PMA Fact Sheet
Safety and Training
A Longstanding Commitment to a Safe Waterfront
PMA is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace at all times. For more than 75 years, the Pacific Coast Marine Safety Code (PCMSC) has established safety standards along the West Coast waterfront. Today, PMA and the ILWU work collaboratively to maintain and update the PCMSC, demonstrating a mutual commitment to safe operations.
PMA provides comprehensive safety training to all workers as part of their initial orientation, and safety lessons are reinforced at job sites daily. Since 1991, over 97,000 dockworkers have graduated from the Coastwide General Safety Training program administered by PMA and the ILWU. Annual safety drills at ports, regular audits of equipment and terminals, and continuous education and code updates help ensure the West Coast waterfront operates with industry-leading safety practices.
The lost time injury/illness rate (LTIR) measures injury and illness trends, based on OSHA standards. The LTIR on the West Coast waterfront has consistently declined over the past several decades, falling to its second-lowest level ever in 2024. The LTIR declined by more than 65% between 2002 and 2024.
Robust Worker Training
PMA works with the ILWU to provide comprehensive training opportunities for Union members, including extensive re-skill and up-skill training to help workers keep pace with the evolving maritime industry.
Between 2020 and 2024, over 22,600 workers graduated from crane, skilled equipment, and job specific/ promotion-related training provided by PMA. This has included crane simulation trainings, hands-on trainings, seminars, certifications, and more.
PMA-ILWU training facilities operate in each region along the West Coast, offering classes multiple times per week. Training centers are located in San Pedro, CA; Wilmington, CA; Oakland, CA; Tacoma, WA; Seattle, WA; and Portland, OR.
