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The authors ask you:
Falls overboard are a major contributor to commercial fishing fatalities. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has repeatedly identified falls overboard as a critical issue in commercial fishing safety. A recent study found that there were 71 fatal falls overboard from commercial fishing vessels in Alaska during 1990-2005. None of the victims were wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). The NIOSH Alaska Field Station received NORA project funds to focus on the problem of falls overboard. The project will consist of two parts: first, a survey of 400 fishermen in Southwest Alaska to measure perceptions of the risk of falling overboard, safety attitudes, beliefs about PFDs, and experiences with falls overboard; and second, an evaluation and rating of a variety of modern PFDs by 200 commercial fishermen to discover the features and qualities that they like and dislike. Findings from this project will be disseminated to fishermen, marine safety organizations, and PFD manufacturers with the goal of increasing PFD use among fishermen.
Commercial fishing is the most dangerous occupation in the United States, with a fatality rate of 142 deaths per 100,000 fishermen in 2006, 36 times higher than the national average for all workers (BLS, 2006). Drowning due to vessels sinking and falls overboard is the leading cause of death for commercial fishermen nationwide (USCG, 2006). A study on fatal falls overboard in the fishing industry in Alaska found that from 1990 to 2005, 71 commercial fishermen drowned after falling overboard, representing 24 percent of all fishing fatalities during that time period (Lucas & Lincoln, 2007).
FIGURE I. Rate of Fatal Falls Overboard by Fishery, Alaska, 1990 – 2005 (N=71)
The study did not find a decreasing trend in the rate of falls overboard, despite major decreases in other types of fishing fatalities, suggesting that the problem of falls overboard is not being effectively mitigated.
Preventing falls overboard is the surest way of reducing the number of drowning fatalities, but given the nature of commercial fishing, this may not always be possible. When falls overboard do occur, personal flotation devices (PFDs) can increase the chances of survival (NIOSH, 1994).
None of the victims of falls overboard in Alaska during 1990-2005 were wearing a PFD, and sadly, many were within minutes of being rescued when they lost their strength, sank and drowned (Lucas & Lincoln, 2007). Those deaths may have been prevented if the victims had been wearing a PFD. Although the risk of drowning for commercial fishermen is high, most fishermen do not wear PFDs while on deck.
NIOSH consulted with partners and industry to generate ideas about how to study the
issue of PFD use among fishermen, understanding the urgent need to increase
PFD usage among commercial fishermen. Increasing PFD usage has been recommended
repeatedly by NIOSH (NIOSH, 1994; NIOSH, 1997; NIOSH, 2002). Anecdotal evidence
from fishermen and marine safety experts show that some of the most common objections
among fishermen to wearing PFDs are that they are bulky, heavy, hot, and generally
uncomfortable. Those arguments may have some merit; however, many new types
and styles of PFDs have become available, some of which were designed with fishermen
in mind. It is unknown how many commercial fishermen are aware of them, or if
they are in fact more comfortable and wearable than the older styles. There
have not been any published studies testing PFDs on commercial fishermen to
measure out-of-water comfort and satisfaction; nor have there been any studies
involving commercial fishermen to understand the social, psychological, physical,
financial and other possible barriers that may be preventing them from including
PFDs in their work practices.
NIOSH designed a two-part study focusing on the issue of PFD Use. In the first part, phase 1, a questionnaire will be administered to fishermen to identify their perceptions of the risk of falling overboard, safety attitudes, beliefs about PFDs, and experiences with falls overboard. The sample size for this initial survey is 400 fishermen.
In phase 2, fishermen who completed the phase 1 survey will be invited to participate
further in the study by wearing and evaluating a particular PFD during their
fishing season. Five different PFD models will be tested by the fishermen participating
in the evaluation. Each fisherman will be assigned a single model to wear, and
will be asked to rate the comfort and other attributes of the PFD he is wearing
at two times during the evaluation period (during the first week and after one
month), using an evaluation form. The sample size for this phase of the study
is 200 fishermen. This study should identify the barriers to wearing a PFD and
will focus on one of the hypothesized barriers (PFD discomfort). The data collection
will take place in several fishing ports in Southwest Alaska.
The anticipated start date for the field work is in Oct 2008. Fishermen who operate vessels using different types of fishing gear may have different preferences for PFDs. This study will include fishermen who work on four different types of vessels: crabbers (pot gear), gill-netters, longliners, and trawlers. Vessels with different gear types operate at different times of the year; for example, a vessel using pots usually fishes for crab during the winter, while a vessel using gillnets fishes for salmon during the summer. Because the weather conditions are so different between summer and winter, fishermen who work during the winter may have different preferences for PFDs than fishermen who work during the summer. Both phase1 and phase 2 will occur in summer and winter fisheries.
This study will directly benefit the commercial fishing industry. One of the
first steps to increasing PFD use among commercial fishermen is gaining an understanding
of fishermen’s reasons for not wearing PFDs. With the empirical data in
hand, safety professionals may be better equipped to address fishermen’s
concerns and remove the barriers that are currently in place. Findings from
the PFD evaluations will provide manufacturers valuable information about commercial
fishermen’s PFD preferences and expectations. Because the PFD wearability
ratings will be completed by fishermen during fishing operations, the results
may have more credibility when they are disseminated to the industry. The PFD
evaluation will supply information to fishermen about which types of PFDs were
the most comfortable to wear while working.
BLS (2006). National census of fatal occupational injuries in 2006. Washington (DC): United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available from http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm
Lucas DL, Lincoln JM (2007). Fatal falls overboard on commercial fishing vessels in Alaska. Am J Ind Med 50: 962-968.
NIOSH (1994). Preventing drownings of commercial fishermen. Cincinnati (OH): National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Pub. No. 94-107. 9p.
NIOSH (1997). Commercial fishing fatalities in Alaska – Risk factors and prevention strategies. Cincinnati (OH): National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Pub. No. 97-163. 24p.
NIOSH (2002). Surveillance and Prevention of Occupational Injuries in Alaska: A Decade of Progress, 1990-1999. Pub No. 2002-15. 25p.
USCG (2006). Analysis of fishing vessel casualties: A review of lost fishing vessels and crew fatalities, 1994 – 2004. Available from < http://www.uscg.mil/hq/gm/moa/marin.htm> Accessed 2006 Oct 26.
The findings and conclusions in this poster are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites.
