This section deals with hazards that are unique to
trawling operations. Specific hazards and procedures relating to trawl
operations are show below:
- Wear personal
floatation devices (lifejackets) and hard hats when working trawl gear.
- Keep clear of the trawl area when fishing gear is
being either payed away (shot) or hauled in. There are a range of items that
can easily catch and injure you, particularly as the gear deploys (i.e. nets,
lines, net mesh and floats).
- Watch for loose headline floats when working around
the net roller during shooting or hauling. This happens when there is uneven tension on the trawl when winding the
net on to the roller.
- Stand clear from rigging blocks when the load is on
the wire passing through them. Never stand underneath them!
- The particular blocks and wires (warps, sweeps,
bridles, lazy wires etc) that carry the load are always changing as the
operation moves from shooting, to fishing, to hauling and so on. You must
continually re-assess the safety of the position you are standing in to make sure
you are not in the line of fire if any part of the gear fails.
- Check the condition of shackles, hammerlocks,
swivels, wire and chain regularly. Do
this when you can between shots and during shooting and hauling.
- Keep clear of the warps!
- Keep tension on all parts of the trawl when winding
on the net roller.
- Codend knots and codend clips sometimes jam – take
care when trying to free them particularly if the bag is moving. When you use a
surge drum to assist, be careful – you could break the codend rope if there is too
much weight on the rope.
- Stand clear of the direct line of pull of your winch.
You will be out of the way if the wire snaps when it is under pressure.
- Watch out for sprags on splices of warps and bridles
and extensions. These may cut you or catch your gloves or clothes.
- When the net is hauled in either over the side or
the stern - keep clear. The net full of fish is a dead weight. If it moves
suddenly it could knock you against part of the boat or cause you to loose
balance and fall.
Don’t
attempt to lift too much!
- Don’t over estimate the safe working load of your
lifting equipment.
- A net full of fish being lifted over the side or
stern seriously affects the stability of the boat. Make sure you can safely
lift the weight of fish in the sea and weather conditions at the time.
- Putting the last lift on
to the deck without putting fish below can tip the boat over - know the
capacities of the boat in terms of how much fish can safely be put on the deck
at any one time
- Take care when splitting the net as loose netting
and line can get caught in the rudder or propeller.
- If you are working around the net ensure the winch
driver can see you and is fully aware of what you are doing. Make sure any hand
signals you use are clear and that everyone uses the same hand signals.
- Avoid stepping over lines that are being worked.
- When trawl doors are recovered keep well clear until
they are hard against the boat and their movement has stopped.
- Make sure there is clear communication with the
winch driver when hooking or unhooking the trawl doors.
- Watch out, particularly in rough weather, as the
boards may be flung inboard of the gantry.
- Check that hanging chains (and G-links or sister
clips) used to clip the doors to the gantry are in good condition.
- Make sure the brake on the winch has been applied
before putting your hands near the doors.
- Take particular care when
transferring sweeps between the roller and trawl doors when shooting and
hauling
- Always stop the net
roller to remove stickers or mark holes in the net.
- Keep your hands out from between the doors and the
side of the boat when transferring trawl doors to dog-chains.
- Do not walk on the codend.
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Version 1.0. Last updated 27 June 2006.