JOB SAFETY AND ACCIDENTS IN MARINE FISH FARMS (SEA BREAM/SEA BASS) IN İZMİR/TURKEY

Occupational health and safety, and accidents are one of the main problems in Turkey. Many workers, engineers, supporters and employers are affect from them. Especially, fisheries and aquaculture area have a black hole. Because, registration or information of safety or accidents knowledge could not enough record. Marine fish farms, hatcheries, nursery fields, and cage systems or grow-out phases are dangerous areas of workplace and need prevention. İzmir is an important area for marine fish farms, hatcheries and sea cage structures in the Aegean Sea, western part of Turkey. Many employees are affect form duty work conditions, night shifts, and accidents etc. In the research, three marine fish farm which cultured sea bass/sea bream, was examined in northern and western side-Çandarlı and Çeşme area - of İzmir province, Aegean Sea. Face to face survey conducted with workers and descriptive tests SPSS was using with data. According to results, many employees are effect form work stress such as; fish tanks or ponds and narrow areas (85%), working at height areas (78%), wet slippery floor (75%), electrical currencies (72%), chemicals and disinfectants (70%), heavy working conditions (70%), physical conditions - hot, cold, humidity (65%), biological risk factors such as infections (65%), psychosocial risks and shift works (60%) for hatchery phases. Also, heavy duty conditions, pressure for underwater divers, biological risk factors, infections, and psychosocial risks are other risky areas for grow-out cage workers and nursery phase workers. On the other hand, main health problems and factors are grouped such as; musculo skeletal problems and accidents, fractures, dislocations, and poundings (90%), skin problems or allergy (86%), eye and ear problems (85%), respiratory problems mainly caused by physical risk factors (82%), gastrointestinal disorders which is related with irregular nutrition (78%), psychosocial problems mainly heavy duty terms and shift works. Also, low incomes are affecting to workers’ health. 

___

  • [1] ILO, (2003). Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health, Conclusions Adopted by the International Labour Conference at Its 91st, Session, pp:3-4.
  • [2] Antonsen, S., (2009). Safety Culture: Theory, Method and Improvement, Ashgate Publishing Limited, England.
  • [3] Fleming, M., (2001). Safety Culture Maturation Model HSE Books, pp:3-6.
  • [4] Perçin, F. and Haydan, E., (2017). Maturation Pyramis of Occupational Health and Safety. Engineering Sciences, 12(4), 262-270. Retrieved from, http://dergipark.gov.tr/nwsaeng/issue/31529/345176
  • [5] Myers, M. L., and Durborow, R. M. (2012). Aquacultural Safety and Health. In Health and environment in aquaculture. InTech.pp.385-400.
  • [6] Myers, M.L., (2010). Review of Occupational Hazards Associated with Aquaculture. Journal of Agromedicine. Vol:15, pp:412-426.
  • [7] Perçin, F., Akyol, O., Davas, A., and Saygı, H., (2012). Occupational health of Turkish Aegean Small-Scale Fishermen. Occupational Medicine, 62:148-151.
  • [8] Moreau, D.T.R. and Neis, B., (2009). Occupational Health and Safety Hazards in Atlantic Canadian Aquaculture: Laying the Groundwork for Prevention. Marine Policy. Volume:33, Issue:2, pp:401-411.
  • [9] Perçin, F., (2017). Accidents and Diseases of Fishermen in İzmir Province. In: Fisheries of İzmir Province. Kınacigil, T., Tosunoğlu, Z., Çaklı, Ş., Bey, E., Öztürk, H., Eds., pp:179-187. (ISBN: 978-975-18-0222-4) İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi Konak-İzmir (in Turkish).