Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry
Background: The US commercial fishing industry is hazardous, as measured by mortality data. However, research on non-fatal injuries is limited. Non-fatal injuries constitute the majority of occupational injuries and can result in workers’ lowered productivity and wages, lost quality of life, and dis...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f4648a8e48df4a74858e3c78715a4245 2023-05-15T15:15:09+02:00 Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry Laura N. Syron Devin L. Lucas Viktor E. Bovbjerg Jeffrey W. Bethel Laurel D. Kincl 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 https://doaj.org/article/f4648a8e48df4a74858e3c78715a4245 EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/view/30070/pdf_55 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 https://doaj.org/article/f4648a8e48df4a74858e3c78715a4245 International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 75, Iss 0, Pp 1-10 (2016) occupational safety non-fatal injuries commercial fishing Alaska work process Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 2022-12-30T20:46:24Z Background: The US commercial fishing industry is hazardous, as measured by mortality data. However, research on non-fatal injuries is limited. Non-fatal injuries constitute the majority of occupational injuries and can result in workers’ lowered productivity and wages, lost quality of life, and disability. In the United States, a Work Process Classification System (WPCS) has previously been applied in Alaskan freezer-trawl and freezer-longline fleets to identify causes of injuries and specific hazards, but not to other fishing fleets. Objectives: This descriptive epidemiologic study aimed to explore the application and modification of the WPCS in multiple Alaskan fleets, characterize non-fatal occupational injuries in these fleets, and identify work processes that could be targeted for further investigation and future injury prevention efforts. Design: Traumatic, non-fatal injuries on-board Alaskan commercial fishing vessels were identified through United States Coast Guard investigative reports. Characteristics of injuries, as well as worker characteristics, were analysed. Injuries were coded using the WPCS. Results: We successfully utilized the WPCS to code non-fatal injury cases (n = 136). The most frequent main work processes associated with non-fatal injuries included: on-board trawlers, handling frozen fish and processing the catch; on-board vessels using pot/trap gear, handling the gear and shooting/setting the gear; on-board longliners, traffic on board and hauling the gear; and on-board processor vessels, processing the catch, other work with the catch, and handling frozen fish. Conclusions: The study confirmed that a WPCS can be applied to multiple Alaskan fleets to identify hazardous tasks. Hazards were unique for each vessel gear type. Future injury prevention efforts should target work processes associated with the most frequent and most severe injuries. Future studies should establish time estimates for work processes in order to determine risk estimates. Efforts to improve non-fatal injury ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic International Journal of Circumpolar Health 75 1 30070 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
occupational safety non-fatal injuries commercial fishing Alaska work process Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
spellingShingle |
occupational safety non-fatal injuries commercial fishing Alaska work process Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Laura N. Syron Devin L. Lucas Viktor E. Bovbjerg Jeffrey W. Bethel Laurel D. Kincl Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
topic_facet |
occupational safety non-fatal injuries commercial fishing Alaska work process Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
Background: The US commercial fishing industry is hazardous, as measured by mortality data. However, research on non-fatal injuries is limited. Non-fatal injuries constitute the majority of occupational injuries and can result in workers’ lowered productivity and wages, lost quality of life, and disability. In the United States, a Work Process Classification System (WPCS) has previously been applied in Alaskan freezer-trawl and freezer-longline fleets to identify causes of injuries and specific hazards, but not to other fishing fleets. Objectives: This descriptive epidemiologic study aimed to explore the application and modification of the WPCS in multiple Alaskan fleets, characterize non-fatal occupational injuries in these fleets, and identify work processes that could be targeted for further investigation and future injury prevention efforts. Design: Traumatic, non-fatal injuries on-board Alaskan commercial fishing vessels were identified through United States Coast Guard investigative reports. Characteristics of injuries, as well as worker characteristics, were analysed. Injuries were coded using the WPCS. Results: We successfully utilized the WPCS to code non-fatal injury cases (n = 136). The most frequent main work processes associated with non-fatal injuries included: on-board trawlers, handling frozen fish and processing the catch; on-board vessels using pot/trap gear, handling the gear and shooting/setting the gear; on-board longliners, traffic on board and hauling the gear; and on-board processor vessels, processing the catch, other work with the catch, and handling frozen fish. Conclusions: The study confirmed that a WPCS can be applied to multiple Alaskan fleets to identify hazardous tasks. Hazards were unique for each vessel gear type. Future injury prevention efforts should target work processes associated with the most frequent and most severe injuries. Future studies should establish time estimates for work processes in order to determine risk estimates. Efforts to improve non-fatal injury ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Laura N. Syron Devin L. Lucas Viktor E. Bovbjerg Jeffrey W. Bethel Laurel D. Kincl |
author_facet |
Laura N. Syron Devin L. Lucas Viktor E. Bovbjerg Jeffrey W. Bethel Laurel D. Kincl |
author_sort |
Laura N. Syron |
title |
Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
title_short |
Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
title_full |
Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
title_fullStr |
Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
title_full_unstemmed |
Utility of a Work Process Classification System for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry |
title_sort |
utility of a work process classification system for characterizing non-fatal injuries in the alaskan commercial fishing industry |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 https://doaj.org/article/f4648a8e48df4a74858e3c78715a4245 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
op_source |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 75, Iss 0, Pp 1-10 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/view/30070/pdf_55 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 https://doaj.org/article/f4648a8e48df4a74858e3c78715a4245 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.30070 |
container_title |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
container_volume |
75 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
30070 |
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