Shipbuilder Safety a Concern as Naval Fleet Expands

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 | 0

President Trump’s plans for a large expansion of the U.S. Navy’s fleet is raising concerns about the safety of shipbuilders.

An investigative article by Reveal News contends that the Navy awards contracts to shipbuilders without considering their safety records. The investigation found that seven private companies do a large portion of the building for the Navy and Coast Guard, receiving more than $100 billion in public money, despite citations for serious safety violations.

Two have been cited for cited for cases involving worker deaths since October 2008.

During his campaign, Trump promised to increase the size of the Navy’s fleet from 274 ships to 350.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, told Reveal News that the shipbuilders shouldn’t receive government money if they can’t keep their workers safe.

Shipyard workers have an injury and illness rate about 80% higher than construction jobs, according to federal statistics quoted by the news source.