Panama: Reporting occupational accidents under MLC, 2006

The Panama Maritime Authority has issued Merchant Marine Circular MMC-274, providing detailed instructions on reporting occupational accidents, injuries, and diseases on Panamanian-flagged vessels. This circular is in line with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, as amended, specifically Standard A4.3.5, which deals with health and safety protection and accident prevention for seafarers.

1. Purpose of the Circular

The circular's primary purpose is to ensure compliance with international maritime safety standards by informing relevant stakeholders of their responsibility to report any occupational accidents, injuries, or diseases that occur on Panamanian-flagged vessels. This is part of Panama’s efforts to improve seafarer safety and health on board ships, as mandated by the MLC, 2006.

2. Scope

This circular applies to all Panamanian-flagged vessels operating in international waters (i.e., outside the Republic of Panama). This includes commercial ships and other vessels flying the Panamanian flag when navigating beyond the country's territorial waters.

3. Panama Flag State Responsibilities

The Panama Maritime Authority, through the General Directorate of Merchant Marine, holds several key responsibilities under the MLC, including:

Ensuring that all deaths of seafarers working on Panamanian-flagged vessels are thoroughly investigated, recorded, and reported to the International Labour Office (ILO). This data will be included in a global register.
Collecting comprehensive statistics on occupational accidents and diseases. These statistics must be analyzed and, where necessary, followed up with research to identify trends, hazards, and the effectiveness of safety measures.
Ensuring that investigations into occupational accidents are carried out in a timely and thorough manner to improve safety practices and prevent future incidents.

4. Reporting Occupational Accidents

When an occupational accident, injury, or disease occurs, it must be reported immediately. The required contact emails for reporting are:

casualty@amp.gob.pa
mlc@segumar.com

Companies and vessels are required to establish internal procedures for reporting these incidents in compliance with the regulations set forth by the Panama Maritime Authority. It is important that these procedures are followed diligently to ensure that all relevant data is reported accurately and promptly.

5. ILO Guidelines

The International Labour Organization (ILO) provides guidelines to assist states, including Panama, in implementing the occupational safety and health provisions of the MLC, 2006. These guidelines are essential in ensuring that Panama adheres to the international standards set for seafarer health and safety. Additional information on these guidelines can be obtained from mlc@segumar.com or by referring to the ILO's official website.

6. Reporting and Investigating Specific Occupational Accidents

In cases of serious incidents, such as natural deaths, suicides, homicides, sexual assaults, or serious marine casualties that result in injuries or loss of life on board Panamanian-flagged vessels, the following procedures must be followed:

These incidents must be reported to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department using the email casualty@amp.gob.pa.
The investigation of these serious incidents will be conducted only by personnel from the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department. This ensures that the investigation process is impartial and carried out by qualified professionals.