UK federations gear up for new regime. The biggest changes in fishing industry safety regulations in a generation, or possibly ever, are in the pipeline, reports Tim Oliver.
The Work in Fishing Convention (ILO 188) aims to create a set of common worldwide standards for health, safety and working conditions. It entitles all fishermen to written terms and conditions of employment (a fisherman’s work agreement), decent accommodation and food, medical care, regulated working time, repatriation, social protection, and health and safety on board. It also provides minimum standards relating to medical fitness.
ILO 188 standards will apply to all fishermen working on commercial fishing vessels of any size. They apply equally to employed fishermen and non-employed (share) fishermen.
The MCA has launched a consultation on ILO 188 that closes on 13 January, 2018. Although it creates worldwide regulations, there are flexibilities within them for individual countries to modify the rules to suit their own industries. The new UK regulations are expected to become law in mid-2018.
The UK federations, in conjunction with the MCA fishing safety team, have developed a Fishing Safety Management (FSM) system that will assist fishermen with the implementation of the changes.
Launching the FSM system at insurance company Sunderland Marine’s offices in Newcastle, NFFO safety officer Robert Greenwood said… (Read More) Source: The Fishing News