OSHA: Company chartering vessel that hit Baltimore's Key Bridge had 'repugnant' whistleblower policy

Maersk Line is now finding itself in the spotlight after a ship it chartered crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and kill 6 people.in Baltimore Tuesday, for firing a whistleblower who had reported safety problems on one of the company's vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The first mate reported that"the lifeboat block and releasing gear were inoperable, crew members were in possession of alcohol and drinking onboard, the emergency fire pump was not working, trainees were standing watch unsupervised, and the cargo hold bilge system needed repairs as it was causing flooding," according to the DOL report.

Months later, after hearing no word about when he would return to the vessel, the first mate received notice from Maersk that he was being fired. Maersk justified the firing by saying he failed to follow the company's procedure for dealing with safety issues: bringing them up with higher-ups in the company to be fixed before notifying the coast guard.

In layman's terms, the policy allows the company to fix the problems before informing federal officials, preventing any consequences that could be brought down by an immediate investigation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known as OSHA, lambasted the policy, saying it prevents sailors from coming forward to prevent dangerous conditions.

In fact, according to the law firm,"it is 'standard business practice' for employers to prohibit any direct contact by employees with government regulatory bodies." Experts testified as much during a whistleblower lawsuit against another shipping company, Horizon Lines, Inc.

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