Abstract
Commercial fishing has a high accident rate compared to other industries. In the Nordic countries, analyses show a decline or stagnation in personal accidents in fisheries during the past few years. However, our knowledge of "what works" in preventing accidents in this branch is limited. This article explores fishers' perceptions of preventive measures. A survey where fishers graded the importance of different safety measures was carried out in Norway, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Iceland. The responses of 47 fishers from different types of fleet groups have been analysed and compared. Most of the respondents were skippers, and all had at least 10 years' experience in commercial fishing. The comparison revealed many similarities between the countries. Three measures were considered particularly important for safety; safety culture on board, safety equipment and design and layout of vessels. Fishers in all countries found advice from trade unions or other organizations and guidelines and information from the authorities less important. The efficiency of safety measures depends on implementation, and thus on how workers perceive them. Knowledge of what fishers find useful is therefore valuable for future efforts to reduce risk in occupational fishing. This study indicates that guidance as well as involving fishers in the development and implementation of safety measures is an approach worth recommending.
Highlights
Due to the high risk of work-related injuries and fatalities, fishing is often described as a hazardous occupation [17]
All had at least ten years' experience in commercial fishing, but they were asked about experience on the vessel on which they were currently working
This article has explored a variety of safety measures for fishermen, through their perspectives
Summary
Due to the high risk of work-related injuries and fatalities, fishing is often described as a hazardous occupation [17]. A recent study from five of the Nordic countries; Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, indicate a positive development with accident numbers either stabilising or decreasing during recent decades [3]. The regulatory safety requirements on board fishing vessels, aimed to reduce the number of accidents for occupational fishers in the Nordic countries, have become both stricter and more comprehensive since the late 1980s. International regulations, such as the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, 1995 (STCW-F 1995), that came into force in 2012, have influenced national regulations. Suppliers to the fishing industry, such as vessel designers, producers of safety equipment, consultants, accident investigation boards, insurance
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