How Important Is Maritime Employers Liability Insurance for Worker Safety During Fall Maintenance?

It’s a beautiful time of the year, but autumn can bring some ugly problems. That’s why maritime employers liability insurance, known in the industry as MEL, is so important.

Every year, fall maintenance season invites a surge of activity to shipyards and marine facilities as vessel owners prepare for winter and complete end-of-season repairs. It’s several months during which the odds of worker injuries go up. Meanwhile, many marine manufacturers operate under the mistaken belief that standard workers’ compensation provides adequate protection.

In reality, traditional workers’ comp leaves significant coverage gaps for maritime work. Fortunately, MEL fills these gaps, providing essential protection during the busiest and riskiest time of the year.

Why Fall Maintenance Increases Risk

You would think winter would be the time to be on guard, and certainly, maintenance in cold-climate areas can be dangerous. But contractors are expecting ice on the pier, and they’re going to be more careful.

But during fall? People actually do fall.

Autumn represents a critical window when vessel and equipment repairs surge before winter weather sets in. Marine manufacturers face compressed timelines to complete maintenance, leading to increased worker hours and accelerated schedules. More time spent in shipyards and on vessels naturally raises accident exposure, particularly when teams toil under pressure to finish projects before seasonal deadlines.

The risk increases further when marine manufacturers bring in seasonal hires or temporary crews to handle the workload. These workers may lack familiarity with safety protocols specific to maritime environments, increasing the likelihood of accidents. OSHA’s shipbuilding and repair standards address these hazards, but compliance alone doesn’t eliminate the financial and legal risks employers face when injuries occur on or near navigable waters.

What Maritime Employers Liability Insurance Covers

Maritime employers liability insurance provides coverage for injuries to employees working on someone else’s vessels, addressing exposures that fall outside the scope of state workers’ compensation. Under federal maritime law, including the Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), injured maritime workers have rights that exceed standard workers’ comp benefits.

That can be costly for the maritime employer that isn’t protected. But MEL coverage protects employers from liability for medical costs, lost wages, and legal expenses when employees suffer work-related injuries in maritime settings.

This protection can be critical when workers claim negligence or unseaworthiness, legal concepts unique to maritime law that allow injured employees to seek damages beyond what workers’ comp provides. Making matters more complicated, state workers’ comp doesn’t travel with employees once a vessel has left the dock, creating dangerous gaps that MEL specifically addresses.

How Agents Can Position MEL With Clients

Insurance agents should use the fall season to discuss MEL and why it matters during a time when worker activity peaks and injury exposure increases.

Demonstrating how MEL closes coverage gaps should resonate with clients who want to be well insured and who take safety commitments seriously. Agents can explain that standard workers’ comp may not respond to certain claims, leaving employers exposed to significant financial and legal liability. As you can tell your clients, MEL connects with compliance requirements but also the broader duty marine manufacturers have to protect their workforce.

The Bottom Line on MEL Insurance

Fall maintenance season is an important time for marine facilities, but it can bring risk as marine manufacturers prepare vessels and equipment for winter. Worker injuries during this high-activity period can result in substantial liability that state workers’ comp wasn’t designed to cover. 

Maritime employers liability insurance provides the critical protection marine manufacturers need, safeguarding both employees and employers during the industry’s busiest season.

Get in touch with us to learn how Merrimac Marine can help you protect your marine manufacturer clients with comprehensive MEL coverage.

FAQ About Maritime Employers Liability

What makes fall maintenance especially risky for marine workers?

Fall maintenance often results in vessel repairs and equipment servicing being rushed to completion before winter, increasing worker hours and accident exposure. An influx of seasonal or temporary workers who may be unfamiliar with maritime safety protocols doesn’t help matters, either.

How does maritime employers liability differ from workers’ comp?

Maritime employers liability insurance, or MEL, covers injuries under federal maritime law, including Jones Act and LHWCA claims. MEL provides greater benefits and legal rights than state workers’ compensation. MEL also addresses exposures specific to work on or near navigable waters, filling gaps that standard workers’ comp doesn’t cover.

Why should agents recommend MEL to marine manufacturers?

Marine manufacturers face unique liability under federal maritime law that state workers’ comp doesn’t address. MEL protects employers from financial and legal exposure when maritime workers suffer injuries, particularly during high-risk, high-activity periods like fall maintenance season.

About Merrimac Marine Insurance

At Merrimac Marine, we are dedicated to providing insurance for the marine industry to protect your clients’ businesses and assets. For more information about our products and programs, contact our specialists today at (800) 681-1998.