Whether indoors in machinery and engine spaces or outdoors in tropical or desert climates, seafarers should be aware of the risks of working in extreme heat. Heat-related illnesses can occur both at work and at home. People have a natural tendency to over-exert themselves to the limit to "get the job done", but this should not be at the risk of a heat-related illness.

Heat Related Illnesses: Loss Prevention and Awareness

Podcasts (links navigate away from American Club website):

Hot! Part 1: Heat-Related Illness Awareness & Prevention

Hot! Part 2: Heatstroke

Mental health, while often overlooked, is an important aspect of the wellbeing of crew on board a ship. Accidents or incidents resulting from a seafarer's mental breakdown will have significant consequences for the company and ship's crew. In the seagoing community, an understanding of, and engagement with, matters of mental health is vital. In addition to the adverse personal health impacts on crews, there are also financial implications for shipowners in a failure to maintain wellbeing on board ship.

It is of vital importance that seafarers have access to mental health assistance and resources if and as may be needed. The Club maintains an up to date list of these resources available to seafarers.

Furthermore, the Club maintains two mental health related guidance documents as assistance for Members and shipboard crew:

• What's on Your Mind? This guidance reviews some of the common risk factors of a developing an adverse condition of mental health, and recommend measures to prevent or treat an occurrence onboard; and
   
• Caring for Seafarers' Mental Wellbeing, is intended to help seafarers and others identify common psychological reactions to traumatic events and acute stress, and to assist them through early intervention techniques.  The guidance can be found in English, New Mandarin, Traditional Mandarin and in Russian languages.
   
• Addressing and Managing Seafarer Mental Health Challenges, provides guidance to assist help seafarers and ship operators better understand the factors that contribute to mental health challenges for seafarers and what can be done to prevent and mitigate such effects on crews. The guidance can be found in English , New Mandarin and Traditional Mandarin languages.

Additional Information:

• INTERTANKO's Crew Welfare Management and Mental Wellness

Conserving hearing is vital to personal wellness and made possible by exercising smart noise protection practices. To raise awareness about hearing protection and best practices for seafarers, your Managers are pleased to present the following Club Loss Prevention offerings:

• Now Hear This: Noise Protection Awareness guidance available in English, new and traditional Mandarin; and
• Your Hearing Is Valuable: Protect It safety poster available for download in English, new and traditional Mandarin.

Whether at home or abroad, safety begins with the wellbeing of the seafarer. The American Club's loss prevention mission is to raise seafarers' awareness of issues concerning their wellbeing from a holistic standpoint. Evidence shows wellness factors are important determinants of safety behavior and safety performance.