Project background
Fishing is an important industry sector in the Botnia-Atlantica region. In Nordland County, 2348 residents report their main occupation as fishermen and 529 have fishery as their secondary occupation. In addition, 222 persons work in the aquaculture industry (Directorate of Fisheries 2012). In Ostrobotnia, the number of full-time fishermen was 169 (marine and inland fishery) and part-time 367 in 2013 (Statistics of Finnish Game and Fisheries research). While relatively small in numbers, the importance of fishermen in contributing to the Nordic diet and food security is enormous.
While doing their work, fishermen are exposed to hazards resulting from constantly varying weather conditions as well as injury hazards on boats and facilities and the economic pressure from making a living while the catch is unpredictable. Fishermen suffer some of the highest occupational injury and fatality rates in many countries, including Finland and Norway. Health and safety programs developed for the general industry are not easily applicable in fisheries. Many of the workers in this sector are self-employed. They lack the organizational structures where the employers, employees, and the government and other organizations can jointly address the problems in health, safety and environment among workers.
In Finland, an occupational health service program has been developed for fishermen, specifically. In Norway, employers are obliged to provide occupational health service in specific sectors e.g. in the aquaculture industry. However, this legislation excludes self-employed fishermen. It is unclear how well the current program in Finland is utilized, how satisfied fishermen are with the service, and what future development needs exist to enhance the competence of the service providers. In Norway, there are no similar programs, and it is not known what problems exist, and what type of programs could work. Collaboration and learning from the Finnish experience could likely help Norwegian authorities and fishermen to develop an occupational health service program that would be responsive to the fishermen’s needs.
Occupational health service providers have expressed that small businesses are often unprofitable customers and therefore they have to pay a higher cost for the service. Yet, providers may lack the training and competence to provide a service that is of value to the fishermen.
While doing their work, fishermen are exposed to hazards resulting from constantly varying weather conditions as well as injury hazards on boats and facilities and the economic pressure from making a living while the catch is unpredictable. Fishermen suffer some of the highest occupational injury and fatality rates in many countries, including Finland and Norway. Health and safety programs developed for the general industry are not easily applicable in fisheries. Many of the workers in this sector are self-employed. They lack the organizational structures where the employers, employees, and the government and other organizations can jointly address the problems in health, safety and environment among workers.
In Finland, an occupational health service program has been developed for fishermen, specifically. In Norway, employers are obliged to provide occupational health service in specific sectors e.g. in the aquaculture industry. However, this legislation excludes self-employed fishermen. It is unclear how well the current program in Finland is utilized, how satisfied fishermen are with the service, and what future development needs exist to enhance the competence of the service providers. In Norway, there are no similar programs, and it is not known what problems exist, and what type of programs could work. Collaboration and learning from the Finnish experience could likely help Norwegian authorities and fishermen to develop an occupational health service program that would be responsive to the fishermen’s needs.
Occupational health service providers have expressed that small businesses are often unprofitable customers and therefore they have to pay a higher cost for the service. Yet, providers may lack the training and competence to provide a service that is of value to the fishermen.