Marine terminals are busy industrial worksites where cargo operations, vehicle traffic, chassis maintenance, container movement, and equipment repairs often happen in close proximity. Workers may be exposed to moving trucks, container-handling equipment, suspended loads, pressurized brake systems, jacked equipment, unstable wheels, and other hazards that can cause severe injury or death.
OSHA’s Five Ways to Stay Safe When Working on Chassis in Marine Terminals identifies several core safety measures for workers performing chassis work in terminal environments. OSHA warns workers to be aware of vehicle traffic patterns and conduct work in a protected area, disconnect and secure chassis from semi-tractors before maintenance or repairs, avoid positioning themselves under jacked vehicles or equipment, follow procedures for bleeding pressure from charged brake cylinders before work or removal, and service rim wheels according to applicable OSHA requirements.
Those recommendations reflect the reality of marine terminal work. Chassis maintenance may look routine, but it often occurs in areas where heavy trucks, yard tractors, forklifts, top handlers, reach stackers, and other equipment are moving nearby. A worker focused on a repair task can be seriously injured if the chassis moves unexpectedly, if another vehicle enters the work area, if equipment falls, if a pressurized brake component releases energy, or if wheel service is performed unsafely.
Vehicle traffic patterns must be controlled
OSHA’s first warning is direct: workers should be aware of vehicle traffic patterns and conduct work in a protected area. That is especially important in marine terminals because traffic patterns can shift throughout the day. Container moves, gate activity, ship operations, yard congestion, weather, and operational delays can change where trucks and equipment travel.
A worker repairing or inspecting a chassis should not be exposed to uncontrolled vehicle movement. The work area should be protected with barriers, cones, designated repair zones, spotters, lighting, signage, traffic controls, and clear communication with operators. A worker kneeling near a chassis, inspecting a brake cylinder, or working near tires may not be able to move quickly if a truck, yard tractor, or container-handling machine enters the area.
Marine terminals also create overlapping hazards. A chassis may be located near container stacks, travel lanes, vessel operations, or cargo staging areas. The danger is not only being struck by a vehicle. Workers may also be injured by shifting cargo, moving equipment, falling objects, or poor visibility.
The risk of poorly lit areas should be considered when chassis work occurs early in the morning, at night, during storms, or inside shaded terminal areas. Poor lighting can make it harder for equipment operators to see workers and harder for workers to recognize approaching hazards.
Chassis should be disconnected and secured before repairs
OSHA’s second recommendation is to disconnect and secure chassis from semi-tractors before performing maintenance or repairs. This step is critical because a chassis attached to a tractor can move unexpectedly if the tractor is started, shifted, pulled, backed, or otherwise operated.
A worker performing chassis maintenance may be positioned near tires, under frame components, close to brake systems, or between pieces of equipment. If the chassis moves, the worker can be pinned, struck, dragged, or crushed. These incidents can cause catastrophic trauma.
Crushing injuries are a serious risk when workers are caught between chassis components, tractors, containers, barriers, or other equipment. The weight of terminal equipment leaves little margin for error. Even a short, unintended movement can cause severe harm.
Disconnecting the chassis is only part of the safety process. The chassis must also be secured. That may require chocking wheels, using landing gear properly, confirming the surface is stable, controlling energy sources, and making sure no operator can move the equipment while maintenance is underway. Communication between drivers, mechanics, supervisors, and terminal personnel must be clear.
A repair job should not begin until the worker knows the chassis is stable, isolated, and protected from movement.
Workers should not position themselves under jacked equipment
OSHA specifically warns workers never to position themselves under a jacked vehicle or equipment. A jack is not a substitute for stable blocking, cribbing, stands, or other proper support. If a jack slips, fails, sinks, shifts, or is struck, the equipment can fall without warning.
This hazard is especially serious in marine terminals because surfaces may be uneven, busy, or exposed to vibration from passing equipment. A worker under a raised chassis may have no time to escape if the support fails. The result can be fatal crush trauma, spinal trauma, or internal injuries.
The broader issue is control of stored energy and equipment stability. Before a worker places any part of their body under or near raised equipment, the equipment must be properly supported and secured. The employer should have clear procedures for lifting, blocking, inspecting supports, and keeping other equipment away from the work area.
Unsafe work positioning is often a sign of poor planning. If a repair cannot be performed safely without placing a worker under unsupported or inadequately supported equipment, the job should be stopped and re-planned.
These hazards may also overlap with defective equipment. A failed jack, defective stand, worn landing gear, damaged suspension component, or malfunctioning brake system can turn routine maintenance into a serious incident. Equipment used to support or service a chassis should be inspected and appropriate for the load.
Pressurized brake cylinders can release dangerous energy
OSHA also warns workers to follow safety procedures for bleeding pressure from charged brake cylinders before performing work or removing them. Brake systems can store significant energy. If a worker removes or services a charged component without properly releasing pressure, parts can move violently, release air, strike the worker, or cause the system to behave unpredictably.
A pressurized brake component may not look dangerous from the outside. The hazard is hidden until the worker loosens, removes, or adjusts the component. That is why procedures matter. Workers must know how to identify charged cylinders, release pressure safely, verify the system is de-energized, and avoid placing themselves in the line of fire.
Terminal employers and maintenance contractors should train workers on the specific brake systems they service. Workers should not be expected to guess whether a component is pressurized or safe to remove. Procedures should be written, enforced, and supervised.
When a brake component failure injures a worker, the investigation should examine training, maintenance instructions, lockout or energy-control procedures, supervision, and whether the employer had previously identified the hazard. The investigation should also determine whether the component was defective, improperly maintained, or previously reported as unsafe.
Rim wheel service requires specific safety procedures
OSHA’s fifth recommendation addresses single-piece and multi-piece rim wheels. OSHA directs workers to service these wheels according to 29 C.F.R. 1910.177 and 1917.44. This matters because wheel and tire service can be extremely dangerous when rims, locking rings, tires, or pressurized components fail.
Multi-piece rim wheels can release explosive force if they are improperly assembled, damaged, overinflated, mismatched, or serviced without proper equipment. A worker standing in the danger zone may be struck by rim components or other parts. Even single-piece rim wheels can fail violently if procedures are not followed.
Safe rim wheel service requires training, inflation restraints or barriers when required, inspection of components, use of proper tools, attention to manufacturer instructions, and removal of damaged or mismatched parts from service. Workers should not inflate or service wheel assemblies without knowing the hazards and required procedures.
Because chassis are repeatedly used, moved, loaded, unloaded, and exposed to terminal conditions, tire and wheel issues should not be treated casually. A wheel assembly that appears routine may still contain stored energy capable of causing severe injury.
Cargo operations can create overlapping hazards
Chassis maintenance in a marine terminal rarely occurs in isolation. It often happens near cargo operations, container movement, truck traffic, and vessel activity. A worker may be exposed to hazards created by the chassis, the terminal, the vessel, and nearby cargo-handling equipment at the same time.
Cargo operations can create risks involving poorly secured cargo, moving containers, shifting loads, suspended cargo, and equipment congestion. If cargo shifts, falls, or is moved through an active maintenance area, workers can be struck or crushed.
Workers may also face falls from height when working from chassis, platforms, trailers, vessel areas, or elevated terminal equipment. Even a fall from a relatively modest height can cause significant injury if the worker lands on pavement, equipment, or cargo components.
A slip and fall risk may also exist when terminals have oil, grease, water, debris, uneven pavement, damaged walking surfaces, or poor housekeeping. Workers moving around chassis and equipment need safe walking paths, especially when carrying tools or inspecting components.
Terminal operators should coordinate maintenance work so that repair areas are separated from active cargo movement. If that separation is not possible, additional controls should be used to protect workers.
Vessel-related duties may matter during cargo work
Some marine terminal injuries occur during cargo operations involving a vessel. In those cases, the legal analysis may involve the conduct of the vessel owner, charterer, or other vessel-related parties, not just the longshore employer or terminal operator.
The turnover duty generally concerns the condition of the vessel and its equipment when cargo operations begin. If longshore workers are exposed to unsafe vessel conditions before work starts, that duty may be important.
The active control duty can matter when the vessel owner or crew retains active control over an area, equipment, or operation and workers are injured because that controlled condition is unsafe. In active cargo operations, the question of who controlled the hazard can be central.
The duty to intervene may arise when a vessel owner knows of a dangerous condition during cargo work and also knows the longshore operation is continuing despite that danger. These duties are fact-specific and must be evaluated based on who controlled the area, what was known, and how the work was being performed.
Although chassis maintenance may often occur in the terminal rather than aboard the vessel, cargo operations are interconnected. A serious injury investigation should determine whether the hazard was terminal-based, vessel-based, employer-created, contractor-created, or caused by overlapping responsibilities.
Open hatches, poor lighting, and access hazards
Longshore and cargo workers may also be exposed to vessel access hazards while moving between terminal areas, vessel areas, and cargo-handling locations. An open hatch can create a deadly fall hazard if it is not guarded, covered, marked, or otherwise controlled.
Poor lighting can make these hazards worse. Terminal and vessel areas must be adequately illuminated so workers can see walking surfaces, equipment, openings, moving vehicles, and cargo. Poor lighting can affect both worker safety and equipment-operator visibility.
These issues should be part of any investigation involving a longshore worker injured during cargo or terminal operations. The condition of the work area, lighting, access route, and hazard warnings may all matter.
Fires, explosions, and confined spaces in terminal work
Marine terminals and vessels may also present hazards involving fuel, flammable materials, cargo residues, electrical equipment, hot work, and confined spaces. Although OSHA’s chassis fact sheet focuses on chassis safety, terminal work often involves broader hazards that must be controlled.
A confined space accident can occur when workers enter tanks, holds, containers, pits, or other spaces with limited entry, poor ventilation, toxic atmospheres, or oxygen deficiency. Workers should not enter these spaces unless hazards are identified, testing is performed, and rescue procedures are in place.
Fires and explosions aboard a vessel may occur when flammable vapors, fuel, cargo residues, electrical faults, or hot work hazards are not controlled. Longshore workers may be harmed even if they did not create the condition.
Workers may also face the risk of falling overboard when working near vessel edges, gangways, docks, barges, or open water. Terminal operations should include proper guarding, lighting, access control, rescue equipment, and safe walking routes.
Common injuries from chassis and cargo operation accidents
The common injuries in longshore and terminal accidents can be severe. Workers may suffer fractures, crush trauma, spinal injuries, head injuries, amputations, burns, respiratory injuries, or internal trauma.
Chassis accidents can cause particular harm because of the weight and stored energy involved. A worker can be crushed by a moving chassis, struck by a component, pinned beneath equipment, injured by a brake cylinder, or struck by rim wheel parts. These events may happen suddenly and leave little opportunity to escape.
Some workers suffer long-term illnesses from hazardous materials, cargo residues, fumes, dust, or chemical exposures encountered in terminal and vessel operations. These illnesses may not be immediately obvious, which makes documentation and medical evaluation important.
When injuries are serious, the worker may need emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, pain management, occupational therapy, and long-term care. The financial impact can be significant for the worker and family.
Evidence that should be preserved after a terminal injury
Important evidence should be preserved quickly after a chassis or terminal injury. This may include photographs, video, maintenance records, inspection documents, repair procedures, work orders, traffic-control plans, training records, equipment manuals, witness statements, and incident reports.
An accident report may document basic facts, but it may not fully explain why the incident happened or who was responsible. A deeper investigation may be needed to determine whether equipment was secured, whether the work area was protected, whether traffic controls were used, and whether procedures were followed.
Surveillance footage can be especially important in marine terminals because many areas are monitored by cameras. Video may show traffic patterns, equipment movement, the worker’s position, warning devices, lighting, and the incident itself.
A preservation letter can help prevent the loss of electronic data, video, maintenance records, equipment, and communications. This is important because terminal operations often continue quickly after an incident, and equipment may be repaired, moved, returned to service, or discarded.
An expert witness may be needed to evaluate terminal safety, chassis maintenance, traffic control, equipment condition, OSHA compliance, vessel duties, and the cause of the injury.
Legal rights after a longshore or cargo operations injury
Longshore and terminal workers may have rights under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, depending on where they were working and the nature of their employment. The Act can provide benefits to covered maritime workers who are injured on navigable waters or adjoining areas used in maritime activity.
In some cases, an injured worker may also have third party claims against companies other than the direct employer. These claims may involve a vessel owner, terminal operator, equipment manufacturer, maintenance contractor, trucking company, or another party whose negligence contributed to the injury.
905(b) Claims may be available when a longshore worker is injured because of vessel negligence. Whether a 905(b) claim exists depends on the facts, including where the injury occurred, what equipment or area was involved, who controlled the hazard, and what the vessel owner knew or should have known.
The distinction between Jones Act vs. LHWCA can also matter. Seamen may have Jones Act rights, while longshore and harbor workers may be covered by the LHWCA. Determining the correct legal framework requires careful review of the worker’s duties, assignment, employer, vessel connection, and location of the injury.
A legal claim requires proof of causation. The evidence must connect the unsafe equipment, inadequate traffic control, failure to secure the chassis, defective component, vessel hazard, or negligent conduct to the worker’s injury. The impact of shipowner negligence can be significant when unsafe vessel conditions contribute to a longshore worker’s harm.
Speak With a Longshore Injury Attorney
Spagnoletti Law Firm represents workers and families affected by serious longshore, cargo, and marine terminal accidents. Our personal injury attorneys work with qualified experts to investigate chassis maintenance injuries, vehicle traffic hazards, defective equipment, poorly secured cargo, vessel duties, terminal safety failures, OSHA issues, and the evidence needed to determine what happened.
We offer a free consultation, and we handle longshore and cargo operation injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront attorney’s fees and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by a longshore or cargo operations accident, call Spagnoletti Law Firm at 713-804-9306 or contact us online.