Abstract

This chapter explores the occupational health and safety challenges faced by Canadian seafarers. Maritime occupations continue to be among the most dangerous occupations in the world. Technological development and climate change, as well as the increasing level of Arctic shipping opening driven by oceanographic changes together with technological innovation, lead to significant health and safety challenges for mariners in Canada. Drawing on findings from two research projects on seafaring occupational health and safety (OHS), including qualitative semi-structured interviews with 25 Canadian seafarers and a preliminary legal review of Canadian maritime OHS law, this chapter presents some common OHS challenges confronted by Canadian seafarers and the gaps existing in the current Canadian maritime OHS law. These challenges include increasing Arctic shipping activities led by the climate change, intensified work-related mobility, and insufficient legal protection.

Highlights

  • Maritime occupational health and safety (OHS) has attracted increasing research attention in recent years, but most studies focus on the OHS of international seafarers (Roberts et al 2014; Sampson et al 2017; Walters and Bailey 2013)

  • Occupational accidents can be divided into three categories: firstly, accidents related to maritime disaster, for example, accidents or incidents involving ships, such as collision, foundering and explosion; secondly, on-duty accidents, namely, personal accidents involving seafarers on duty, such as a fracture caused by snapping mooring lines; and thirdly, off-duty accidents, such as injuries caused by slips, trips and falls when seafarers are off duty on board (Roberts et al 2014)

  • The remainder of this chapter will explore three aspects of the OHS challenges faced by Canadian seafarers: challenges caused the climate change, in particular, the increase of Arctic shipping activities; challenges related to commuting and intensive work-related mobility; and challenges arising from insufficient OHS rights

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Summary

10.1 Introduction

Maritime occupational health and safety (OHS) has attracted increasing research attention in recent years, but most studies focus on the OHS of international seafarers (Roberts et al 2014; Sampson et al 2017; Walters and Bailey 2013).

Shan (*) Marine & Environmental Law Institute, Schulich Law School, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
10.2 Canadian Maritime Sector and Occupational Hazards at Sea
10.3 Methods
10.4 Occupational Health and Safety Challenges Faced by Canadian Seafarers
10.4.1 Climate Change
10.4.2 Commuting and Intensive Work-Related Mobility
10.4.3 Insufficient Occupational Health and Safety Rights
Findings
10.5 Conclusion
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