19
SAFETY
Operator Safety
Operator Fatigue and Dehydration
Long hours of boating with exposure to noise,
vibration, sun, glare and wind can result in operator
fatigue and dehydration. These conditions can affect
your balance, vision, judgment and reaction time.
Fatigue and dehydration can increase your risk of an
accident resulting in serious injury or death.
Combining alcohol consumption with this condition
greatly increases your risk of causing an accident.
Learn to recognize the early symptoms of fatigue, and
allow your body to recover by taking a break from
operating the watercraft. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic
beverages to prevent dehydration, and wear protective
riding gear to protect against exposure to weather
elements.
Hypothermia
Your life may depend on a clear understanding of the
effects of cold water on the human body. Many
suspected drowning victims actually died from cold
exposure (hypothermia) rather than drowning.
Hypothermia can begin in water as warm as 80
°
F.
(27
°
C). It’s a condition in which the body loses heat
faster than it can produce it. Violent shivering
develops, which may give way to confusion and a loss
of body movement. Hypothermia can result in serious
injury or death in a very short time.
To avoid hypothermia:
S
Dress warmly.
S
Wear proper gear and stay as dry as possible.
S
Seek a warm environment at the first sign of
hypothermia (mild shivering).
If you fall into the water:
S
Do not discard clothing.
S
While wearing your life jacket, draw your knees up
toward your chest and hold them there with your
arms in the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (HELP).
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