Work on the trawl deck

LESSONS LEARNED: Carrying out these tasks safely requires thorough preparation, clear communication, and constant monitoring. 

According to Captain Åsmund Breivik aboard the trawler Hermes, the crew follow well-established routines to prevent serious incidents during gear deployment and retrieval.

"The trawl lane is separated so that most tasks are carried out alongside it,"  Breivik explains.

If tasks must be performed within the lane, only crew members with extensive training and experience are assigned.

"We have a clearance process overseen by the trawl master and the chief mate. They are closest to the operation and know the crew best," he adds.

Separating moving equipment from workers

Physically separating moving equipment from crew members on board helps reduce the risk of personal injury. A previous "Lessons learned" article described how design, placement, and operational reliability of equipment can also mitigate hazards.

When a trawl is hauled in or deployed, the work is done in segments. The trawl is hauled onto the deck, not rolled onto a drum. First, the main wire (the warp) is brought in, followed by the trawl doors. Between the doors and the codend come the sweeps, and finally the codend itself. Each segment typically requires re-shackling to ensure proper hauling. Between the winch shackles and the wire shackles, a bridle is often used as an extension. Finally, the trawl is hoisted into the air to be emptied of fish. The process is then repeated in reverse order.

All re-shackling between segments is done by the deck crew. This video shows how an efficient and competent crew performs these tasks on a fair-weather day.

Protective equipment and lifejackets

Åsmund Breivik and the crew aboard the Hermes place strong emphasis on the safety of employees performing these operations.

"All crew members must wear wear protective gear and lifejackets, and we have safeguards when working near the sea," says Breivik. "From the wheelhouse, I control gear deployment and keep an overview of the situation. We maintain good communication via radio," he explains.

He also stresses the importance of considering weather conditions.

"Hourly wave forecasts from Yr have been revolutionary. They allow us to plan fishing operations much more safely. If we consider the the weather too poor, we stop and wait."

Breivik adds that such decisions require clear leadership.

Even on a modern and large trawler like Hermes, design improvements to the trawl deck can only go so far in increasing safety. Still, trawl operations can be compared to work on anchor-handling vessels, which also involve heavy shackles that must be winched in and out. These vessels have established mechanisms that may be transferable to trawlers. This report presents recommendations and describes how they can be implemented, including the use of towing pins to prevent sweeps from swinging from side to side. In the future, one might also envision hydraulic arms handling re-shackling and winching, as is already the case in many anchor-handling vessels.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority thanks Captain Åsmund Breivik and the crew of Hermes for sharing their experiences and practices to safeguard crew members.

Others with relevant experience are encouraged to do the same.

Incident reports – continued (taken directly from reported accidents)

• The incident occured when we were trying to release the codend from the trawl to move it to the side for pumping. There was heavy seas, and the codend jerked suddenly just as one of the crew members bent over it to help move the codend to the correct side. The person was struck by the codend with great force in the chest area. He was wearing protective gear and a lifewest, which likely absorbed some of the impact. After the incident, he complained of severe pain. He was concious, and his general condition was stable. He took painkillers, and we agreed to monitor his condition throughout the night.
  
  
• While working to disconnect the sensor from the trawl, the person was struck in the chest by the trawl. He was observed for two days to determine whether he had sustained a rib fracture or bruise. He experienced chest pain and felt somewhat restricted in movement due to the pain. This indicated a possible rib fracture or bruise. He remained inactive and only took navigational watches.
  
  
• The accident occurred on deck during hauling. When the codends were being brought in using the Gilson winches, the attachment to the retriever wire broke due to wire jamming on the winch. At the end of this wire is a plastic stop ball. This recoiled forcefully across the deck and struck the person in the head. Loss of conciousness and damage to the helmet and hearing protection indicated a strong blow. Radio Medico was contacted, and in consultation with them, examinations were conducted to uncover possible head injuries. The conclusion was concussion, and he was monitored every two hours during the first 24 hours after the incident. He was taken off duty for a few days.
  
  
• Both Danish seine ropes snapped. We had to retrieve both ropes. When the ropes came up, they got stuck behind the stern. As the boat moved, the towing bracket swung around the corner of the stern and struck a person in the back of the head. The helmet was torn off by the chain, and the man was thrown forward, hitting the bin with his forehead. He lay on the deck with a severe cut on his forehead. He was brought inside and cared for by the crew. Necessary first aid was administered on site. Emergency services were contacted, and it was agreed to head to Røst with the injured person.
  
  
• While hauling the trawl, an unexpected wave came over the port aft section of the vessel. A crew member working on the trawl deck lost his footing, fell, and dislocated his shoulder. Another crew member brought him inside, assessed the injury, and the master contacted Medico, who assisted further. The patient received morphine, and the crew successfully repositioned the shoulder at 13:30 following instructions from the doctor at Radio Medico.
  
  
• We had just started hauling when the incident occurred. Those on deck were supposed to signal the captain to start hauling after the anchor was shackled out in the dragger room. An arm was waved, leading the captain to believe the signal to start hauling had been given. However, the anchor had not been shackled out, resulting in the person in the dragger room being struck by the anchor. Hauling was immediately stopped to assess the situation. The person who was struck reported back pain, a contusion on the forearm, and pain in a finger. He was examined by the captain for fractures or spinal injuries. He felt much better the next day and was assigned lighter duties at his own request after speaking with the captain.
  
  
• While retrieving the trawl, the starboard door drag had jammed between the sweeps, and a crew member went to assist. He moved into the trawl lane. Suddenly, a strong wave caused the sweep to shift sideways on the stern roller. The person was struck on the left upper arm and knocked/fell to the deck. He quickly exited the trawl lane on his own.
  
  
• During trawl deployment, the person was connecting the bridle extension. Due to movement of the vessel, the sweeps shifted 0.5–1.0 metres sideways. The person's legs were knocked out from under him, and he fell to the deck.
  
  
• While hauling the trawl in bad weather, an unexpected wave hit the deck as he was shackling out the bridle extension. The wave knocked his feet out from under him, and he fell to the deck, holding onto the railing as water surged across the deck. He didn't notice any injury immediately, but later experienced pain in his left arm between the shoulder and elbow, and was unable to lift above his head or lift anyting.