"The aquaculture industry is a high-risk industry when it comes to occupational accidents," according to SINTEF Ocean.
Photo: Grieg Seafood/Marit Rein.
A recent study published by SINTEF Ocean highlights the need for improved Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) practices across Norway's aquaculture industry - described as "a high-risk industry when it comes to occupational accidents".
The research, HSE in the New Aquaculture, is based on in-depth interviews and surveys across Norway's aquaculture sector, covering traditional facilities, submersible facilities, closed facilities, and facilities that are intended to be operated both at sea and on land.
"Several [people] in established businesses describe HSE work as reactive, meaning that much happens after incidents have occurred to prevent them from happening again. For new forms of production, HSE work seems to be more proactive, meaning that HSE is thought about from the start," said project manager Trine Thorvaldsen at SINTEF Ocean, in a press release.
To support better HSE in the sector, researchers at SINTEF Ocean have published a set of online resources on HSE through a dedicated web portal, which includes results from the 2023 HSE survey, accident analyses and actionable recommendations, and guidelines for risk assessment and systematic safety improvement.
"Work in the aquaculture industry can involve tough and potentially dangerous working conditions. Our ambition is to update knowledge about HSE and to point out which measures can be taken to prevent strain ailments and avoid accidents. This time we have collected a set of resources in the web portal hmsihavbruk.no, which companies and employees can use to prevent workplace incidents. It has already been well received in the industry," Thorvaldsen said.
"This includes proposals on how to systematize and assess risk, how to learn from incidents that occur and cooperation for increased security, can also be found there. Many of the measures are fundamentally about putting enough resources into the security work, both in terms of finances and time," she added.
The ultimate aim is to create health-promoting, safe workplaces that reduce accidents, prevent work-related absences, and retain employees in the industry, Thorvaldsen explained.
"With new insights and concrete measures, the industry will be better equipped to protect its employees. The project represents an important contribution to meeting the needs of a rapidly growing and technologically developing industry, where the safety and health of employees must be prioritized. It will be equally important to have regular surveys of HSE in the industry. We see that it helps to increase focus," Thorvaldsen said.
Thorvaldsen said that the research on HSE needs to encompass the entire value chain, and that future research should also cover the processing sector.
"This is a part of the value chain with many people employed that we should map to gain more knowledge that can be used as a basis for targeted measures," she added.
