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: cdcinfo@cdc.gov | 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.