Work-related lost time accidents in deep-sea fishermen

To evaluate the problem of work-related accidents and injuries in fishermen, a survey was conducted among crews of deep-sea fishing trawlers-factory ships of 3 large fishing companies, covering the period of 10 years (1977-1986). In the surveyed population of 10,475 men and a control group of 4,073 workers employed on shore, there were altogether 1,688 work-related accidents recorded, including 33 fatal accidents. Their incidence was 16.54 per 1000 per year (0.32 fatal cases per 1000 men per year). In the control group (n = 4,073 workers), the incidence was 27.98 per 1000 men (0.03 fatal accidents per 1000). There were more accidents recorded in the control group, than in fishermen. But the incidence of fatal cases was about 10 times higher among fishermen than among workers employed on shore. Among 33 fatal cases in fishermen, there were 12 cases of drowning, 6--injuries, 2--intoxications, 1--burn, and 12 cases sudden death at sea considered as "work-related accidents".