Occupational health and safety portrait of lobster fishers from a St. Lawrence Gulf community

Abstract

Lobstering industry workers are known to have poor overall health and low safety records, but there is still a gap in information concerning Canadian lobster fishers. This study aimed to report occupational health and safety characteristics of an Atlantic Canada community of lobster fishers and to assess differences between captains and deckhands. Twenty-eight participants (10 captains, 18 deckhands) were questioned and self-reported on lifestyle, general health status, work-related musculoskeletal disorders and traumatic injuries. The data collected reveal both groups’ high prevalence of cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal health issues. Captains reported more occupational exposition and health issues, and showed poorer lifestyle habits than deckhands. Fishers reported potential solutions to reduce occupational risks, presented as three types: lifestyle, working behaviours and leadership. This study evaluated a community of Canadian lobster fishers regarding their occupational health and safety. Potential avenues for mitigating occupational risk specific to this community will nurture future implementation.

Keywords:

• fishing
• physical activity
• risk factors
• cardiovascular diseases
• musculoskeletal disorders
• occupational injuries
• health promotion
• lifestyle habits

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability

Although the data supporting this study’s findings are not publicly available, they can be made available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author. This is necessary to protect the privacy of research participants, and to ensure that confidential information is not compromised.