Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government.

MNM Safety Alert - Water Related Safety

Lapse in Appropriations

For workplace safety and health, please call 800-321-6742; for mine safety and health, please call 800-746-1553; for Job Corps, please call 800-733-5627 and for Wage and Hour, please call 1-866-487-9243 (1 866-4-US-WAGE).  This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was 10/1/2025.  Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations.

Working Near Water Hazards

HAZARD - Working around, over, or near water

POTENTIAL OUTCOME - Entrapment, drowning

RISKS – Traveling or operating equipment near water, equipment weight and vibration, undercut banks, sloughing ground, varied water depth, swift currents, inadequate berms, narrow roadways, electrocution. 

Best Practices
  • Conduct daily workplace examinations.
  • Know the water depth and subsurface conditions and ground conditions before you begin work.
  • Keep equipment a safe distance back from the water’s edge.
  • Avoid traveling over ice covered water.
  • Provide handrails around docks and work boats.
  • Properly berm roadways near water hazards.
  • Always wear a Coast Guard approved Type I or Type V personal flotation device (PFD) when working around water, even when inside mobile equipment. Auto-inflatable, if possible.
  • Keep water rescue equipment easily accessible.
  • Know where extra PFDs and rescue rings are stowed.
  • Practice good housekeeping and keep all travel ways clear around water hazards.