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Amended regulations aimed at improving safety on commercial fishing vessels
Published 1:01 PDT, Fri June 21, 2019
It’s now required that all crewmembers on the deck of a fishing vessel wear a PFD or a lifejacket.
The amendments regulate specific
conditions under which crewmembers are required to wear PFDs on commercial
fishing vessels. Previously, crewmembers were only required to wear a PFD on a
fishing vessel when working under conditions that involved a risk of drowning.
It is now required that all crewmembers on the deck of a fishing vessel wear a
PFD or a lifejacket.
“Commercial fishing is one of the
most dangerous occupations in British Columbia and drowning is the leading
cause of death among B.C. fishermen,” says Patrick Olsen, Manager, Prevention
Field Services for WorkSafeBC. “Wearing a PFD reduces the risk of drowning and
has been proven to save lives.”
Between 2007 and 2018, there were
24 work-related deaths in the commercial fishing industry, with 15 of those
related to drowning.
The amendments to Part 24 of the
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation, which regulates diving,
fishing and other marine operations, took effect on June 3, 2019.
“No matter what your role is on
the vessel, crew safety affects everyone,” Olsen says. “We are addressing the
specific hazards of commercial fishing to better ensure crewmember safety.”
The amendments are consistent
with the recommendations made by the Transportation Safety Board after the
fatal capsizing of the fishing vessel Caledonian near Tofino, B.C., in
September 2015. Three crewmembers were killed. The lone survivor was the only
crewmember wearing a PFD.