Affiliations: [a] National Institute for Working Life/West, G\"oteborg, Sweden | [b] Lindholmen Development, G\"oteborg, Sweden
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Marianne T\"orner, Institute for Working Life/West, P.O. Box 8850, SE-402 72 G\"oteborg, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to make a thorough inventory of all serious accidents in Swedish fishery, reported to the Swedish Labour Market No-fault Liability Insurance, July 1983--June 1995 (431 cases, corresponding to a yearly rate of 12 per 1000 fishermen). No age group was over represented among the victims of such serious accidents. The most accident-prone activity was hauling of the trawl and the most common contacts in connection to this were getting jammed by a wire or hit by a falling object/receiving a blow by an object. The second most common activity at the time of accident was repair work/work by the wharf, often connected to the contacts pricks or cuts or falls. Falls to the same level was the most common contact over all, followed by falls to a lower level. The most frequent mechanism behind the accidents was working in an exposed position, and second most common was slipping. Hands and wrists were most commonly injured. The median value for sick listing due to serious injury in occupational accidents in fishery, was 48 days. Approximately one third of the victims suffered permanent disability (mean degree 7%). Trawl fishing was over represented in serious accidents. Half of the accidents occurred on deck. January had the highest portion of accidents (14%) followed by October and November (10% each). The most accident-prone time of day was 9.30--10.30 am.
