Request for Assistance in...Preventing Drownings of Commercial FishermenNIOSH ALERT: April 1994 |
WARNING!
|
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) requests assistance in preventing drownings of commercial
fishermen. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has estimated that during the
period 1982-87, the annual occupational fatality rate for U.S.
commercial fishermen was 47 deaths per 100,000 workers. The major cause
of these deaths was drowning [NRC 1991].
Information gathered by the NIOSH Alaska Activity further
emphasizes this risk of drowning. In 1991-93, the occupational fatality
rate for commercial fishermen in Alaska was 195 deaths per 100,000
workers--nearly 30 times the average annual rate for all U.S. workers
[NIOSH 1993,1994a, b]. Of the commercial fishermen who died on the job
in Alaska during 1991-93, 91% drowned or were presumed to have drowned.
Recent NIOSH data show that many fishermen are not wearing
personal flotation devices (PFDs) when they fall overboard or are forced
to abandon sinking or capsized vessels. These data clearly show that
PFDs greatly increase the chances of survival for these fishermen: 63%
of fishermen wearing PFDs when they jumped or fell into the water
survived, whereas only 12% of those without PFDs survived [NIOSH 1994b].
The purpose of this Alert is to encourage fishermen to wear PFDs while
working on the decks of commercial fishing vessels and to take steps to
prevent falls overboard.
This Alert focuses on the commercial fishing industry in Alaska.
However, the conclusions and recommendations may apply to all commercial
fishing operations in the United States.
Fishermen who do not wear PFDs while
working on the decks of commercial fishing vessels are at high risk of
drowning.
Commercial fishing is a complex industrial process that varies
greatly among fisheries. The work is often conducted under adverse
weather conditions on unstable work platforms. Fall protection systems
such as safety lines and guard rails are often absent because they might
interfere with the work or introduce new hazards.
Most fatalities of commercial fishermen are related to vessel
casualties such as capsizing, sinking, foundering, grounding, and
collision. However, a large number of fatalities result from falls
overboard and are not related to vessel casualties. PFDs are known to
increase the chances of survival for all fishermen who enter the water
for any reason. But many commercial fishermen say that they are
unwilling to wear a PFD during routine work on deck because it might
interfere with their performance. USCG regulations [46 CFR 28.110]
require commercial fishing vessels to be equipped with at least one
USCG-approved PFD or immersion suit of the proper size for each person
on board. However, the PFD is not required to be worn.
The effectiveness of PFDs in saving the lives of fishermen who fall
overboard or abandon sinking or capsized vessels is supported by
available informationabout those who survived such incidents during the
period 1991-93 [NIOSH 1994B]. Fishermen who drowned or were presumed to
have drowned were compared with those who survived incidents in which at
least one fisherman drowned: 63% of those wearing PFDs survived (10 of
16), but only 12% of those without PFDs survived (6 of 50) (see Figure
1). Seventeen fishermen fell overboard and drowned during the period
1991-93; none of them were wearing PFDs.
Figure 1
Effect of PFDs on survival of commercial fishermen involved in fatal
drowning incidents.
Fishermen who fall overboard in cold water are at risk of
hypothermia (the cooling of the core body temperature). This condition
causes shivering, loss of muscle coordination, unconsciousness, and
possibly death. A well-trained crew and captain have a greater chance
of rescuing and reviving a fisherman who has fallen overboard wearing a
PFD than one who is not wearing a PFD. Near-drowning victims have been
successfully resuscitated after relatively long immersions in cold water
(up to 1 hour) [Modell 1993].
Fatality rates for commercial fishermen in the United States are
collected by both the NIOSH National Traumatic Occupational Fatality
(NTOF) Surveillance System and by the USCG.
The NTOF Surveillance System recorded the deaths of 637 commercial
fishermen in the United States during the 10-year period 1980-89 [NIOSH
1994a]. Drownings accounted for 69% of these deaths. The actual number
of commercial fishermen who died is higher than reported by NTOF because
methods for collecting and reporting data tend to underestimate the
total number of deaths [NIOSH 1993].
The USCG recorded 648 deaths of commercial fishermen in the United
States during the 5-year Period 1982-87---an annual fatality rate of 47
deaths per 100,000 commercial fishermen [NRC 1991]. The fatalities were
distributed nearly evenly among the Atlantic coast, the gulf coast, the
west coast, and Alaska.
In Alaska alone, the fatality rate among commercial fishermen was
195 deaths per 100,000 fishermen during 1991-93 [NIOSH 1994b]. During
the same period in Alaska, 233 workers died of occupational injuries; 91
(39%) of these workers were commercial fishermen, and 83 of the 91
fishermen (91%) drowned [NIOSH 1994B].
All commercial fishing vessels must be equipped with at least one
USCG-approved immersion (survival/exposure) suit or wearable PFD (Type
I, II, III, or V) of the proper size for each person on board [46 CFR
28.110]. Immersion suit and PFD requirements are based on vessel
location, temperature of the water, type of operation, and length of the
vessel. In addition, requirements for Type IV PFDs (throwable devices)
depend on the length of the vessel. Each wearable PFD or immersion suit
must be stowed so that it is readily accessible to the person for whom it is intended from both the normal work station and berthing area. If no location is accessible to both the normal work station and the berthing area, an appropriate PFD or immersion suit must be stowed in both locations [46 CFR 28.110].
All commercial fishing vessels must have a minimum number of persons on board who are certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) [46 CFR 28.210]. The requirements are as follows:
The NIOSH Alaska Activity investigated all fatal incidents during
the period 1991-93 that resulted in the drowning or presumed drowning of
a fisherman who fell overboard while working on the deck of a commercial
fishing vessel. Representative cases are described briefly as follows.
On February 9, 1991, a 30-year-old male fisherman on board an
82-foot crabbing vessel slipped on ice and fell overboard while securing
crab pots. Attempts to rescue him were unsuccessful and he is presumed
drowned. He was last sighted in the water 75 feet behind the vessel.
The victim was not wearing a PFD [NIOSH 1994B].
On August 20, 1991, a male fisherman of unknown age on board a
32-foot fishing vessel is believed to have fallen overboard and is
presumed drowned. Ten minutes before the victim was reported missing,
he had been observed baiting longline gear for groundfish. The last
time the victim was seen on deck, he was not wearing a PFD [NIOSH
1994B].
On November 4, 1991, a 25-year-old male fisherman on board an
86-foot crabbing vessel lost his footing and fell overboard while
stacking crab pots. Attempts to rescue him were unsuccessful and he is
presumed drowned. The victim was not wearing a PFD [NIOSH 1994b].
On January 22, 1992, a 23-year-old male fisherman on board a
113-foot crabbing vessel was thrown overboard when a crab pot line he
was straddling suddenly tightened. Attempts to rescue him were
unsuccessful and he is presumed drowned. The victim was not wearing a
PFD [NIOSH 1994b].
On November 23, 1992, a 31-year-old male fisherman on board a
133-foot crabbing vessel was knocked overboard by a wave while attempting
to retrieve crab pots. He was last observed floating face down in the
25-foot seas and is presumed drowned. The victim was not wearing a PFD
[NIOSH 1994b].
Fishermen who work on the decks of commercial fishing vessels can
significantly reduce their risk of drowning by wearing a PFD. In the
five incidents described, the fishing vessels did not sink, capsize,
catch fire, or run aground, yet commercial fishermen died in the water.
If the commercial fishermen who fell overboard had been wearing
PFDs, their risk of drowning would have been significantly reduced. The
use of PFDs could have kept these fishermen afloat long enough to
increase their chances of being retrieved from the water alive.
NIOSH recommends the following measures to help prevent commercial
fishermen from falling overboard and drowning.
Take the following steps to prevent falls overboard:
Take these steps to increase the chances for successful rescues from the water:
Take the following steps to promote PFD use:
PFD types III and V are suitable for comfortable wear while on the
deck of a commercial fishing vessel.
Type III PFDs (flotation aids such as vests and float coats) are any
approved wearable devices so that wearers can place themselves in a
vertical or slightly backward position in the water.
Some fishermen find that wearing Type III vests (Figure 2) over or
under rain gear allows fairly good mobility. Unfortunately, these vests
will not turn an unconscious person face up in the water, nor do they
offer much protection from hypothermia [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 2
Type III PFD vest. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with permission. Drawing
by V. Culp)
The float coat (Figure 3) is a Type III PFD with built-in insulating
and bouyant foam around the trunk. Some models have an attached hood ,
insulated arms, and a neoprene beaver tail to reduce heat loss from the
groin area. When secured, the beaver tail also helps keep teh coat from
floating up around the wearer's neck. The good hypothermia protection
of the float coat often makes it too warm to wear while working on deck.
However, it may be appropriate for fishing in skiffs in near-coastal
areas or rivers, or for use in transit to and from fishing grounds
[ASGCP 1992].
Figure 3
Type III PFD float
coat with beaver tail. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with
permission. Drawing by V. Culp)
Type V PFDs (work vests, commercial white water vests, pullover
vests, coveralls, work suits, and deck suits) are a broad category of
PFDs restricted to certain uses or conditions. Coveralls (Figure 4),
work suits, and deck suites provide fair hypothermia protection,
especially if the waist straps, leg straps, and velcro around the wrists
and ankles are snug. Most coveralls have an inflatable pillow that will
keep the wearer's head out of the water. However, the coveralls will
not turn an unconscious person face up in the water. They are a good
choice for cold weather, but they tend to make the wearer hot during
strenuous tasks [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 4
Type V PFD
coveralls. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with permission. Drawing
by S. Laurie.)
Type V hybrid (Figure 5) is an approved wearable device. It
combines limited inherent bouyancy with an air bladder designed to be
inflated by a CO2 cartridge or by mouth. Designed for people weighing
more than 90 pounds, the Type V hybrid may be the most comfortable
USCG-approved PFD to wear while working. This PFD provides minimal
hypothermia protection. Maintenance and care of the inflating devices
are critical if the PFD is to perform as intended [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 5
Type V hybrid PFD.
(Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with permission. Drawing by S.
Laurie.)
PFD types I, II, and IV and immersion suits would not be suitable
for constant, comfortable use but would provide excellent buoyancy.
Type I PFDs (offshore life jackets, Figure 6) are any approved
wearable devices designed to turn most users face-up in the water. They
provide minimal thermal protection, and many fishermen find Type I PFDs
too bulky for working on deck [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 6
Type I PFD offshore
life jackets. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with permission.
Drawing by V. Culp.)
Type II PFDs (nearshore buoyant vests, Figure 7) are any approved
wearable devices designed to hold the wearer in an upright, slightly
backward position in the water with no tendency to turn the wearer face
down. These PFDs offer little hypothermia protection and are awkward to
wear during many work situations [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 7
Type II PFD
nearshore buoyant vest. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with
permission. Drawing by V. Culp.)
Type IV PFDs (throwable devices such as life rings or cushions,
Figure 8) are any approved devices designed to be thrown to persons in
the water for them to grasp and hold until rescued. Throwable devices
should have a line attached for retrieving. These devices offer no
thermal protection, but they allow individuals to pull themselves
partially out of the water. Life rings should be kept within easy reach
to throw to overboard crew members. The addition of a flagpole,
floating line, PFD light, and reflective tape will make it easier for
persons overboard and crew members to see the life ring [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 8
Type IV throwable
devices--life ring and cushion. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with
permission. Drawing by V. Culp.)
Survival or immersion suits (Figure 9) are nearly totally
encapsulating suits that insulate the body and provide considerable
hypothermia protection and buoyancy. However, they will not turn an
unconscious person face-up in the water. Immersion suits are
constructed so that the wearer will float even if the suit is full of
water. Immersion suits are not practical to wear all the time, but they
are preferable when abandoning ship into cold water and are credited
with the saving of many lives [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 9
Immersion suit.
(Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted with permission. Drawing by J.
Schmitts.)
Several available PFDs are not approved by the USCG. Nonapproved
devices include those that rely on inherent buoyancy, inflation, or
both. The jackets, vests, coats, and suspenders described in this
section are examples of nonapproved PFDs that provide buoyancy when
properly inflated, are very comfortable, and could supplement currently
required equipment. In the absence of a USCG-approved device, it is of
course prudent to use any device to keep afloat until rescued.
Jackets (Figure 10) and vests are manufactured with an air bladder
that can be inflated by a CO2 cartridge or by mouth. These jackets and
vests are not buoyant unless they are inflated by the wearer; but they
are very comfortable to work in, and they keep the wearer afloat in an
emergency if inflated properly.
Figure 10
Inflatable jacket
(uninflated)--not USCG approved. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted
with permission. Drawing by S. Laurie.)
Rain coats are also manufactured with an inflatable air bladder that
can be detached to insert into new rain gear. These PFDs are not
secured to the wearer's legs or crotch, so they tend to ride up when
inflated [ASGCP 1992].
Inflatable suspenders (Figure 11) are another nonapproved PFD.
These models can be secured with a belt or strap. The suspenders are
inflated either by a CO2 cartridge or by mouth. They offer no thermal
protection, but they are comfortable to work in and will keep one afloat
in an emergency if inflated properly [ASGCP 1992].
Figure 11
Suspenders
(uninflated)--not USCG approved. (Source: ASGCP [1992]. Reprinted
with permission. Drawing by S. Laurie.)
The principal contributors to this Alert were Jennifer M. Lincoln
and Michael L. Klatt of the NIOSH Division of Safety Research, Alaska
Activity. Comments, questions, or requests for additional information
should be directed to Dr. Alfred Amendola, Acting Director, Division of
Safety Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
944 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV 26505-2888; telephone, (304)
284-5700.
We greatly appreciate your assistance in protecting the lives of
U.S. workers.
Richard A. Lemen, Ph.D.
Acting Director, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease
Control
and Prevention
ASGCP (Alaska Sea Grant College Program) [1992]. Beating the odds on the North Pacific: a guide to fishing safety. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska Fairbanks, pp. 49-62.
CFR. Code of Federal Regulations. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register.
Modell JH [1993]. Drowning (review article). N Engl J Med 328(4):253-256.
NIOSH [1993]. Fatal injuries to workers in the United States, 1980-1989: a decade of surveillance; national profile. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 93-108.
NIOSH [1994a]. National Traumatic Occupational Fatality (NTOF) Surveillance System. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Safety Research. Unpublished data base.
NIOSH [1994b]. Alaska Occupational Injury Surveillance System. Anchorage, AK: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Safety Research, Alaska Activity. Unpublished data base.
NRC [1991]. Fishing vessel safety: blueprint for a national program. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Commercial Fishing Alert--DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 94-107