Search

Mass mortality events (MMEs) threaten the health of fish and are also a potential threat to the health and safety of workers. This paper presents findings from a desktop risk assessment exercise focused on potential aquaculture occupational health and safety (AOHS) hazards and risks associated with MMEs in Chile. The study reviews academic and grey literature, government regulations and MME reports and statistics to assess the scale and distribution of MMEs; identifies associated documented and potential health and safety hazards; and documents and assesses policy responses to MMEs in the Chilean context through the lens of health and safety. The paper documents the size and regional distribution of salmon MME occurrences in Chile from 2016 to 2022. It discusses AOHS hazards associated with MMEs such as exposure to hydrogen sulfide, drowning and diving-related illnesses and potential issues around accessing hospitals and hyperbaric chambers for workers in remote aquaculture regions, as well as exposure to antibiotics and antibiotic residues. Recent Chilean regulatory requirements around reporting and management of MMEs that have the potential to help reduce identified MME-related risks for workers are described and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial aquaculture employs roughly 19 million workers globally, yet research on aquaculture occupational safety and health is extremely limited, including in developed countries like Canada. Analyses of injury and fatality compensation claims data from Scandinavian countries, Australia, the United States, and Brazil reveal aquaculture is a high-risk industry, associated with multiple hazards and high injury and fatality rates. Marine aquaculture takes place on Canada's east and west coasts. It is expanding in Atlantic Canada where it consists mainly of salmon and shellfish production. This paper presents results from a descriptive analysis of data on accepted compensation claims for injured Atlantic Canada marine aquaculture workers. Workers' compensation in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Anonymous claims data between 1996 and 2017, provided by four Atlantic provincial compensation boards, captured injury claims broadly specific to the aquaculture industry, supporting a descriptive analysis of incidence rates and injury characteristics. Across provinces, lost time injury rates among aquaculture workers fluctuated over time, but exceeded recent overall average provincial rates from 2010 to 2016. Consistent across provinces, almost half of all marine aquaculture injuries were caused by bodily reaction and (over)exertion (mean = 15.0%; SD = 6.4%), falls (14.4%; SD = 2.3%), or being struck by or against an object (mean = 13.7%; SD = 2.2%). Roughly half of the injuries were of three types: traumatic injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints (mea n = 33.0%; SD = 3.7%), open wounds (mean = 10.1%; SD = 2.5), and surface wounds and bruises (mean = 10.0%; SD = 5.2%). The back, including spine and spinal cord was the body part most commonly affected by workplace injuries (mean = 17.2%; SD = 1.4%), followed by leg(s) (mean = 10.8%; SD = 0.5%), and finger(s)/ fingernail(s) (mean = 10.4%, SD = 4.4%). Findings indicate marine aquaculture workers are suffering from similar injuries (injury event, nature and source of injury, body parts) across provinces and these are similar to aquaculture sector injury claims patterns in Norway, Finland, Australia, and the United States. The high incidence rates are a strong signal that marine aquaculture in Canada, as elsewhere, is a hazardous sector. Compensation claims rates exceed overall provincial averages and have not declined. Ongoing surveillance, hazard assessments, and identification and implementation of prevention strategies could help this expanding industry reduce rates of injuries and illnesses. • Aquaculture occupational health and safety is understudied in Canada and globally. • Marine aquaculture ranks high among hazardous industries across multiple countries. • Injury compensation claims are an important indicator of industry hazards/injuries. • Injury characteristics and high rates reflect those reported across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass mortality events (MMEs) involve the sudden death of thousands to millions of fish. MMEs are a serious problem in marine finfish aquaculture globally and may become more common with climate change. They can entail significant asset losses; pose compliance threats to environmental and animal health, and occupational health and safety obligations; and may undermine social license to operate. MMEs may be defined as major accidents in that they require rapid mobilization of workers, vessels and other supports and working under pressure to a) investigate the extent and cause of the die-off; b) remove, transport, and dispose of dead finfish; and c) adjust farm design and practices to reduce future risk. As with other such events, MMEs have the potential to cause injury or fatalities to persons, damage to cages and vessels and also substantially reduce the welfare or number of fish. Still, no existing research has explored the potential aquaculture occupational health and safety (AOHS) hazards and risks associated with responding to MMEs. An international AOHS research team performed a desktop exercise using information on definitions of MMEs, incident reports, legal and regulatory guidance and documentation and media coverage to generate five country profiles (Canada, Chile, Ireland, Norway, Scotland) of potential AOHS hazards and risks associated with MMEs. Country profile findings were synthesized and incorporated into a multi-disciplinary, expert elicitation risk assessment process to identify causes and consequences of MMEs. Findings indicate variability in MME definitions, requirements for event reporting and AOHS-related contingency planning across countries. To highlight key hazards and potential pathways between MME-prevention planning, monitoring and response and AOHS risks a preliminary bow-tie risk analysis is conducted. Bow-tie risk analysis is a graphical tool to illustrate an accident scenario, with accident causes on one side of the tie and consequences on the other. These findings are also relevant for AOHS in general. AOHS concerns need to be fully and effectively integrated into broader risk assessments and surveillance systems to prevent MMEs and reduce their consequences in marine finfish aquaculture. • Mass mortality events (MMEs) are major accidents in salmon aquaculture. • The frequency of MMEs may be increasing with potential health and safety consequences. • Aquaculture health and safety researchers compared MME reporting and management across 5 jurisdictions. • A risk assessment exercise identified potential pathways between MMEs and the risk of injury. • Aquaculture health and safety should be part of future surveillance and risk assessments for MMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]