iFish6

The work in the Norwegian aquaculture industry includes several known hazards for the employees, and historically the injury rates in this industry are high. The work, which is characterized by exposure to natural forces from wind, waves and the cold, in combination with manual labor and use of heavy machinery requires a systematic approach to safety management. This presentation provides an updated overview of reported injuries in Norway’s aquaculture sector, one of the worlds’ main actors in production and export of Atlantic salmon and trout. The data are based on reported injuries to two separate authorities, (i) serious occupational injuries reported to the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority (NLIA), and (ii) personal injuries reported to the Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD). All employers for land and sea-based aquaculture companies are required to report serious injuries and fatalities to the NLIA, while all employers in the maritime industry related to aquaculture reports to the NMD. The two different datasets are somewhat different with regards to the factors registered for the occupational injuries, due to the authorities having different regulatory requirements for reporting. The two datasets are thus presented and analyzed separately.

The analyzed data is discussed considering historical reported injuries in the aquaculture industry and the industry changes. Some challenges regarding the official reporting systems are also discussed, e.g., the limited data available for root causes of accidents, and underreporting in the official systems. In conclusion, the presentation covers reported injuries in Norway’s aquaculture and the associated data which is essential for understanding the risk landscape in the industry. These insights into incidents and fatalities informs stakeholders about injury dynamics and is input to systematic safety management and risk analysis in this important industry.

Commercial fishing is a risk-exposed profession. The incident rate per person-labour year of occupational fatalities and injuries are considerably higher than in any other industry in Norway. The Norwegian parliament has adopted a zero vision that no fishermen should die at sea. To find effective and targeted measures, a broad understanding of the risk picture on board fishing vessels is required. Updated knowledge about direct and indirect causes of accidents and strain injuries is needed to support the authorities’ and fishing industry’s efforts to prevent and mitigate occupational injuries and fatalities.

The aim of this study is to establish knowledge about direct and indirect causes of occupational accidents in the Norwegian fishing fleet, based on updated and systematized accident statistics from available sources. The time series of occupational accidents for the Norwegian fishing fleet, limited to the years 2000 to 2022, are updated based on registrations of occupational accidents by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA). The accident data are analysed according to, e.g., geographical region, time of year, vessel group, mode of operation and mode of injury. Newspaper articles about severe occupational accidents are searched for additional information on conditions influencing the chain of events. Investigation reports from the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority on vessel disasters and fatalities in the fishing fleet are a valuable source for details on causal chains. Previous analyses by McGuinness et al. (2013) showed that vessel disasters, man overboard and drowning in port were the most frequent fatality modes. Work operations on deck had the highest risk in terms of personal injuries, and the trawler fleet reported the highest rate of non-fatal injuries. Up-to-date findings will be presented at IFISH6.

The presentation is based on results from the project “Serious occupational accidents in coastal fishing”, financed by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (project number 901828).

Marine aquaculture workers are at high risk of injury and fatalities. Weather contributes to risk both directly and indirectly. Understanding the role of weather in occupational safety in aquaculture is important for work design, planning and for safety management and hazard reduction. This presentation presents findings on weather-related hazards mitigation strategies in Atlantic Canadian marine finfish and shellfish aquaculture. Data are derived from a literature review; six semi-structured confidential interviews on aquaculture safety with Atlantic Canada key informants and from two roundtable discussions with 16 regional aquaculture industry and weather forecasting stakeholders. Findings indicate most literature research on weather and aquaculture focuses on impacts to production, animal health and infrastructure, with limited attention to safety. Furthermore, there has been no prior research focusing on this issue in Atlantic Canada, a major aquaculture-producing region. Weather-related hazards include sun and cold exposures, working on and under surface ice, strong winds, waves, currents, reduced visibility, and ice build-up. Weather-related risk is mediated by location, aquaculture type, weather-forecasting, infrastructure design and other factors. Freezing temperatures can result in hypothermia, affecting reaction times and ability to respond to risky situations. Working on ice is associated with drowning risk; working under ice contributes to diving hazards. Ice build-up on infrastructure can affect stability; ice removal can be hazardous. Operating a vessel in rough sea conditions is associated with a risk of falling overboard and vessel capsizing. Weather and aquaculture locations and design are changing with potential OHS impacts. Improved monitoring of weather-related injuries in administrative data; incorporation of weather-related hazards and risks in risk assessments; mechanization including increased use of remote operation technologies on farm sites; improved forecasting capacity; and improved infrastructure standards and design including in shellfish operations could help reduce risk.

Norwegian fish farming is undergoing major concept change yet continues to be Norway’s second most hazardous occupation. Going from mostly open net pens along the coast, to also semi-closed and submerged units offshore and on land, the workplaces have transformed. There is need for a qualitative study of safety conditions in Norwegian salmon farming in 2023.

The previous knowledge on safety conditions is a valuable starting point. Norwegian aquaculture is still dominated by traditional fish farms, open for forces from wind, current, equipment, etc. Limited time and personnel in operations give stress, long hours, lack of rest, inadequate working positions, etc. Many organizations and vessels need to cooperate, sometimes without sufficient experience or training. Conflicting objectives can lead personnel to prioritize production and fish welfare over personnel protection. Safety management has led to more systematic safety measures but may also remove attention from safety.

Some conditions will be different in the new production forms, that are big, with new and unfamiliar infrastructures, collaborations, and operations. On the one hand, fish farming in exposed areas will give harsher weather conditions, and involve personnel from more organizations, several vessels, and with heavier equipment. On the other hand, the larger concepts give more stable working platforms, and the more exposed areas give conditions pressuring for awareness on risk considerations.

What these changes mean for occupational safety, is still in the blue. This fall, we study the occupational safety in all existing fish farming concepts, as part of the project “OHS in aquaculture – risk management in different production forms” (financed by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund, project number 901801). At IFISH, we will present results from interviews of personnel describing conditions for safety at their workplaces, in each corner of the new industry.

Fishery observers are independent specialists who are deployed to monitor vessels at sea. Traditionally their role can range from science (collecting data on target and bycatch species) to compliance (monitoring a vessel’s compliance with national or international requirements) and is often a mixture of both. While they may report on general vessel safety, and in most cases have the right to refuse boarding if a vessel is considered unsafe, they rarely report on human rights as part of their standard protocols. This presentation will look at how at sea observer programmes have evolved and could better be used to monitor vessel safety, ensuring certain conditions are met, and recent developments in some fisheries allowing observers to provide advice on good safety practices and crew welfare while at sea. This improves conditions for both the observer and more widely for the crew.