The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has just dropped a 200-page report that’s a wake-up call for the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. Falls overboard remain the leading cause of fatalities, and the numbers are sobering. Between 2014 and 2023, the industry averaged 5.4 crew fatalities annually—down from 9.5 in the previous decade, but still too high. The AWO isn’t just sounding the alarm; it’s rolling up its sleeves with data-driven solutions.
The report, a product of the Coast Guard–AWO Safety Partnership, digs into 118 incidents from 2012 to 2024. The findings? Nearly 70% of falls happened on barges, often at night, with deckhands and tankermen most at risk. Experience didn’t shield mariners—nearly half of the incidents involved crew with two or more years on the job. Slips, trips, and falls were the top culprits, followed by distractions or lack of situational awareness.
AWO President and CEO Jennifer Carpenter put it bluntly: “We’re proud to be the safest mode of freight transportation in the U.S., but we’re not done. This report is about doing better.”
The report doesn’t just highlight the problem—it lays out a roadmap. Using a modified Hierarchy of Controls, it recommends everything from eliminating hazards (like using interior gunnels instead of unguarded perimeters) to engineering fixes (guardrails, non-slip coatings) and administrative controls (fatigue management training). Personal protective equipment (PPE) like fall restraint systems also gets a spotlight, but the report makes clear: no single fix will do the job.
“Preventing falls overboard means building safety into every aspect of vessel design, operation, and behavior,” the report states. That includes wider walkways, raised coaming walls, and even remote monitoring to reduce edge exposure.
But AWO isn’t stopping at the report. On August 28, 2025, it’s organizing a Falls Overboard Safety Standdown Day, urging companies to pause and discuss prevention with crews. The goal? To turn data into action and keep mariners safe while moving the nation’s vital cargo.
This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the people behind them. The AWO represents nearly 5,000 tugboats and towboats and 33,000 barges, moving 665 million tons of cargo annually. Protecting the mariners who operate them isn’t just a moral duty; it’s essential to keeping this critical industry afloat.
The report is a call to arms, but it’s also a testament to progress. The industry has cut fatalities nearly in half over a decade. Now, with this blueprint in hand, the next chapter is about finishing the job.