Citation

Naeve W. Blutalkohol 1976; 13(1): 27-38.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and Bund gegen Alkohol und Drogen im Straßenverkehr, Publisher Steintor Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

176 acute fatal work related accidents on board or in the vicinity of ships in the harbor (Hamburg, 1962-1975) with positive blood alcohol findings for the victim, blood alcohol over 0.6(per mille), were analyzed as to cause of death, alcohol concentration, age, type of accident, place of accident, and whether the accident occurred during work or leisure time. 62 fatal accidents were registered for the professional category ''sea navigation'', 80 for ''inland navigation'' and 34 for harbor (dock) workers. In all categories, approximately 80% of established blood alcohol concentrations were between 1.5 and 3.0(per mille) (predominantly 2.0-2.5(per mille)). The most common places for accidents were quays, gangways, gang planks and loading hatches. With very few exceptions the cause of death was drowning, respectively, skull and brain damage. In cases of drowning it was primarily a question of death through shock after falling into the water or a transitional form between death through shock and drowning. Attention is directed to the great danger of death through shock after falling into the water for persons under the influence of alcohol. In the categories sea and inland navigation approximately 3/4 of all accidents occurred during leisure time. Taking the total number of sea and inland sailors who died in the Hamburg harbor after an accident into account, it could be shown conclusively that more that 50% of these men, with high probability approximately 60%, were under a relevant influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. In the category ''ship and harbor'', the frequency of accidents and the danger thereof is substantially increased in blood alcohol concentrations over approximately 1.6(per mille).