Community-Based Safety Training for the Mid-Atlantic Fishing Industry

Project Abstract - Fishing Partnership Support Services - Safety Training in the Mid-Atlantic
Fishing Partnership Support Services (FPSS) will continue to use a community-based model to implement
safety training programs that are practical; meet multiple health and safety needs; and reduce the risk of
injuries and fatalities within the commercial fishing industry. From 2005-2014, the three most dangerous
fisheries in the U.S. were on the East Coast. Despite the dangers of their profession, most fishermen on the
East Coast have not received the safety training needed to reduce their risk of injury, illness, and death due to
lack of training opportunities; lack of access for isolated fishing communities; lack of safety training instructors;
financial constraints; lack of awareness of danger; and cultural reluctance to change. FPSS's program will
exert a sustained, powerful influence on the field of occupational safety training by increasing both the supply
and demand for safety training in the Mid-Atlantic; increasing capacity to deliver training throughout the
commercial fishing industry; and bringing innovation and evaluation to every level of the training.
FPSS will utilize NIOSH grant funds to fulfill the following objectives: Objective #1: Enhance the quality
and availability of safety training that addresses the needs of fishermen, by offering Safety & Survival Training
and Drill Conductor Certification Training. Newly developed training components will include Man Overboard
Recovery Devices. FPSS will offer 18 training sessions over three years in Mid-Atlantic states. Objective #2:
Create a demand for training from within the community by promoting a culture of safety. This will result in
more fishing communities recognizing safety as a top priority. FPSS will partner with apprentice programs that
develop to provide safety training to young fishermen. Objective #3: Increase training capacity by offering
AMSEA's Marine Safety Instructor Training (MSIT) locally and certifying up to 18 new safety training
instructors.
To evaluate the quality, effectiveness, and impact of the proposed safety training, FPSS will engage
internal and external evaluators in a multi-method approach that includes quantitative and qualitative data
collection, and the use of secondary data sources. Outcomes include: 1: Participants engage in safer
behaviors/practices in their work; 2. Participants maintain a positive attitude toward safety; 3. A culture of
health and safety is created; 4. The numbers of accidents, injuries and fatalities are reduced; and 5. USCG's
search and rescues costs decline. For Research to Practice (r2p) FPSS' evaluation team will engage multiple
stakeholders to identify research needs and questions; design evaluation tools and conduct studies; and
translate and share knowledge, interventions, and evaluation learnings with five key audiences: fishing leaders;
other safety training programs, including NIOSH funded programs; law enforcement, including the U.S. Coast
Guard; state and federal policy makers; and fishing safety researchers.

Grant Number: 2T03OH011922-03
NIH Institute/Center: ALLCDC
Principal Investigator: John Bartlett