The transportation industry has one of the highest number of unplanned incidents so placing a focus on safety is crucial. In the year 2020, the United States Department of Labor claimed, “Workers in transportation and material moving occupations and construction and extraction occupations accounted for nearly half of all fatal occupational injuries (47.4 percent), representing 1,282 and 976 workplace deaths, respectively.” On May 9-10, 2023, the RoRo Rodeo was held at the Port of Baltimore, where stevedoring and terminal operations companies held safety training for the longshoremen at the RoRo terminal.

Ceres Terminals is a stevedore at the Port of Baltimore and terminal operations company in North America, dedicated to increasing safety initiatives for all locations. One of the ways that the company improves the safety focus is through Safety Stations for the longshoremen to participate in safety training at events, such as the RoRo Rodeo in Baltimore, Maryland.

This event provides the International Longshoremen Association (ILA) experience with a variety of different Roll On/Roll Off equipment that they will be driving during vessel operations. The Ceres Safety Station serves as an educational piece to help inform the longshoremen about proper personal protective equipment (PPE) while operating vehicles and equipment. Placing a focus on vehicle safety is a must on a RoRo terminal and is taken seriously at Ceres.

When the longshoremen attended the RoRo Rodeo Safety Station, they were given specific safety training and instructions along with a small quiz to test their safety knowledge. A couple of mandatory items that the company placed a focus on are seatbelts, ANSI Class 2 compliant safety vests, composite/steel toe work boots, and safety signs around the terminal in unsafe zones. Ceres is dedicated to keeping the team safe, along with handling customers' cargo with care.

“The RoRo Rodeo provides our team and the ILA with the opportunity to practice handling different types of machinery so that they are fully prepared for the job at hand,” said Zach Taylor, Health, Safety, Security and Environment Manager, Ceres Baltimore. “We make sure to go above and beyond to provide our team with the proper safety training and our customers with excellent customer service.”

As a leader among terminal operations companies, Ceres places safety at the forefront of operations, hosting weekly meetings and training with the team. It is the responsibility of all employees to follow safety rules and procedures and report all unsafe acts and environments to management, immediately. The management and employees of Ceres shall undertake a continual emphasis on safety and take all practical steps to provide and maintain a safer and healthier work culture.