Safety Tips and Devices to Prevent Propeller Strike Accidents

Proper boat operation and management is crucial in maintaining safety of everyone – passengers and operators alike. As it is, a boat is not something that should be taken with little consideration. Otherwise, a boating and/or drowning accident may follow. It is then where Los Angeles injury attorneys specializing in drowning accidents come in.

Meanwhile, despite the minimal statistics indicating the extent and frequency of propeller strike-related accident made available to the public, people should not belittle its capacity to injure. In fact, a man was reported to be seriously injured while he was tubing. Apparently, his leg was struck by the propeller of the boat that was pulling him.

Propeller facts

·         A recreational propeller can travel from head to toe on an average person in less than one tenth per second.

·         A three-blade propeller that runs at 3,200 rpm can wreak 160 impacts per second.

Safety tips

Here are some safety precautions that you need to remember:

·         Check in the water to make sure that no one is near the propeller before starting the engine.

·         Do not allow passengers to board or exit the boat from the water when the engine is running. The propeller may continue to spin even in neutral or idle mode.

·         Tell passengers about the danger of propellers.

·         Take extra precaution when operating in congested parts and do not enter swimming areas.

·         Observe prudence near boats that are pulling tubers or skiers.

·         Keep an eye on children while onboard.

·         Do not allow passengers to ride on the transom, bow, seat backs, gunwale, or other places where they may fall overboard.

·         Educate passengers on the rules for swim platform use, boarding ladders, and seating.

·         Stop if someone falls overboard. Afterwards, slowly turn the board around and keep the person within your sight as you come near. Ask someone (can be a passenger) to closely monitor the person in water. Turn off the engine and then bring the person to safety.

·         Do not reverse your boat to get someone out of the water. Go around again, if possible.

Safety Devices

Meanwhile, the following are the safety devices intended to aid in propeller strikes prevention:

·         Propeller guards

·         Ringed propellers

·         Sensors

·         Anti-feedback steering

·         Wireless cut off switches

·         Interlocks

The abovementioned safety tips and tools are specifically designed for the security of passengers as well as boat operators. It is important to follow the regulations and install such devices so that chances of being involved in a propeller strike accident will be lessened.