Shawn C. Smith is a maritime safety leader with 25+ years of Navy and civilian experience strengthening fall protection, industrial hygiene, and risk‑management programs. He has shaped safety standards across shipyards, fleets, and Naval operations while providing hands‑on training to hundreds of Sailors and civilian personnel.

He built one of the Navy’s first afloat‑managed fall protection programs for more than 7,500 mariners and authored the service’s policy on Mobile Elevating Work Platforms. As a member of the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Committee, he remains engaged with emerging technologies and continues to influence the future of fall protection and safe access.

Through NorthStar AnchorPoint, he delivers practical, field‑ready solutions that protect crews and support mission success.

___________________

Safe access and fall protection on the water feels like it should be simple. Walking and respecting water are basic skills most people learn early in life, so getting to and from a waterfront worksite without falling should be straightforward. In practice it isn’t. The marine environment combines obvious hazards with overlapping regulations, inconsistent knowledge, and operational complexity — and the consequences are severe.

Hundreds of people die every year from falls on and from ships and watercraft, with many more harmed in marine construction and offshore operations. Small, practical improvements in equipment, training, and procedures can dramatically reduce those numbers. Clear design, consistent standards, and disciplined execution turn everyday movements into safe, repeatable actions.

At NorthStar AnchorPoint we focus on solutions that bridge the gap between common sense and technical rigor. We design systems, training, and policies that are simple to use, compliant across jurisdictions, and effective in real-world marine conditions. Because in this environment, simple changes often have the most profound impact.

_______________

Let us help you with you protect your employees, on deck, on dock and aloft!

Our Services

Training and Awareness

Tailored to meet your organizational need based on specific hazards, environments and employee population.

• Awareness Training for crew
• Pre shipyard training
• ANSI Z359 Training
  • End User
  • Competent Person
  • Program Administrator
• Supervisor Training
• Safety Department Training

Solution Development

The maritime environment is ever changing and there are many solutions to a problem. Solutions may be a change in process, addition of a simple tool or component or engineering changes.

Investigations and Expert Witness

Unplanned incidents and accidents will occur, and we can help with gathering the facts and developing the causal factors and how future incidents practically and efficiently be prevented.

Even analysis of historical incidents through Human Factors Analysis and Classification System may be employed to provide insight to commonalities amongst incidents.

SBA certified Veterans Owned Small Business

Disclaimer: Content provided by NorthStar AnchorPoint is for general informational and training purposes only. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, engineering, or professional advice. All compliance decisions, interpretations of standards, and operational actions remain the sole responsibility of the client or user. NorthStar AnchorPoint assumes no liability for any losses, damages, or outcomes resulting from the use of this website or its materials.