Guidelines for Health and Safety on Board Small Fishing Boats

A lot of the hazards and procedures covered in earlier sections of these guidelines are applicable to any vessel at sea.

There are a number of further hazards that are related to work with fish and the gear we use to work with fish.

This section covers:

• safety when using fishing gear and equipment
• recovering fouled or snagged gear
• safety when using ice
• safety when processing and storing fish
• knife safety
• using lifting gear safely.

The first things to remember are:

• Always wear protective clothing in work areas.
• Always wear personal floatation equipment on board.
• Rigging gear is often tightly strained as it takes on a load. Keep this equipment well maintained and safe. This gear is often exposed to the adverse elements at sea so will deteriorate. It is also often close to work areas and if it gives way people can get hurt.
• Do not wear rings or any other jewellery when you handle nets or other fishing gear.
• Stand clear of running warps and wires so that the vessel’s motion does not throw you onto these wires and ropes.
• Never stand in a bight of rope or wire. It could tighten suddenly and cause a serious injury.
• Be careful where you put your feet, especially where wires, ropes or nets are moving along the deck.
• Don’t stand on parts of the gear lying on the deck when the remaining part is still in the water.
• Use the correct tool to clear a line from the sheave of a block. Don’t risk crushing your fingers.
• Make sure shelving and staging in fish rooms is safe. Pond boards should be piled properly in the fish hold or on deck.
• If you are not required on the working deck – Keep clear
• Watch your head. Don’t stand under a load, or in areas where overhead equipment may swing and cause serious injury.
• Keep your hard hat on at all times.
• Make sure there is good communication between the winch operator and the person driving the boat.
• Keep fish chilled or frozen as much as possible. Keep holds clean of decomposing fish. Wet fish kept in storage consume oxygen and can produce poisonous gases as they spoil. In an enclosed space the atmosphere could eventually become so polluted and deficient in oxygen that it could cause illness or even death to someone breathing it.
• Some fish spikes are extremely dangerous and poisonous. Ensure you wear gloves when handling “spiky” fish. If you scratch or spike yourself on such fish get it cleaned up as soon as you can. Keep a close eye on it in case it goes infectious.
• Fish leave oils on the deck where they have laid. Wash down decks once fish have been cleared off!
• When you handle a large fish share the load with other crew when transferring it or lifting. Minimise the strain on your body by adjusting your position and bending your knees.
• Install guardrails where practical around processing and work areas to allow crew to brace themselves against vessel roll.
• Always place cargo on timber to allow drainage underneath.
• Tie all loads on deck, or in the hold, down securely.
• Stow heavy gear in accessible area so minimal “twisting” is needed, or strain on the body (particularly the back), to access it.
• Stay fit. Fishing is a physical job.
• Do stretches before you start work.