iFish6

Employees in the Norwegian salmon farming industry have many responsibilities. They must perform operations that keep the number of salmon lice below set limits, make sure the fish is well and does not escape from the fish farms. Statistics show that workers on farms and vessels are exposed to accidents in their work, and many worry that their work may affect their health and safety negatively. In the Norwegian context, sea-based net pens accessed by vessels has been the most prominent technology for decades (here referred to as traditional fish farms). However, new production systems including semi-closed sea-based concepts, offshore fish farms and land-based facilities are emerging as a solution to challenges with sea lice and lack of space along the coast and in the fjords. The occupational health and safety risks in these systems may differ from traditional farms and need to be understood to ensure good working conditions. The technology used affects the type of tasks and operations that need to be performed, and operations on traditional fish farms involve several ergonomic risk factors, such as lifting with the upper body twisted or bent, repetitive and monotone work tasks and heavy lifts. Acute accidents are commonly caused by falls, blows by objects, crushing, or cuts. Despite these risks, OHS has not been a key driver for technological development compared with challenges such as salmon lice, escape, and fish welfare. Looking at the company level, organizational factors also affect OHS. Research finds that long work hours, conflicting objectives and insufficient training may affect safety negatively. Furthermore, regulation of the Norwegian salmon farming industry has been described as fragmented with several authorities requiring companies to manage different types of risk related to fish, environment and OHS. Aim of workshop The aim of this workshop is to discuss unique safety and health considerations for different production systems in Salmon fish farming as well as suitable measures that can reduce accidents and promote good health. The following questions will be discussed:

• What are the main challenges for occupational health and safety in different production systems for salmon farming/in different regions?
• What measures can help improve occupational health and safety in salmon farming?
• Where and how can measures be implemented (fish farm, company level, regulatory level)?
• Besides companies and regulators, who are key stakeholders that can make a difference locally, nationally, and internationally?

This workshop is a guided session led by Trine Thorvaldsen and Kristine Størkersen, both PhDs and Senior Research Scientists at the independent research institute SINTEF Ocean in Norway. They will give a short presentation of key findings from the on-going project “OHS in aquaculture – risk management in different production forms” as an introduction to the discussions. Methods used in the project are interviews, workshops, accident analysis as well as an OHS-survey among employees in the industry. The project is financed by FHF (Norwegian Seafood Research Fund project number 901801).