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Fulmer S, Scott E, Punnett L, Buchholz B. Using Participatory Ergonomics to Improve Health and Safety in Commercial Lobstering in the United States: 2 Case Studies. New Solut 2022; 32:132-143. [PMID: 35505621 DOI: 10.1177/10482911221096774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The lobster-harvesting industry has a high occupational injury incidence compared to land-based industries. Participatory ergonomics methods were used to partner with lobstermen to develop and implement ergonomic improvements. The model included training in ergonomics principles, a forum for ergonomics discussions, and a sequence of meetings planned to focus on problem identification, intervention, evaluation, and dissemination of findings. One crew initiated 3 specific actions: the introduction of a conveyor belt to assist material handling at a local lobstering pier, the installation of a star block at the space for hauling traps onto the boat, and the initiation of a design process for improved mechanical assistance for hauling traps onto the boat. The other crew took action to reduce force and postural exposures by creating a short video intended to disseminate ergonomic ideas to other lobstermen. The influence of important cultural norms was observed for future research and development in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Fulmer
- 14710University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Erika Scott
- Northeast Center for Occupational Health & Safety, Cooperstown, NY, USA
| | - Laura Punnett
- 14710University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Bryan Buchholz
- 14710University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
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Characteristics of lumbar disc degeneration and risk factors for collapsed lumbar disc in Korean farmers and fishers. Ann Occup Environ Med 2021; 33:e16. [PMID: 34754477 PMCID: PMC8203835 DOI: 10.35371/aoem.2021.33.e16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Few studies have investigated the risk factors for lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration among hard physical workers involved in heavy lifting. In this study, we aimed to identify the characteristics of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and evaluate the relationship between collapsed lumbar disc and potential risk factors in farmers and fishers. Methods This study included 203 farmers (103 men and 100 women) and 166 fishers (95 men and 71 women) aged 40–69 years who had undergone lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and were enrolled in the Korea Farmer's Knee Cohort and the Jeonnam Fishers' Cohort. We evaluated each of the 5 lumbar discs using the Pfirrmann grading system and classified collapsed lumbar intervertebral disc (cLD) as a case with ≥ 1 grade 5 at any disc level. We investigated potential risk factors, such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), working hours per day, working months per year, and cumulative heavy lifting working time (CLWT). The odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results The prevalence of cLD was 19.8% (23.7% among fishers, 21.2% among fishers with farming, and 17.2% among farmers). cLD correlated with factors such as age and occupation. Gender, CLWT and the working time matrix were not significantly associated with cLD. The OR of cLD adjusted by gender, age, BMI, and working time matrix was 1.26 (95% CI: 0.69–2.30) for ≥ 5,000 hours CLWT compared to that for < 2,000 hours CLWT. The OR of cLD adjusted by gender, age, BMI, CLWT, and working time matrix was 2.08 (95% CI: 1.06–4.06) for fishers compared to that for farmers. Conclusions Heavy lifting did not show a significant association with cLD in farmers and fishers. However, there is possibility that fishers are at a higher risk of lumbar disc collapse than farmers.
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Burella G, Moro L. A Comparative Study of the Methods to Assess Occupational Noise Exposures of Fish Harvesters. Saf Health Work 2020; 12:230-237. [PMID: 34178401 PMCID: PMC8209409 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Noise-induced hearing loss is a well-known occupational disease that affects many fish harvesters from many fisheries worldwide, whose risk factor is prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels. To date, academic research activities and regulatory bodies have not provided any comparative analysis among the existing methods to assess noise exposure levels of fish harvesters. This paper provides a comparison of four relevant assessment methods of noise exposure, examining the results of a measurement campaign performed onboard small fishing vessels from Newfoundland and Labrador. Methods We traveled onboard 11 vessels engaged in multiple fisheries from Newfoundland and Labrador and performed extensive noise exposure surveys using the simplified International Maritime Organization method, the full-day measurement method, and the two methods provided by ISO 9612:2009, the task-based method and job-based method (JBM). Results The results showed that the four methods yield similar values when the noise components are dominated by the engine and auxiliaries (steady-state sources); when noise components are dominated by the fishing gear, task-based method and the simplified International Maritime Organization method estimates are less accurate than JBM, using full-day measurements as baseline. Conclusion The JBM better assesses noise exposure in small-scale fisheries, where noise exposure has significant variance and uncertainties on the exposure levels are higher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Burella
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X5, Canada
| | - Lorenzo Moro
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X5, Canada.,SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
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Fulmer S, Buchholz B, Jenkins P, Scribani M. Injuries and Exposure to Time Lobstering in Northeast US Inshore Lobster Fleet. J Agromedicine 2019; 24:333-340. [DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2019.1645780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Fulmer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Bryan Buchholz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Paul Jenkins
- The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Bassett Research Institute, Bassett Healthcare Network, Cooperstown, NY, USA
| | - Melissa Scribani
- The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Bassett Research Institute, Bassett Healthcare Network, Cooperstown, NY, USA
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Øren A, Thorvaldsen T, Sandsund M, Holmen IM. Sickness Absence and Hospitalization among Workers on Board Norwegian Fishing Vessels. J Agromedicine 2019; 24:357-363. [PMID: 31280693 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2019.1640150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Background: All over the world, commercial fishing is known to be a hazardous occupation. Although several causal analyses of occupational accidents have been published in recent years, knowledge of the prevalence of sick leave, diagnosis and hospitalization among workers on board Norwegian fishing vessels is still sparse.Objective: The objective of this study is to provide new knowledge about the prevalence of doctor-certified sick leave among Norwegian fishers compared to an age- and gender-matched control population. A comparison of diagnoses and hospitalizations between these groups is also presented.Methods: A sample of fishers (n = 25,971) was selected by Statistics Norway (SSB), based on occupation as fishers in 2008-2013. An age- and gender-matched control population (n = 77,913) was also selected. Outpatient consultation and hospitalization data were received from the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR).Results: Fishers have significantly lower rates of sick leave than the general working population as a whole, but a significantly higher rate sick leave than an age- and gender-matched control population. The most common cause of sick leave in both fishers and controls was musculoskeletal problems. Fishers had a higher number of hospital stays than the control group; the stays were more often unscheduled and lasted longer than those of the control group.Conclusion: The results emphasize the continued need for preventive occupational health strategies in the fishing industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Øren
- SINTEF Digital, Dept. of Software Engineering, Safety and Security, Trondheim, Norway
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Masterson EA, Themann CL, Calvert GM. Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers within the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector, 2003-2012. Am J Ind Med 2018; 61:42-50. [PMID: 29152771 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed US workers within the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting (AFFH) sector. METHODS Audiograms for 1.4 million workers (17 299 within AFFH) from 2003 to 2012 were examined. Prevalence, and the adjusted risk for hearing loss as compared with the reference industry (Couriers and Messengers), were estimated. RESULTS The overall AFFH sector prevalence was 15% compared to 19% for all industries combined, but many of the AFFH sub-sectors exceeded the overall prevalence. Forestry sub-sector prevalences were highest with Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products at 36% and Timber Tract Operations at 22%. The Aquaculture sub-sector had the highest adjusted risk of all AFFH sub-sectors (PR = 1.70; CI = 1.42-2.04). CONCLUSIONS High risk industries within the AFFH sector need continued hearing conservation efforts. Barriers to hearing loss prevention and early detection of hearing loss need to be recognized and addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Masterson
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cincinnati Ohio
| | - Christa L. Themann
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cincinnati Ohio
| | - Geoffrey M. Calvert
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cincinnati Ohio
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to report on the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in lobstermen in the northeast USA. METHODS Crews were randomly selected from those licensed to fish in Maine and Massachusetts and followed prospectively. The survey used a Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire format to characterize musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS A total of 395 individuals participated. One half of the respondents reported low back pain. Back pain was attributed to or exacerbated by lobstering. Low back pain was prevalent among both captains and sternmen, while sternmen reported more hand/wrist pain than captains. Multiple locations for pain were common in individual participants. CONCLUSION Equipment or technology to assist material handling should be a priority, as the body segments with high prevalence of pain (back, hand/wrists, shoulders, knees) are all affected by the repetitive and forceful handling of the lobster traps.
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Bloswick DS, Dzugan J. Ergonomics Training in the Commercial Fishing Industry: Emerging Issues and Gaps in Knowledge. J Agromedicine 2014; 19:87-9. [DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2014.910063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Quandt SA, Kucera KL, Haynes C, Klein BG, Langley R, Agnew M, Levin JL, Howard T, Nussbaum MA. Occupational health outcomes for workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector: implications for immigrant workers in the southeastern US. Am J Ind Med 2013; 56:940-59. [PMID: 23450720 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Workers in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (AgFF) sector experience exposures directly related to the work itself, as well as the physical environment in which the work occurs. Health outcomes vary from immediate to delayed, and from acute to chronic. METHODS We reviewed existing literature on the health outcomes of work in the AgFF sector and identified areas where further research is needed to understand the impact of these exposures on immigrant Latino workers in the southeastern US. RESULTS Outcomes related to specific body systems (e.g., musculoskeletal, respiratory) as well as particular exposure sources (e.g., pesticides, noise) were reviewed. The most extensive evidence exists for agriculture, with a particular focus on chemical exposures. Little research in the southeastern US has examined health outcomes of exposures of immigrant workers in forestry or fisheries. CONCLUSION As the AgFF labor force includes a growing number of Latino immigrants, more research is needed to characterize a broad range of exposures and health outcomes experienced by this population, particularly in forestry and fisheries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristen L. Kucera
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Department of Community and Family Medicine; Duke University; Durham; North Carolina
| | - Courtney Haynes
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Bradley G. Klein
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology; Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Ricky Langley
- Division of Public Health; North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; Raleigh; North Carolina
| | - Michael Agnew
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Jeffrey L. Levin
- Department of Occupational Health Sciences; University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler; Tyler; Texas
| | | | - Maury A. Nussbaum
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Virginia
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Kucera KL, Lipscomb HJ. Assessment of Physical Risk Factors for the Shoulder Using the Posture, Activity, Tools, and Handling (PATH) Method in Small-Scale Commercial Crab Pot Fishing. J Agromedicine 2010; 15:394-404. [DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2010.511967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Kucera KL, Loomis D, Lipscomb HJ, Marshall SW, Mirka GA, Daniels JL. Ergonomic risk factors for low back pain in North Carolina crab pot and gill net commercial fishermen. Am J Ind Med 2009; 52:311-21. [PMID: 19148898 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this research was to determine the association between LBP that limited or interrupted fishing work and ergonomic low back stress measured by (1) self-reported task and (2) two ergonomic assessment methods of low back stress. METHODS Eligible participants were from a cohort of North Carolina commercial fishermen followed for LBP in regular clinic visits from 1999 to 2001 (n = 177). Work history, including crab pot and gill net fishing task frequency, was evaluated in a telephone questionnaire (n = 105). Ergonomic exposures were measured in previous study of 25 fishermen using two methods. The occurrence rate of LBP that limited or interrupted fishing work since last visit (severe LBP) was evaluated in a generalized Poisson regression model. RESULTS Predictors of severe LBP included fishing with crew members and a previous history of severe LBP. Among crab pot and gill net fishermen (n = 89), running pullers or net reels, sorting catch, and unloading catch were associated with an increased rate of LBP. Percent of time in forces >20 lb while in non-neutral trunk posture, spine compression >3,400 N, and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health lifting indices >3.0 were associated with LBP. CONCLUSIONS Tasks characterized by higher (unloading boat and sorting catch) and lower (running puller or net reel) ergonomic low back stress were associated with the occurrence of severe LBP. History of LBP, addition of crew members, and self-selection out of tasks were likely important contributors to the patterns of low back stress and outcomes we observed. Based on the results of this study, a participatory ergonomic intervention study is currently being conducted to develop tools and equipment to decrease low back stress in commercial crab pot fishing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Kucera
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA.
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Kucera KL, Mirka GA, Loomis D, Marshall SW, Lipscomb HJ, Daniels J. Evaluating ergonomic stresses in North Carolina commercial crab pot and gill net fishermen. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2008; 5:182-196. [PMID: 18213532 DOI: 10.1080/15459620701873514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
There are challenges in evaluating physical demands of commercial fishing, including identifying sources of exposure variability. Low back biomechanical stresses associated with crab pot and gill net fishing were estimated; the variability was partitioned between and within fishing type, crew size, job title, and worker to improve understanding of risk factors for low back injury. The authors observed 162 person-hours of work among 25 North Carolina commercial fishermen on 16 crews. Postures and forces during fishing tasks were measured through direct and indirect observation using two methods to determine the percentage of time fishermen were exposed to high levels of low back stress. A multilevel linear model estimated exposure variability for the dependent variables by four nesting variables: fishing type, crew size, job title, and worker. Fishermen set and pulled crab pots or gill nets for 80% of the workday. Twenty-five percent of that time was spent handling gear. For both fishing types, handling heavy loads produced high peak compression values (3586 N to 5315 N) and high NIOSH lifting index values (3.3 to 5.4), but these tasks represent a small percentage of the overall work time (0 to 14%). The majority of exposure variation in non-neutral trunk posture and/or force > 9 kg, handling materials, NIOSH Lifting Index > 1, and Lumbar Motion Monitor probability of high-risk group membership > 70% was accounted for by fishing type (range 60 to 91%). Crew size was not an important source of variability for these six variables when fishing type and job title were accounted for in the model; but in the model restricted to crab pot fishing, crew size accounted for 51 to 88% of the variability in low back stress. For both models, job title comprised the majority of exposure variability for NIOSH Lifting Index > 3.0 (46 and 65%) and worker comprised the majority of variability for spine compression > 3400 N (54 and 65%). The magnitude and duration of musculoskeletal loads experienced by fishermen vary by the type of fishing and the tasks performed by the worker. Understanding this variability may help researchers target ergonomic interventions for this work population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Kucera
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University, 2200 W. Main St., Suite 400, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
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McDonald MA, Kucera KL. Understanding non-industrialized workers' approaches to safety: how do commercial fishermen "stay safe"? JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2007; 38:289-97. [PMID: 17617238 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2006.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2006] [Accepted: 10/30/2006] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Commercial fishing is carried out worldwide, often in non-industrialized forms, and is associated with high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injury. PROBLEM Fishermen who work independently in non-industrialized settings do not have access to union or industry sponsored safety services and must make their own decisions about safety practices. Learning the meaning of safety for them and the safety measures they employ is important before developing interventions. METHODS Two fieldworkers conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews with 31 commercial fishermen in North Carolina. Interviews and fieldnotes were analyzed using QSR N5. RESULTS Fishermen primarily related staying safe to work practices and attitudes. They identified specific safety measures, appropriate gear and boat maintenance, weather decisions, and working cooperatively when ocean fishing. DISCUSSION The ethnographic research process can produce information about a group's norms of preventive behavior and safety concerns. Knowledge of workers' concepts and practices will inform researchers' inquiries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Anne McDonald
- Division of Community Health, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC Box 2914, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Jensen OC, Stage S, Noer P. Classification and coding of commercial fishing injuries by work processes: an experience in the Danish fresh market fishing industry. Am J Ind Med 2005; 47:528-37. [PMID: 15898090 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work-related injuries in commercial fishing are of concern internationally. To better identify the causes of injury, this study coded occupational injuries by working processes in commercial fishing for fresh market fish. METHODS A classification system of the work processes was developed by participation in fishing vessel trips where observations and video recordings of the work operations on board were collected. Subsequently the system was pilot tested using the Danish Maritime Authority injury reports. RESULTS The developed classification system contains 17 main categories and up to 13 sub-categories of the work processes for each of the five different types of fishing. A total of 620 injury reports were reviewed and coded. Five percent (n = 33) of these were fatal injuries. The working processes were identified and coded according to the developed classification system for 553 (89%) injury reports: Danish seiner (n = 83), gill-netter (n = 122), beam trawler (n = 71), twin-trawler 2-T (n = 96), single/pair trawler 1-T (n = 181). Sixty-seven (11%) of the reports were unclassifiable due to lack of information. Preparing, shooting, and hauling of the gear and nets accounted for 50% of the injuries; they were most serious type of injuries such as fractures and sprains. Walking about the ship, in particular embarking and disembarking, climbing and descending ladders accounted for nearly one-fifth of the injuries. CONCLUSION We found that the working processes related to working with the gear and nets vary greatly in the different fishing methods. Coding of the injuries to the specific working processes allows for targeted prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- O C Jensen
- Research Unit of Maritime Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.
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Mirka GA, Shin G, Kucera K, Loomis D. Use of the CABS methodology to assess biomechanical stress in commercial crab fishermen. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2005; 36:61-70. [PMID: 15627423 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2004.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2004] [Revised: 08/08/2004] [Accepted: 08/16/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Commercial fishing is a job characterized by long hours in an unpredictable, dynamic natural environment and variable demands placed on the musculoskeletal system, requiring strength, coordination, and endurance. The focus of this project was in the quantification of the biomechanical stresses placed on the lumbar spine during the work activities of commercial crab fishermen. The continuous assessment of back stress (CABS) methodology was used to develop distributions describing the amount of time that each of the crew members on a two- or three-man crabbing crew spend at various levels of low back stress. The results of this analysis, expressed in terms of time-weighted histograms, show significant inter and intra-crewmember variability in the stress measures during regular daily work activities. For the three man crew, the captain has relatively low stress levels throughout the work day, while the mate performs high force (up to 30 kg), dynamic exertions while pulling the crab pots from the water up into the boat and high loads (20-40 kg) during the loading and unloading of the boat in the morning and evening, respectively. The third man of the crew experiences static awkward postures (forward flexed postures held for up to 5 min at a time) as he sorts and packs the crabs. For the two-man crew, the results show a more even distribution of the high stress activities between the crewmembers. The application of the results of this analysis for prioritization of work tasks for ergonomic intervention is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary A Mirka
- Department of Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University, Box 7906, Raleigh, NC 27695-7906, USA.
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Lipscomb HJ, Loomis D, McDonald MA, Kucera K, Marshall S, Li L. Musculoskeletal symptoms among commercial fishers in North Carolina. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2004; 35:417-426. [PMID: 15246880 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2004.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2003] [Revised: 04/12/2004] [Accepted: 04/30/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Musculoskeletal symptoms were reported by 215 fishermen followed at 6-month intervals over 18 months. Exposure information was collected through field observation and in-depth ethnographic interviews allowing potential ergonomic stressors to be identified and catalogued by task and stage of work. Symptoms causing work interference in the last 12 months were reported by 38.5% of the cohort at baseline. Low back symptoms were the most common cause of work impairment (17.7%), followed equally by pain in the hands or wrists and shoulders (7%). Symptoms in any body region were more likely to have been reported among individuals who did not fish full-time and those who worked other jobs part or all year had significantly lower symptom prevalence; both likely reflect a healthy worker effect. A number of ergonomic stressors were identified in all stages of fishing with exposure variability dictated by some unpredictable factors such as weather; but also by type of boat, gear, crew size, and level of experience. Reducing ergonomic exposures associated with work among these traditional workers is important, regardless of whether they directly cause or contribute to their musculoskeletal symptoms, or aggravate existing pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hester J Lipscomb
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Community and Family Medicine, Box 3834, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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McDonald MA, Loomis D, Kucera KL, Lipscomb HJ. Use of qualitative methods to map job tasks and exposures to occupational hazards for commercial fishermen. Am J Ind Med 2004; 46:23-31. [PMID: 15202122 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding job tasks and estimating occupational exposures is difficult for self-employed or autonomous workers, who tend to be dispersed, with no fixed workplace, employment records, or historical exposure measurements. METHODS We used ethnographic methods to collect work information for southern commercial fishermen. Major activities were mapped using the seasonal round, an anthropological tool that records activities of groups whose lifeways depend on natural cycles. RESULTS Fishermen's work schedules depended on boat size, gear, market fluctuations, and regulations, as well as season. The seasonal round guided the analysis of qualitative data on annual cycles of activities increasing understanding of exposures and their variation. CONCLUSIONS Combined with detailed exposure information this framework for organizing and categorizing seasonal activities could improve accuracy of exposure information and guide quantitative analysis in work settings that challenge standard exposure assessment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Anne McDonald
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
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Jensen OC, Stage S, Noer P, Kaerlev L. Classification of working processes to facilitate occupational hazard coding on industrial trawlers. Am J Ind Med 2003; 44:424-30. [PMID: 14502771 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.10292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Commercial fishing is an extremely dangerous economic activity. In order to more accurately describe the risks involved, a specific injury coding based on the working process was developed. METHOD Observation on six different types of vessels was conducted and allowed a description and a classification of the principal working processes on all kinds of vessels and a detailed classification for industrial trawlers. In industrial trawling, fish are landed for processing purposes, for example, for the production of fish oil and fish meal. The classification was subsequently used to code the injuries reported to the Danish Maritime Authority over a 5-year period. RESULTS On industrial trawlers, 374 of 394 (95%) injuries were captured by the classification. Setting out and hauling in the gear and nets were the processes with the most injuries and accounted for 58.9% of all injuries. A relatively large number of injuries occurred when embarking and disembarking. Specific risks were identified in a number of other working processes. CONCLUSION Specific areas for risk prevention in fishery may be identified by using a detailed classification system that takes both the specific method of fishing and the working processes into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf C Jensen
- Research Unit of Maritime Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark.
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