Review of Occupational Hazards Associated With Aquaculture

Abstract

Aquaculture is an emerging sector that is associated with most of the same hazards that are present in agriculture generally, but many fish farming tasks entail added danger, including working around water and working at night. Comprehensive studies of these hazards have not been conducted, and substantial uncertainty exists as to the extent of these hazards. The question addressed in this investigation was, "What is known about potential hazardous occupational exposures to aquatic plant and animal farmers?" In this review, causes of death included drowning, electrocution, crushing-related injury, hydrogen sulfide poisoning, and fatal head injury. Nonfatal injuries were associated with slips, trips, and falls; machines; strains and sprains; chemicals; and fires. Risk factors included cranes (tip over and power line contact), tractors and sprayer-equipped all-terrain vehicles (overturn), heavy loads (lifting), high-pressure sprayers, slippery surfaces, rotting waste (hydrogen sulfide production), eroding levees (overturn hazard), storm-related rushing water, diving conditions (bends and drowning), nighttime conditions, working alone, lack of training, lack of or failure to use personal flotation devices, and all-terrain vehicle speeding. Other hazards included punctures or cuts from fish teeth or spines, needlesticks, exposure to low temperatures, and bacterial and parasitic infections .

Exposición a agentes de riesgo biológico en trabajadores chilenos: Reporte del Centro de Información Toxicológica de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (CITUC)

“…nente oleoso utilizadas en la industria salmonera ha causado grave necrosis de tejidos y espasmos vasculares 18 y que pinchazos accidentales en el ambiente laboral con espinas de pescado han producido infecciones 19 que han llegado a requerir amputación de dedos 20 . Algunos agentes biológicos tienen, además, potencial sensibilizante que debe tenerse en cuenta en la evaluación de riesgos en el lugar de trabajo 8 .…”

Occupational Injuries of Aquaculture Workers: Washington State

“…presented in this paper. Though work-place injuries in aquaculture are similar to the agriculture industry (but include the added risk factor of working around water), we cannot directly compare the national and Washington State occupational injury and illness rates as the rate in Washington State has also factored in other agriculture workers (13). However, given this consideration, the occupational injury and illness claim rates of aquaculture workers in our study are similar to the overall industry, regardless of specific NAICS code classification, though may be higher than for all Washington industries combined.…”

Occupational health outcomes for workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector: Implications for immigrant workers in the southeastern US

“…Aquaculture has trauma risks unique to the aquatic environment [Myers, ]. Aquaculture workers are at risk for stings, bites, and pinching injuries [Erondu and Anyanwu, ].…”