The Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have partnered in an effort to reduce slips, trips and falls aboard domestic passenger vessels.

A chartered working group will explore the root causes of these incidents with the goal of developing non-regulatory guidelines for industry use. Additionally, the group will analyze accident data to determine trends and define the economic and lost time impacts of these accidents. Future recommendations to mitigate slips, trips and falls will also assist in reducing insurance claims.

Because shoreside businesses experience similar challenges with slips, trips and falls, the working group will also study best practices from outside the maritime environment by examining research done by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for service industries such as hospitals and restaurants.

"We are proud of our industry's already excellent safety record and we are committed to finding new ways to continuously improve," said PVA President Dave Anderson. "Slips, trips and falls account for the majority of the reportable accidents on board domestic passenger vessels and this partnership will help us enhance safety for our passengers and crew."