The role of hypothermia and drowning in commercial fishing deaths in Alaska, 1990–2002

Abstract

Objectives. To describe the patterns associated with cold-water immersion and drowning in commercial fishermen in Alaska from 1990 through 2002. Study Design. This is a retrospective study using data from the Alaska Occupational Surveillance System (AOISS), a database with records from all occupational mortalities occurring in Alaska from 1990 on. Methods. We extracted and analyzed all records describing deaths from drowning or hypothermia to commercial fishermen in Alaska from 1990 through 2002 that were registered within AOISS. We also used a subset of records from AOISS to compare use of Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) between the target population and survivors of fatal events. Results. There were 228 deaths resulting from cold-water immersion and subsequent drowning in the target population for the time period studied. Victims were far less likely to have used PFDs than were survivors of events where cold-water drowning occurred. Conclusion. The strong protective association seen with the use of PFDs, particularly immersion suits, in surviving cold-water events indicates that many of the events that led to deaths in the target population could well have been survivable.