The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Maersk Line to pay more than $700,000 to a former employee who was illegally fired after reporting safety concerns to the US Coast Guard (USCG) after a federal whistleblower investigation.
The marine cargo giant suspended and terminated the seaman for reporting safety issues to the Coast Guard without going to the company first, an action which OSHA found violated the Seaman’s Protection Act which allows workers to report concerns directly to the USCG without following any company policy about reporting to the business first.
Eric S. Harbin, an OSHA Regional Administrator in Dallas, said: “Federal law protects a seaman’s right to report safety concerns to federal regulatory agencies, a fact every maritime industry employer and vessel owner must know.
“Failure to recognise these rights can instil a culture of intimidation that could lead to disastrous or deadly consequences. The order underscores our commitment to enforcing whistleblower rights that protect seamen.”
The seaman, who must now be offered a similar role by Maersk, first reported the issues concerning the vessel Safmarine Mafadi, now known as the Maersk Tennessee, in December 2020. He was subsequently suspended, then fired in March 2021.
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