2013/09

The fisherman was dragged over board despite the fact that the vessel owners had identified the setting of nets as a risk operation and introduced procedures for two fishermen to be present to watch out for each other in the rope room Following the accident, the vessel owners still cannot perceive of a solution other than that the fishermen must be extra vigilant during the operation. The AIBN finds that the arrangement and the working conditions in the rope room exposed the fishermen to an unacceptable high risk of being caught in the anchor rope. This is assumed to be a problem that also applies to other vessel owners as overboard accidents at sea account for 28% of all fatal accidents in the fishing fleet, and the setting of nets, trawls and purse seines alone account for 35% of all personal accidents.

The Accident Investigation Board Norway recommends that the vessel owners introduce permanent, physical measures to prevent the risk of fishermen being dragged overboard while setting nets and other fishing activities. This safety recommendation is also addressed to fishing smacks and other fishing vessel owners.

On board the vessel, the safety of the fishermen was to an unnecessary degree dependant on operational barriers and the fishermen's own vigilance. This was one of many overboard accidents in the fishing fleet that have occurred as a consequence of getting one's foot caught in a rope or other fishing gear. Like previous investigations, this investigation has shown that the possibility of owners incorporating effective built-in physical safety barriers is reduced by limited access to examples of good layout solutions, insufficient attention on the part of the authorities to the fishermen's working conditions during fishing operations, few fishing-technical requirements and the fact that there are few requirements for risk analyses during the design/construction phase. Accident statistics show that most personal accidents at sea occur while fishing. As much as 35% of all the accidents occur while setting/pulling nets, trawls, purse seines or working with other types of fishing gear.

The Accident Investigation Board Norway recommends that the Norwegian Maritime Authority collaborate with the industry, research community and other competent environments to assess measures that can help to support and influence fishing vessel owners to implement physical measures/arrangements to establish barriers that can prevent accidents in connection with fishing operations.