Ship Lawyer Straight Talk: Determining Causes Of Shipboard Fires

Shipboard fires have an incredible potential for catastrophe. A fire at sea is considered by many Seaman to be the worst of all possible dangers. The heat from a shipboard fire can be deadly. Smoke from a fire poses a very serious hazard for merchant seafarers. Attempting to navigate through a maze of smoke-filled passageways within the ship can be a nightmare.

Shipboard fires are very dangerous. These fires can cause injury and death to the ship's crew and damage or sink a ship. A combination of three elements causes fire to take place: air, fuel and heat. Also known as the fire triangle.

Whenever a fire causes injury to Seaman it is important to determine the cause and origin of the fire in order to determine legal liability. A shipboard fire can be very complex. The origin and cause of the fire may not always be obvious or easy to determine. A seasoned Jones Act Lawyer can make all the difference. It is important for you to hire a Jones Act Attorney that can determine the cause and origin of the shipboard fire.

Here, we have outlined potential causes of shipboard fires:

Causes of Shipboard Class A (General) Fires:

* Lack of good house keeping
* Inadequate training
* Inadequate supervision
* Inadequate maintenance
* Not taking regular rounds of working premises
* Allowing entry to unauthorized personnel
* Lack of use of fire retardant, fire resistant materials used in construction of ships
* Not keeping working areas under lock & key, when not in use or manned

Causes of Shipboard Class B (Oil) Fires

* Improper storage of oil & petroleum products
* Improperly trained personnel
* Improperly maintained fuel handling systems
* Inadequate supervision
* Inadequate maintenance
* Smoking * Leakage in the fuel system
* Using naked lights
* Operating fuel systems without supervision

Causes of Shipboard Class C (Electrical) Fires:

* Improperly maintained electrical equipment
* No ensuring proper electrical insulation
* Improper bonding
* Naked wires
* Improperly trained personnel
* Inadequate maintenance
* Not using weather proof, explosion proof fittings where necessary
* Improperly trained personnel
* Inadequate supervision
* Not switching off electrical equipment when not in use (lights, fans, air conditioners etc.)
* Prolonged use or overloading of equipment

Causes of Class D (Chemical) Fires:

* Not understanding the characteristics of the chemicals
* Inadequate maintenance
* Not having proper standard operating procedures for the personnel handling chemicals
* Inadequate training
* Inadequate supervision

Conclusion

Shipboard fires are one of the greatest perils a mariner may face. If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a shipboard fire it is important to determine the cause of the fire in order to obtain fair compensation. This article is not legal advice. I am simplistic in order to achieve clarity. Always tell the truth when you are asking for money in a court case. Always. Be sure to hire an honest lawyer.


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Bill Turley is a California Jones Act Lawyer and Los Angeles Jones Act Lawyer. He has the most comprehensive California Jones Act Attorney website.