CAMM Views 06-03: Physical Guidelines for Merchant Mariners

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06-03

Physical Guidelines for Merchant Mariners
Changes to USCG NVIC 2-98

Opposed

The United States Coast Guard has issued a Task Statement to once again review Coast Guard NVIC 2-98 which outlines the physical evaluation guidelines for Merchant Mariners with the likely intent to toughen up the already tight standards now in place.

The impetus for this latest sortie into Master Mariners personal medical lives arises on the heels of the high profile Staten Island Ferry incident. As in the case of the Exxon Valdez aftermath, headlines and mass media perception are traditionally key motivators for USCG reviews. Unfortunately, rather than taking honest stock of the overall impeccable safety record our profession enjoys in all areas (particularly in the case of medically induced incidents) this one headline-grabber will now serve to sweep those achievements from the USCGs collective memory and allow the Inquisition to begin anew.

The fact of the matter is that the Staten Island Ferry incident was a) a tragedy and, b) very rare. To avoid a repeat scenario, let us ask these questions:

Does an incident such as this warrant a wholesale review of every single Masters health history where, if the USCG prevails, many mariners may no longer be able to pursue their careers as qualifications are likely once again cranked up?
Does this one incident dictate that we should now go overboard in physical requirement demands to shield any potentially negative media repercussions against the USCG when the next incident occurs?
Moreover, does this review, or its anticipated legislation, hope to reduce in a statistically significant value the probability of a repeat occurrence?

The answer to these questions is an obvious no, so, why are we again on the examination table? Is it plausible that the main reason could be to draw attention from the inexorable truth? -the actual cause for the ferry disaster which the USCG and the ship-owners lobbyists should be facing?

The Staten Island Ferry incident was the result of a bridge being manned by a single person. It is The Councils view that any attempt to beef-up medical standards to justify the safety of a one-man bridge is what should concern our membership and what should motivate each and every Master to make the calls and write the letters so that you can be heard by your elected representative in Washington. The problem is not physical standards but manning standards.

CAMM voices strong opposition to changes in USCGs NVIC 2-98.

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