Improving Working & Living Conditions on Board Peter Hurst - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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IMPROVING SAFETY & HEALTH ON BOARD FISHING VESSELS

 Global Safety & Health Issues in Fishing  Improving Working & Living Conditions on Board  Peter Hurst  Health & Safety Specialist  Ex Health and Safety Labour Inspector (UK)  Ex ILO hazardous child labour specialist

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IMPROVING SAFETY & HEALTH ON BOARD FISHING VESSELS

 Health & safety problems in fishing on board vessels  Workplace – fishing vessel  Health & safety is about finding SOLUTIONS – improving RISK MANAGEMENT  Saving lives & limbs  Preventing injuries/illness  Health promotion – diet  Safety & health in rural, agricultural communities  Food security

GLOBAL SAFETY & HEALTH ISSUES IN FISHING

Commercial fishing vessels Smaller artisanal fishing vessels Migrant labour Child labour Women involved in fish processing Vulnerable groups

Asian Regional Seminar on Work in FIshing Convention 3

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Global Safety and Health Issues in Fishing  Globally, sea fishing is

• ne of the FOUR most

dangerous occupations  Canada, USA – fatal accident rates are not falling  UK fishers: 1 in 20 chance of being killed

• n the job during the

course of their working lives  “All body parts ache” – Indonesian fisher

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SAFETY & HEALTH ON BOARD FISHING VESSELS

ILO C 188, Article 31. Governments: adopt laws, regulations,

• ther measures on

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) duties of owners, skippers, fishers training accident reporting joint OSH committees

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SAFETY& HEALTH ON BOARD

Article 32: Duties of vessel owners Establish on board safety & health procedures Guidance, training material, information Risk evaluation/assessme nt Safety training for crew

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EXTERNAL FACTORS

Bad weather – rough seas, fog etc. Extreme temperatures Exposure to sun Weather forecasting Other vessels - collisions

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DROWNING  MAIN cause of fatalities in fishing worldwide  Falling into the water  Being swept overboard  Vessel sinking or capsizing  Lack of safety equipment – no safety line in this photo

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DROWNING  Swimming and diving  Lack of emergency rescue procedures

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PHYSICAL, HEAVY, STRENUOUS WORK

Heavy & awkward loads – handling nets, unloading fish etc. Deck in constant motion, wet, slippery Musculoskeletal injuries to muscles, joints, tendons, nerves, bones Risk of permanent injury

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SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS

Crowded decks – ropes, cables, nets Decks wet, slippery, constant motion Lighting & visibility Falls into open fish holds, from ladders, from masts, gantries

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MACHINERY SAFETY

Machinery Safety Winches, hoists etc. No guards No emergency stop buttons Operator should guide the rope with stick not with his hand

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ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & WATER

 Accommodation is critical but often poor  Cramped conditions  Overseas trawlers at sea for long periods  Lack of clean drinking water, washing facilities, and toilets  Contagious disease risks  Lack of facilities for food preparation, food storage

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LIGHTING & VISIBILTY  Internal lighting for fishing work is often not adequate  Increased risk of accidents  Purse seine boats fish at night

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HOURS OF REST & FATIGUE  Fatigue (extreme tiredness) - ill health, increased accident risk  Skippers determine hours of work. Taking into account fatigue etc.  Minimum hours of rest for 3 days+ at sea =  10 hours in any 24 hours  77 hours in any 7 days  Article 14

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FIRST AID & MEDICAL CARE  At least one fisher on board who is trained in first aid, C 188, Art 29  Fishing vessels should carry appropriate medical equipment and supplies  With guidance and instructions in languages used on fishing vessels  Medical advice via radio

• r satellite transmissions

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DISEASES  Skin diseases  Between knife cuts and crushed fingers, skin infections are almost inevitable  Occupational asthma fro breathing in fish protein from fish and shellfish. Fish processing – women & child workers  Communicable diseases – e.g. tuberculosis

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SAFETY EQUIPMENT  Fishing vessels often have no safety equipment or it is poor  C 188 - Every fisher on board is provided with appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment  C188, Article 32

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 ILO C 188, Article 9  16 years (A.9(1))  Some exceptions to allow children of 15 to work  Adolescents  Growth and development – physical, biological, mental and emotional  Bodies, minds and personalities developing  Factor in psychosocial risks – stress, violence etc.

Minimum Age – (Hazardous) Child Labour

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WORKPLACE RISK EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT  Risk Assessment & Management, combined with training, and on board instruction  Employers – vessel

• wners and skippers

 Are responsible for carrying out the workplace risk assessment and implementing any health and safety improvements identified in it

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RISK ASSESSMENT  How to involve the CREW who may be Migrant workers – different languages  Workers know the dangers; have ideas on how to put things right, involved in making the health and safety improvements  On shore, joint health and safety committees

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INSPECTIONS OF WORKING & LIVING CONDITIONS ON BOARD

 Often a “grey area” (C 188, Article 42).  Government function  Overlapping jurisdictions – labour inspectorates, maritime, fishing, navy  Few “inspections” carried

• ut on board vessels

 Certificate of inspection

• f working & living

conditions – + 24 metres,+ 200km, + 3

• days. C 188, Article 41

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FISHING ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANISATIONS

 Key role in improving working & living conditions on board  Vessel owners & skippers - how to help them make health and safety improvements?  How to strengthen cooperation/ coordination between fishing employers and their

• rganisations in the

ASEAN region?

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WORKERS ORGANISATIONS IN FISHING

 How to strengthen the role of trade unions in improving working and living conditions on board?  ITF/IUF – global trade union federations  From Catcher to Counter  Global programme to

• rganise workers in the

fishing industry  ASEAN region?

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IMPROVING WORKING & LIVING CONDITIONS

SAFETY & HEALTH FIRST  Slogan on a deep sea trawler, Sirichai Reefer  Aim is that all boats in the ASEAN fishing fleets will be able to carry a new slogan  SAFETY & HEALTH FIRST for the FISHERS who provide our food