Safety In Numbers

Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis DivisionNorth Pacific Observer Program

A Two-year Analysis of Safety Incidents in the North Pacific Observer Program:

Can Numbers Be Used to Enhance Observer Safety?

Introduction/Overview• Restructured Observer Program in 2013

– Added previously unobserved vessels from 40-60 feet length overall (LOA) in new Partial Coverage Fleets.

– This report analyzes data collected during the first 2 years of implementation for ROP.

• End of deployment observer survey.• Among many topics covered by the survey, it contains safety related

questions, the data from which will be the subject of this examination.

Background, Dataset Limitations• Operational hypothesis: there will be observable differences in

the types and rates of safety incidents reported between different vessels based on coverage rate, vessel size, and gear type.

• Can the data be used to:– demonstrate patterns across the fleets?– learn lessons about vessel and observer safety? – highlight avenues to improve observer safety in the future?

• Some limitations to the data set:– Preliminary information reported by observers:– May not represent all incidents across the various fleets.

Methods• The data used for this study are:

– Marine casualty incident reports.– Other safety issues encountered and reported that may affect the observers’

safety, health, well being.• Data sources examined for:

– Rates of reported safety incidents by coverage sector.– Rates of reported marine casualty incidents by vessel size.– Rates of marine casualty incidents by fishing gear, fishery, and vessel type.

Example Safety Survey Question

Example Safety Survey Question

Example Safety Survey Question

Vessel Marine Casualty Incidents Reported

4820

54

4

171

37

166

86

Vessel Reported Incidents Incidence 2013-2014Σ=541 casualties reported over 82,518 assigned days.0.007 casualties reported per observer assigned day.

A. FireB. FloodingC. Man overboardD. CollisionE. GroundingF. Loss of power (propulsion/electricity)G. Loss of steeringH. Any crew injury beyond regular first aid provided by vessel personnel.I. Gas leaks (refrigerants such as ammonia or Freon)

Assigned Days by Coverage Sector(2013-2014)

• Partial Coverage Stratum 40’-57.4’ (11% Target Coverage Rate): Σ = 2518 days.

• Partial Coverage Stratum >57.4’ (16% Target Coverage Rate): Σ = 5361 days.

• Full Coverage Stratum (100-200% Coverage Rate): Σ = 74639 assigned days.

Reported Lack of Drift/Wheelwatch by Fleet/Coverage Sector

PC 40'-57.4' (~11%) PC> 57.4' (~16%) FC 124'-272' (100-200%)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

11

15

7

2013-2014 Reported Lack of Drift Watch by Coverage Sector

PC FC0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2013

2014

17

6

9

1

Drift Watch Reports by Sector

Rate of Wheelwatch Reports by Coverage Sector

• Rate determined by dividing number of reported incidents by observer assigned days.

• Vessel selection (11/2518) = 0.437%• Trip Selection (15/5361) = 0.280%• Full Coverage (7/74639)= 0.009%

PC 40'-57.4' PC >57.4' FC 124'-272'0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%0.25%0.30%0.35%0.40%0.45%0.50%

Fire

Flooding

Man Overb

oard

Collision

Grounding

Loss

of Power

Loss

of Steerin

g

Crew Injury

Gas Leaks

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

PC 40'-57.4' (~11%)

FC (100-200%

)1 1 1 18

3 1

2 1 211

7 61

45

18

4 4 1

152

27

159

85

Reported Casualties by Coverage Sector 2013-2014

PC 40'-57.4' (~11%) PC >57.4' (~16%) FC (100-200%)

Casualty Rate Comparisons Partial And Full Coverage Fleets

Fire

Flooding

Man Ove

rboard

Collision

Grounding

Loss

of Power

Loss

of stee

ring

Crew In

jury

Gas Le

aks

0.0000000

0.0005000

0.0010000

0.0015000

0.0020000

0.0025000

0.0030000

0.0035000

PC 40'-57.4' (11%)

PC >57.4' (16%)

FC (100-200%)

0.0003971 0.0003971 0.0003971 0.0003971

0.0031771

0.0011914

0.0003971

0.00037310.0001865

0.0003731

0.0020519

0.0013057

0.0011192

0.0001865

0.0006029

0.0002411

0.0000535 0.0000535

0.0000133

0.0020364

0.0003617

0.0021302

0.0011388

Reported Casualty Rates Between Sector, 2013-2014 (Normalized by Assigned Days)

PC 40'-57.4' (11%) PC >57.4' (16%) FC (100-200%)Fire Flooding Man

OverboardCollision Grounding Loss of

powerLoss of

steeringCrew Injury Gas leaks

0

0.0005

0.001

0.0015

0.002

0.0025

PC

FC

0.0003807

0.0002538

0.0001269

0.0003807

0.0024114

0.0012691

0.0008884

0.0001269

0.0006029

0.0002411

0.0000535 0.00005350.0000133

0.0020364

0.0003617

0.0021302

0.0011388

PC Combined Casualty Report Rate2013-2014

Results/DiscussionWheelwatch infraction reports

Much higher report rate in Partial Coverage fleets (~35x)

Grounding reports

Much higher report rate in PC (~29x)

Loss of steering reports

~3.5x higher report rate in PC fleet

Man overboard reports

~2x higher reported rate in the PC fleet

Loss of Power reports

Relatively even report rates across coverage sectors

Flooding reports

Relatively even rates across coverage sectors

Collision reports

Very low rate, slightly higher report rate in FC fleets.

Fire reports

~1.6x higher report rate in FC fleets

Crew injury/illness reports

~2.5x higher report rate in FC fleets

Gas leak reports

~9x higher report rate in FC fleets

Conclusions• The NPGHOP has an excellent system in place for collecting

safety and deployment related data via observer surveys, enabling dissemination of data to external agencies for investigations, and studies such as this to be performed.

• This can result in continually improving observer safety through fleet education, improvements to safety and sampling gear, and observer training.

• More years of data can continue to be analyzed in the future in an ongoing effort to promote observer safety on board the commercial fishing vessels in our fleets.

Questions?

Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis DivisionNorth Pacific Observer Program

Thanks to: • Chris Rilling• Brian Mason• Liz Chilton• Ren Narita

• Andy Kingham• Mike Moon• Craig Faunce

• Heather Weikart• Jennifer Cahalan