Occupational health and safety in large-scale fishing vessels registered in Aegean ports

This study aimed to determine the occupational safety knowledge level of the fishers and the factors affecting it in large-scale (trawl-purse seine) fishing vessels registered in Aegean ports. In the survey study, conducted with the participation of 295 person from both types of fishing, 40% (118) of the participants consisted of fishers working in trawlers and 60% (177) in purse-seiners. The knowledge level of 51.5% of the fishers was insufficient under score 7, while 48.5% of them were found to be sufficient with score 8 or more. It was determined that 40% of the fishers had occupational accidents, and hastiness with 15.5%, carelessness with 14.9% and fatigue with 5.8% followed the first place among the causes of accidents. It has been determined that the accidents occurred not only during the operation, but also at the port operations and during the cruise. As a result, it is considered that awareness and training activities to increase the knowledge level of fishers on occupational health and safety will be the most effective method in reducing the possibility of accidents and getting occupational diseases.