Crabbers’ Responses to Survey:
• Overhalfofthecrabberssaidtheyknewsomeonewhohaddiedfromafalloverboard
• 60%ofcrabbersbelievedPFDsareeffectiveatsavinglives
• Mostcrabbersdidn’tthinkthatPFDsareuncomfortableorinterferewithwork,althoughhalfofthemthoughtPFDscouldbeanentanglementhazard
PFD Evaluation:
Afterthe30dayondeckevaluationofPFDs,crabberspreferredMustangandStearnsInflatableSuspenders.Commentsonthedevicesinclude:
• Didnotconstrictmotionorsnagongear• Didnotinterferewiththeirwork• Wereratedascomfortabletowear
becausetheywerenottightorbulky
Sometimes wear a PFD while working
Always wear a PFD while working
Never wear a PFD while working
12% frequently wear a PFD while working
50%
16%
22%
PFD Use Among Crabbers:
Not too tight
Not bulky
Does not interfere with work
Doesn’t snag on gear
Does not limit motion
PFDs That Work
ResearchersfromtheNIOSHAlaskaPacificOfficeconductedanevaluationwithcommercialfishermenfrom4geargroupstoratethecomfortandacceptabilityofsixmodernpersonalflotationdevices(PFDs).1About200fishermenwere
askedtoevaluateaPFDforonemonthwhileworkingondecksothatwearablePFDscouldbeidentified.ThisdocumentshowswhichPFDswerepreferredbycrabbers.
Stearns Inflatable Suspenders(1339)
CRABBERS
Mustang Inflatable Suspenders(MD3188)
U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesCenters for Disease Control and PreventionNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
To receive NIOSH documents or more information about occupational safety and health topics, please contact NIOSH.Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) | TTY: 1-888-232-6348 | email: [email protected] | www.cdc.gov/niosh For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number: 2013-106, November 20121 Lucas, D., Lincoln, J., Somervell, P., & Teske, T. (2012). Worker satisfaction with personal flotation devices (PFDs) in the fishing industry: Evaluations in actual use. Appl Ergon, 43, 747-752.
For more information on commercial fishing safety research at NIOSH visit: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fishing
Recommendations for all FishermenTherearemanymodelsandstylesofPFDsavailabletodaythataredesignedforcommercialfishing.WhenchoosingaPFDtryonavarietyofstylesandmodelstofindtheonethatworksbestforthetypeofworktobedone.ThebestPFDistheonethatiswornondeck!
All vessel operators should have a PFD policy for their crew.
Examples of PFD polices include:
• PFDsmustbeworn100%ofthetimeondeck• PFDsmustbewornwhenclimbingthestack• PFDsmustbewornwhencrossingariverbar• PFDsmustbewornwhentheweatherturnsbad
Whateveryourpolicyis,writeitdown,postit,andmakethecrewawareofit.
Background on PFD Study in Alaska Fisheries
Everyyearfishermendiefromfallingoverboard;itisthesecondleadingcauseofdeathforfishermennationwide.From2000to2011,182U.S.commercialfishermendrownedafterfallingoverboard.NoneoftheworkerswerewearingaPersonalFlotationDevice(PFD),and
manywerewithinminutesofbeingrescuedwhentheylosttheirstrength,sank,anddrowned.ThosedeathscouldhavebeenpreventedifthefishermenhadbeenwearingaPFD.
MarinesafetyexpertshavelearnedthatsomeofthemostcommonobjectionstowearingaPFDarethattheyarebulky,heavy,hot,andgenerallyuncomfortable.FishermenhavealsoexpressedconcernsthatPFDscouldsnagonfishinggear.Aftera30-dayevaluationofPFDsamong4geartypes(crabbers,trawlers,longliners,andgillnetters)theseobjectionswereaddressedthroughselectingtheproperPFDs.
Personal Flotation Devices Prevent Fishermen Deaths
TheuseoftradenamesandcommercialsourcesisforidentificationpurposesonlyanddoesnotimplyendorsementbytheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH),theCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC),ortheU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(HHS)orimplythatoneproductispreferredbyNIOSH,CDC,orHHSoverotherproductsmanufacturedbyothercompanies.TheproductsidentifiedinthisbrochurearebasedontheresultsofthestudyreferencedbelowwhichwasdesignedtoidentifybarriersandobjectionstoPFDuseandhighlightthePFDfeaturespreferredbystudyparticipants.SixPFDproductsofvaryingstylesandfeatureswereevaluatedbycommercialfishermenfromdifferentvesseltypes.
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