An ergonomic assessment of small boat lobster fishing.

Duguid, Ashley; Vosper, Helen

Abstract

Fishing is a high-risk occupation: among these risks is the high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal injury. While the industry is regulated world-wide, the safety focus is on larger vessels, which is significant given that the vast majority of commercial fishing is carried out by crews using smaller vessels. There is also very little research investigating impact of such activity on the health and wellbeing of small boat fishers. Given that such operations are less industrialised and involve strenuous physical labour over long hours, this area deserves further study. This paper describes a case study of small boat lobster fishing off the North East coast of Scotland. A flexible approach combined task and postural analysis with qualitative data, identifying task elements posing particular risks to musculoskeletal health and suggesting strategies for risk reduction.

Citation

DUGUID, A. and VOSPER, H. 2019. An ergonomic assessment of small boat lobster fishing. In Charles, R. and Golightly, D. (eds) Contemporary ergonomics and human factors 2019: proceedings of the Ergonomics and human factors 2019 (EHF 2019), 29 April - 1 May 2019, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. Birmingham : CIEHF [online]. Available from: https://publications.ergonomics.org.uk/publications/an-ergonomic-assessment-of-small-boat-lobster-fishing.html

• Conference Name: 2019 Ergonomics and human factors conference (EHF 2019)
• Conference Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Uk
• Start Date: Apr 29, 2019
• End Date: May 1, 2019
• Acceptance Date: Jan 25, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Sep 7, 2019
• Publication Date: Sep 8, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 16, 2019
• Publisher: Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors
• Book Title: Contemporary ergonomics and human factors 2019: proceedings of the Ergonomics and human factors 2019 (EHF 2019), 29 April - 1 May 2019, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK.
• ISBN: 9781999652715
• Keywords: Small boat lobster fishing; OWAS; REBA; RULA; Strain index
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/249319
• Publisher URL: https://publications.ergonomics.org.uk/publications/an-ergonomic-assessment-of-small-boat-lobster-fishing.html