interverte- bral discs in the spine and neck. These do not happen to everyone that steps aboard a boat, but neither is everyone MN 69www.marinelink.com MN Sept2013 Layout 66-81.indd 698/29/2013 5:19:16 PM
