There is a lot of talk of drowning prevention or how to retrieve someone from the water’. But do you know how to revive a drowning victim?

Statistics underscore the need for knowledge: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in one out of every five accidental drowning deaths, the victim is 14 years of age or younger. Among the preschool age group, drowning is the leading cause of death. Remember that children do not have to fall off a boat or into a pool to drown. Young children are especially susceptible to drowning in just a few inches of water.

It pays to be vigilant whenever children or teens are near water. Safety experts advise that adults should never take their eyes off a young child as drowning does not take long. For the same reason, make sure you are always within reach of very young tots whether you are at a children’s wading pool or larger body of water.

Dennis Jones, owner of a superyacht that helped save a shipyard, says the spending that goes with a lavish lifestyle can do as much good as charity.

OSHA’s Final Rule for Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training, which came into effect March 1, 1999, requires:

*  Operator training and licensing.
*  Periodic evaluations of operator performance.
*  Mandatory refresher training if an operator is observed operating in an unsafe way, is involved in an accident or near-accident, or is assigned to a new model.
*  Standards for operation, loading, seat belts, overhead protective structures, alarms, and maintenance of forklifts.

Accidents happen despite the efforts of OSHA and NIOSH to educate employers.

Sadly, industrial fatalities involving forklifts continue. In the fall of 2013, a worker at the Blue Pelican Marina near Tampa Bay, Florida lost both legs when a forklift rolled over on him. The driver and his son were using a 20,000-pound forklift for an installation when the machine began to tip, and the driver was said to have jumped. The vehicle rolled, pinned the man to a fence, and severed his legs.

Witnesses and investigators say that the accident may have been preventable. Proper forklift training dictates that it is unsafe to leap from a tipping vehicle. The driver should have remained seated and braced himself since the majority of traumatic and fatal incidents involve crushing when a machine tips. Furthermore, evidence shows the machine was being driven parallel to the dock’s slope. It is never advisable to drive a forklift across an incline.

One challenge seen for marina and boat manufacturers is with fork lift operators having inadequate training. Often on the job training results in the sharing of unsafe practices and inadequate safety measures. The results can be catastrophic when operators make a mistake while stacking boats on racks sometimes several stories high.

Most people see the value in having drivers tested before they are allowed to operate cars or trucks. As specialists who offer marina and boat manufacturer insurance, we like to caution owners and managers to invest in forklift training for staff who work with or near them.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), nearly 100 workers are killed annually in forklift accidents. Another 20,000 are seriously injured each year. Those of us in the marina insurance industry know how often marina workers and boat manufacturers use forklifts to move materials or boats.

In one quarter of fatal accidents, an overturning device was considered the cause of death. The next most common causes of fatalities include hitting a nearby worker on foot, a worker being crushed, or a worker falling from a forklift.

Both the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH recommend that any employees at a plant, marina, boat manufacturer, or elsewhere complete operator training and licensing before working with any form of powered industrial truck or forklift.

* Make sure you have enough life jackets for everyone on board. Keep the conversation bright and point out all the efficient and smart storage areas for adequate personal flotation devices as you hand one to each person on board. You can sell safety as you demonstrate the amenities of the vessel!

* Ensure that children wear life jackets and that they are the correct size.

*  If someone wants to test drive a powerboat for watersports, put safety first. Again, the right tone will show your dealership is serious about client protection. If someone is going to be towed behind the boat, ensure you understand their skill level so that the excursion doesn’t put them at risk by pushing them beyond their ability. Also, have a spotter and require that the skier sign a waiver before leaving the dock. We have waivers available for clients.

* Ensure that all passengers are in a safe place for the boat to be under power. This will vary with the size and style of the vessel you are taking out. You never want to have passengers in a dangerous position that could easily result in a man overboard.

* Don’t take unnecessary risks. If anyone scoffs at following boating safety rules, just calmly say with a big smile that your dealership takes safety seriously and this is strict company policy.

A recent Traverse City case involving the marina electrocution drowning of a teenage boy underscores how seriously things can go wrong if standards are lax.

In August of 2011, Michigan teenager Michael Knudsen and his friends decided to jump into West Grand Traverse Bay – despite the no swimming signs posted inside the marina breakwall.

It was a decision made in a moment of crazy youthful impulsiveness that had devastating consequences. When Knudsen jumped from the end of F-Dock into the water, he was shocked by electricity and killed. The tragedy reached the entire community.

According to the court proceedings for the $50-million lawsuit filed by the teenager’s estate against Traverse City and other defendants, Knudsen’s final moments were agonizing. As horrified friends watched, he struggled to pull himself out of the water and away from the electric shock onto the dock platform. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.

During the trial, the issue of blame put the spotlight on various parties involved: the boys for ignoring the no swimming sign, the city for allegedly not ensuring electrical standards for electrical maintenance were met, and those behind the marina renovation whose design and construction allegedly caused the water to become electrified.

The investigation into liability for the fatal accident has raised some frightening details. It seems the designer for the electric system recommended fiberglass junction boxes for installation, but metal boxes (that conduct electricity) were used instead.

Another concern, contested by the city, alleges that officials failed to ensure proper maintenance for F-Dock and did not perform proper annual inspections of the electrical system. Additionally, they were accused of not enforcing the no swimming policy consistently.

You don’t have to be a marine insurance specialist to know that a multi-million dollar judgment could financially ruin a city or company. Recently, the Michigan Court of Appeals absolved Harbor Master Barry Smith of responsibility in Knudsen’s death. This decision removes the city from liability, but questions about such a senseless death remain.

The Canadian government says that the home of the Caravan Stage Company, a ship called the Amara Zee that travels from town to town, can no longer be classified as a pleasure craft.

Since its launch in 1997, the Amara Zee has been designated a pleasure ship, which allowed for less-stringent regulations. But recently, the Canadian authorities notified the troupe that the vessel could no longer be classified as a pleasure craft. Mr. Kirby said the change would result in expenses the company cannot afford, including hiring a crew of professional mariners, meeting stricter and costlier regulations, and restricting travel routes.

Greenwich, Connecticut:  A 16-year-old girl was killed and another was seriously injured in a boating accident in the afternoon on Long Island Sound, the police said.

The accident occurred after 2 p.m. near Greenwich Point Park, when the girls, who were riding in an inner tube being pulled by a boat that two friends were in, somehow became entangled in its propeller, stated Lt. Kraig Gray, a spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department.

It appeared that the two girls fell out of the inner tube and into the water before the accident, said Ian Macmillan, the harbor master for the town of Greenwich. The propeller struck them when the boat circled back to pick them up, he said.

Many people enjoy taking their family dogs with them while boating, and why not they are like family. That is why we need to think about our pet safety just as much as our own while on board a boat.  The truth is that not all dogs can swim, and not all dogs that can swim are great swimmers. And while there are no regulations regarding life jackets for pets, a life jacket can help keep your pet safe while aboard your boat or around any body of water.

It is important to Turn off your engine when there are people in the water, especially when they’re using the rear swimming deck of your boat. Teak surfing, or holding onto the back deck of a boat while it is moving, can expose people in the water to dangerous and even fatal levels of carbon monoxide.  A swimmer exposed to carbon monoxide from your engine could pass out and drown before anyone notices.

It is sad that people still need to be reminded that drinking and boating do not mix. Yet sadly still more than half of boating-related deaths involve the use of alcohol or drugs.

The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a Boating Under the Influence (BUI) study and the results showed that a boat operator is likely to become impaired more quickly than a car driver, drink for drink. A BUI conviction can result in a fine, imprisonment, or both. In addition, some states will revoke your driver’s license if you are apprehended for boating while intoxicated. Never operate or ride a watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

It is important to make sure that bouth you and your passengers must wear life jackets. Accordeint to the U.S. Coast Guard it was reported in 2011 that drowning accounts for 70 percent of all boating fatalities; and in those cases, 84 percent of victims were not wearing a life jacket. There is not reason not to wear you life jackets while out on the water. New lighter, more comfortable and yes even more attractive life jackets are available today, making it even easier to get passengers to suit up.

Thinking ahead and Being prepared is always important when boating. Here are just a few tips to keep in mind.

* Make sure your gas tanks are vented and bilges are free of vapors, oil, waste and grease.
* Carry a fire extinguisher and keep it charged, and make sure maintain maintenance on it
* Have your boat’s operating systems checked at least once a year by a certified marine technician.
* Get a vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or United States Power Squadrons.

89 percent of reported fatalities in 2011 happened on boats where the driver had not received boating safety training, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Make sure anyone who drives your boat is properly trained. Most insurance plans will provide you a discount when you have proof of completing a safety course with the Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons.