Occupational Safety Training Materials for Working on Waterways

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The materials for the occupational safety training course for working on waterways help workers equip themselves with safety knowledge and prevent hazards when working on rivers and seas, minimizing cases of drowning accidents and incidents on the water.

A. CAUSES OF WATERWAY ACCIDENTS

1. In places where workers are near waterways, many construction sites and enterprises have not paid adequate attention to water conditions when developing work procedures to implement necessary safety measures. Some places, although they have developed complete safe work procedures, have failed to enforce them due to a lack of inspection and supervision. During floods, many places often mobilize officials and workers to fight the flood in a rush, lacking a plan for safe work on the water, lacking necessary protective equipment, and lacking measures for rescue when someone is swept away by floodwaters.
2. In many places, there has been a failure to procure sufficient equipment for safe work on waterways. Temporary bridges over rivers and streams are built carelessly, and there are no sturdy boats or rafts for workers to cross rivers for work; there are no lifebuoys and ropes for workers to use when they are forced to wade through places with strong currents.
3. Assigning people who cannot swim to work on waterways.
4. On the part of the workers, not strictly complying with work procedures and not using available protective equipment (such as ropes, lifebuoys, etc.) is also one of the main causes of the aforementioned fatal accidents.

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B. SAFETY ASSURANCE MEASURES

This type of accident has occurred frequently in the following industries: Forestry, Fisheries, Water Resources, Architecture, and Transportation, which are industries where workers and officials often have to work on waterways or frequently cross rivers, streams, and creeks…

Among the drowning victims, besides state officials and employees, there are also civilian laborers and forest workers. Some died because they could not swim after falling into the water, while many others, although they could swim, were not wearing safety buoys when encountering strong currents, had no sturdy lifeline for support, and were not rescued in time during the emergency, ultimately drowning from exhaustion.

To create safe working conditions for workers on waterways and to prevent fatal drowning accidents, the Ministry of Labour stipulates the following urgent measures:

1. Production management sectors, construction sites, and enterprises that employ workers and officials who regularly work on or cross waterways must, based on all potential water-related risks to their workers, research and develop work procedures that ensure occupational safety, and persistently educate, inspect, and urge everyone in the unit to correctly implement these procedures. Workers and officials must not be assigned dangerous tasks on waterways without a thorough plan to ensure occupational safety.
2. Sufficient and timely provision of necessary work equipment and protective gear such as boats, rafts, ropes, lifebuoys, etc., must be made to workers and officials performing the aforementioned tasks, and these items must be periodically inspected to ensure they are always in good condition.
3. People who cannot swim must not be assigned to regular work on waterways such as building rafts, tending sea and river lights, operating boats, pulling ferries, etc. For those currently performing these jobs but who cannot swim, construction sites and enterprises must have a plan to train them to swim within a short period, no later than one month after receiving this circular.
4. If it is necessary to recruit new people for the aforementioned jobs, it is essential to recruit those who can already swim.
5. Before the flood season begins, construction sites and enterprises with workers near waterways must, based on their unit’s working conditions, develop a thorough plan to prevent drowning accidents, prepare sufficient equipment, and carefully check the quality of work equipment and necessary protective gear for workers on waterways.
6. To be ready to rescue those who fall into the water or are swept away by strong currents while working, the aforementioned construction sites and enterprises need to have rescue teams. Members of the rescue team must be proficient swimmers from among the workers regularly present at the workplace. They should not be detached from production but must be fully equipped with the necessary means to save a drowning person and be trained to fully perform this duty (knowing how to rescue a drowning person and how to provide first aid to a person rescued from the water).
7. To quickly achieve the requirement that everyone working on waterways must be able to swim, the administrative committees of provinces, cities, and regions should instruct local physical education and sports departments to widely promote the practical benefits of swimming for production tasks, encourage everyone to practice, and especially pay attention to properly training and issuing swimming certificates to those who regularly work on waterways.
8. In addition, construction sites and enterprises are responsible for studying measures to prevent drowning accidents in daily life, such as placing warning signs in areas with deep water, whirlpools, or strong currents to remind people to be careful when bathing or washing, and arranging workers’ housing on high ground so that when floods occur, rising water does not pose a danger, etc.

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C. CONTENT

1. Regulations for Workers in the Waterway Safety Document

• Must have sufficient health to work on waterways.
• Comply with occupational safety regulations.
• Refuse to work if not provided with personal protective equipment or if safety is not guaranteed.
• Must use safety equipment and tools when working.
• Must participate in rescuing accident victims.

2. Personal Protective Equipment for Workers in the Waterway Safety Document

• Personal Protective Equipment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• How to use a life jacket in the waterway safety document
  • A life jacket is made from waterproof fabric, lined with foam panels to provide buoyancy.
  • Around the body of the jacket are straps with buckles at the ends. The straps are to secure the jacket tightly around the body when worn.
  • Some types of jackets have additional thigh straps at the bottom. Life jackets are also equipped with a whistle and an emergency flashing light.
  • The steps to put on a life jacket are as follows:
    • Use your thumb and index finger to press firmly on the middle of the buckle at the chest to open it.

• • • Loosen the thigh straps.

• • • Adjust the buckles on both sides by pulling the excess strap at the end of the buckle forward or

• • • Put it on.

• • • Use both hands to press the buckle ends together.

• • • Loop the two straps through the thighs and fasten the buckles. Adjust the straps to fit the thighs. Do this for both thighs.
    • Use the whistle to call for help.

3. On-site First Aid for Drowning Victims in the Waterway Safety Document

1. Bringing the victim to shore in the waterway safety document
   • Shout loudly when you see someone fall into the water to get help from others.
   • Bringing the victim to shore with a support object is the best way if the rescuer is not a strong swimmer.
     • Throw a rope to pull the victim to shore.

• • • Pull the victim with a tree branch.

• • • Throw a lifebuoy to the victim.

• • • Bring the victim onto a boat.

• • • Form a human chain to pull the victim to shore. The person at the head of the chain should hold on tightly to a tree root on the bank.

• • Swim and tow the victim to shore; only do this if the rescuer is a strong swimmer and in good health.

• • • Underarm carry
      • The victim is on their back, the rescuer swims on one side, one hand holding the victim’s other armpit, the other hand swimming towards the shore.
      • The victim must still be conscious and able to assist the rescuer by paddling with their hands.

• • • Chin lift
      • Lift the chin to tilt the victim’s face completely up, with the nose above the water.
      • The rescuer can use their other hand to swim to shore.
      • Applicable for victims who are slightly large or overweight.

• • • Forehead hair carry
      • From behind, the rescuer uses their hand to grasp a lock of hair at the top of the forehead, pulling the victim’s head back.

• • • Collar tow
      • Grasp the collar, if the victim is still fully clothed.

• • • Head carry
      • The rescuer uses both hands to lift the unconscious victim’s head above the water, swims on their back using their legs, and pulls them to shore.
    • Body carry
      • The victim is small and unconscious.
      • The rescuer uses their chest to support the head, both hands under the armpits to let the victim lie in a comfortable extended position, and swims with

1. Artificial Respiration (Rescue Breathing) in the Waterway Safety Document
   • Drowning is a condition where water enters the lungs, causing organs to be deprived of oxygen and the body’s vital functions to cease. Therefore, urgent, persistent, and on-the-spot treatment is needed to clear the airway.
   • If the victim is still breathing and their heart is still beating, place them with their head low to allow water to drain out. Wrap a soft cloth around your finger and clear phlegm and mucus from the victim’s mouth. Change their clothes, keep them warm, and rub them to generate heat. Then, give them hot, sweet tea to drink.
   • If the heart is still beating but breathing has stopped, turn the victim upside down (carry them on your shoulder, head down) to allow water to drain from the respiratory tract.

• • Do not try to force all the water out of the victim’s lungs by performing water expulsion for too long (more than 4 minutes).
  • Clear all phlegm, mucus, and foreign objects from the victim’s mouth and begin rescue breathing for the victim.
  • The rescuer kneels beside the victim, level with their shoulder, with the victim lying on their back.
  • Tilt the victim’s head back so the tongue does not block the airway.

• • One hand opens the mouth, the other hand’s finger, wrapped in a clean cloth, checks the victim’s throat, wipes away phlegm and mucus, removes foreign objects…
  • The person giving rescue breaths keeps the victim’s mouth open with one hand, while the other hand tilts the victim’s head down.
  • Take a deep breath, then seal your mouth over the victim’s mouth and blow forcefully.

1. • When the victim’s chest rises, the person giving breaths stops blowing, lifts their head to take a second breath.
   • At that point, the victim will naturally exhale due to the elasticity of the chest.
   • Continue at a rate of 14 times/minute until the victim revives, starts breathing again, and their lips and cheeks turn pink, or until the victim shows signs of being definitively dead (pupils dilated, usually 1-2 hours later) and a doctor or nurse has confirmed it.
2. Rescue Breathing Combined with Chest Compressions
   • If the victim is unconscious, not moving, blue, has stopped breathing, and no heartbeat can be heard, immediately begin chest compressions combined with rescue breathing.

• • One person performs rescue breathing as described above.
  • One person performs chest compressions.
  • The rescuer’s hands are placed one on top of the other, on the lower third of the victim’s sternum.

1. • Press down firmly with the weight of your body on the sternum (do not press on the ribs to avoid breaking them).
   • After every 4-5 chest compressions, give one rescue breath, which means about 50-60 compressions/minute.
   • Rescue breathing combined with chest compressions is the most effective method, but if the victim has a spinal injury, do not perform chest compressions.
2. Artificial Respiration
   • Method 1:
     • Place the victim face down on a hard, flat surface, head turned to one side and chin resting on their two hands placed one on top of the other.

• • • Pull the victim’s tongue out to clear the airway.
    • The rescuer kneels at the victim’s head, places both hands on the victim’s back, thumbs touching, hands below the chest line (the line running between the victim’s armpits), with arms straight.

• • • Lean forward, applying pressure to the victim’s back.
    • Release slowly over 2-3 seconds.
    • Lean back, sliding your hands up the victim’s arms.

• • • Grasp the victim’s arms above the elbows and pull them towards you (hold for about 2-3 seconds).

• • • Place the victim’s hands back on the ground. Repeat the cycle 12 times/minute.

• • Method 2
    • Place the victim face down, one hand under their head, the other arm straight, face turned towards the straight arm.

• • • Clear phlegm and mucus from the victim’s mouth and pull the tongue out if it has fallen back.
    • The rescuer kneels with their knees on either side of the victim’s hips, both hands placed on the sides of the ribs, thumbs close to the victim’s spine.
    • Press down with your hands, leaning your whole body forward, count to 3, then slowly straighten up, keeping your hands on the victim’s back, count to 3, then press down again to repeat the action.
    • Perform this evenly 12 times/minute in time with the rescuer’s breathing until the victim starts breathing or a doctor or nurse advises otherwise.
  • Method 3
    • Place the victim on their back, with their body slightly arched by placing a pillow or rolled-up clothes underneath, and their head slightly tilted back.
    • One person uses a clean cloth to pull the victim’s tongue out and hold it in place.
    • The rescuer kneels in front, about 20-30cm from the victim’s head, and holds both of the victim’s arms near the elbows.

• • • Slowly bring the victim’s arms up above their head, after 2-3 seconds, gently bring the victim’s arms down, bend them, and use the rescuer’s strength to press the victim’s elbows against their chest, then after 2-3 seconds, bring them back up above the head.
    • Perform this 16-18 times/minute in time with a steady count to 3 for inhalation and exhalation until the victim starts breathing or a doctor or nurse advises otherwise.

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D. FURTHER REFERENCE

1. Group 3 Safety Training and Certification Services

2. Group 3 Occupational Safety Test

• Group 3 Occupational Safety Quiz

3. Price List for Occupational Safety Training Services

• View details

4. Download the document

• Download the occupational safety training document for working on waterways