Improving Dungeness crab vessel equipment: an ergonomic intervention to reduce risk for musculoskeletal injuries and falls overboard

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Abstract While the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery one of the most valuable fisheries in the region, the commercial fishermen suffer from a high prevalence and incident rates of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. Previous research suggests that the majority of these injuries occurs with deckhands and while handling fishing gear. Our current NIOSH-funded study in the Dungeness crab fleet indicates that the crab sorting table (after the crab is harvested, they must be sorted and placed into a hold) and block (a mechanized winch to pull the lines of crab pots) could pose substantial risk for musculoskeletal (due to non-neutral posture) and fatal (fall overboard due to loss of balance) injuries. However, stakeholders’ feedback indicates that there are currently no evidence-based design recommendations for sorting tables and blocks, which they would welcome. Therefore, our proposed research study will 1) quantify the impact of the current sorting table and block design on injury risk and 2) identify critical and evidence-based design recommendations for the sorting table and block to reduce risk for musculoskeletal injuries (the most common type of non-fatal injuries) and falls overboard (a leading cause for fatalities). Upon the successful study completion, the expected outcome is evidence-based design recommendations for the sorting table and block that will be disseminated to the commercial fishermen, vessel owners, and equipment fabricators for broader adoption. The long-term anticipated impact our proposed research is improved occupational health and safety of commercial fishermen by reducing non-fatal (musculoskeletal disorders) injuries and fatality (fall-related injuries), which also support the current NOFO purpose and NORA priorities.