4 factors to consider
Different types of lifejackets may be better suited to different situations.
If lifejackets are not worn, they should be easy to access when needed.
Crew tasks and weather conditions can determine an operation's risks.
The right equipment and training will help retrieve someone who goes overboard.
Examples of risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedures
Nobody knows your industry better than you do. These examples have been provided by commercial fishers operating in Queensland, to help you update your risk assessment and develop a lifejacket wear procedure that suits your operation. They have been developed in relation to the nature of their specific fishery sectors.
The details provided are for general information, and on the understanding that AMSA is not providing specific advice on a particular matter. All risk assessments and lifejacket wear procedures must be tailored to vessels, taking into consideration their specific operation.
- Trawlers
Example 1: East Coast Trawl Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by trawl fishers operating near Mooloolaba, Queensland.
Fishery details
Fishing method Demersal otter trawling Vessels Steel, timber or fibreglass monohull vessels, length around 14 to 20 metres. Crew Master and 1 or 2 deckhands. Fishing season East Coast Northern area (Cape York to 22° south): 1 March to 15 December. Southern area: 1 November to 20 September.
Torres Strait: 30 January to 1 December.Operating conditions Offshore. Mainly night operations. Some seasonal daylight banana prawn fishing. Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
- Steaming
- Watches
- Shooting away
- Trawling
- Winching up
- Hoisting and spilling catch
- Racking and unracking gear
- Winching gear out to blocks
- Greasing blocks maintenance
- Working on booms arms
- Working on bow
- Anchoring and retrieving anchor
- Person transfer
- Hook ups
- Sorting catch
- Processing catch
- Untangling gear at side of vessel
- Deploying fishing gear (boom work)
- Retrieving fishing gear (boom work)
- Replacing ropes
- Engine room tasks
- General maintenance
- Mooring vessel
- Docking
- Emergency
Other person overboard controls in place
Engine policy
- Back off revs
Procedures, training and drills:
- Fatigue management
- Watch managing procedure
- Search techniques
- Train and drills – take away pressure in response and guesswork
- Navigation procedure
- Competency-based winch operation procedure
- Working at heights and over water procedure
- Hook up emergency procedure
Lifejacket wear procedure
Task Lifejacket wear procedure Steaming Master's decision Watches Internal quarters. Not required. Shooting away Master's decision Hauling Master's decision Winching up Master's decision Racking and unracking gear Based on wind and sea state. Master's decision. Greasing blocks maintenance Master's decision Working on booms arms Wear lifejacket Working on bow Wear lifejacket Anchoring and retrieving anchor Master's decision Person transfer Always or based on wind and sea state Hook ups Recommended Processing catch Master's decision Untangling gear at side of vessel Master's decision Deploying fishing gear (boom work) If wind 20 knots plus Retrieving fishing gear (boom work) If win 20 knots plus Replacing ropes Master's decision Engine room tasks Not required General maintenance Master's decision Docking Never Example 2: Moreton Bay Trawl Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by trawl fishers operating near Brisbane, Queensland.
Fishery details
Fishing method Demersal otter trawling Vessels Steel, timber or fibreglass monohull vessels.
Maximum legal length 14 metres.Crew Master and up to 2 deckhands. Fishing season Open all year round except weekends. Operating conditions Moreton Bay waters. Day and night operations. Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
- Travelling
- Trawling
- Cooking
- Keeping watch
- Mending nets
- Sorting
- Anchoring
- Pulling up anchor
- Cooking food
- Repairs
- Machinery checks
- Winching
- Lowering booms
- Stowing boards and sleds
- Cleaning
- Navigation
- Paper work
- Crossing bar (Sandgate)
- Gear set up
- Winching and shooting away of gear
- Checking try gear alone
- Working putting product in ice box
- Off deck work e.g. boom, mast
Other person overboard controls in place
Equipment:
- Life ring with light – throw over
- Floating lights – throw over
- Baskets etc – throw over
- Spotlight
- Ladder to help onboard
- Radio
- EPIRB
Engine policy:
- Pull revs back
Crew jobs:
- Everybody keeping an eye on all other crew
Training and drills
- Induction
- Training
Lifejacket wear procedure
Two options selected:
- Weather over 20 knots
- Master’s discretion based on tasks and condition
Lifejacket type: Self inflating vest with AIS Beacon.
See more lifejacket risk assessments by trawler fishing operators in Bundaberg, Tin Can Bay and Townsville PDF632.31 KB.
- Longliners
Example: East Coast Tuna and Billfish Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by longliners operating near Mooloolaba, Queensland.
Fishery details
Fishing method Longlining Vessels Fibreglass (Westcoaster) or steel monohull vessels, length around 18 to 21 metres. Crew 4 to 6 including master. Fishing season No closure.
Normally don’t fish around dark/new moons.
Vessels average about 250 to 300 days at sea per year.Operating conditions Offshore. Day and night operations. Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
Skipper mainly inside the wheelhouse running the vessel. Other crew have a range of tasks:
- Winch operation
- Cleaning
- Fish gaffing
- Snood pullers
- Repairs
- Baiting & attaching light sticks
- Bubbles and radio beacons
- Break
Personal protective equipment worn
Wet weather gear and gumboots. Fish gaffers may wear helmet and protective vest to address risk of line flyback of sinkers used for seabird bycatch prevention
Weather risk controls
Skippers monitor regional forecast and updates and local conditions and determines if safe to work. Based on combination of wind, sea state and angle of vessel to the weather for deploying or retrieving longlines. Primary precaution consideration is “should you be working in that weather at all”. These assessments are made weeks, days and hours in advance. Donning lifejackets to enable working unsafe weather is not a good plan.
Other person overboard controls in place
Equipment:
- Pole
- Ladder
- Ropes
- Winch
- Life Ring
- Lights
- Computers/I.T.
Engine policy:
- Knock out of gear
Crew jobs:
- Spotter
- Equipment
- Driving
Training and drills:
- Taking gear off in the water – crew initiative
- Procedures
- Inductions
- Throwing a float overboard
- All new crew trained
- Drills every 6 months
Search techniques:
- Slow moving
Lifejacket wear procedure
Skipper: Not required. Safe in wheelhouse.
Crew: Lifejacket wearing is not required and/or hazardous for winch operation, cleaning, snood pullers, repairs, and breaks. In weather that is rough but safe to work, crew members gaffing fish at the sea door must wear a lifejacket. Based on conditions, the master will also determine whether crew baiting and attaching light sticks should also wear lifejackets.
Lifejacket type: Inflatable personal flotation devices. Manual inflation.
- Drop and troll line fishing
Example: Coral Reef Line and Spanish Mackerel Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by drop and troll line fishers operating near Bowen, Queensland.
Fishery details
Fishing method Coral reef fish: hand drop line.
Spanish mackerel: troll line.
Vessels and crew Single operator small boat.
Mother boat and dories – one person per dory. One dedicated to mother boat.
Trip duration Small boats: up to 2 days.
Mother boat and dories working for a week to a month (average 2 weeks).
Fishing season Coral reef fish: 5-day closures around the new moons in October and November.
Spanish mackerel:
- East coast waters north of 22°S two 3-week closures around the new moons in October and November.
- East coast waters south of 22°S three 2-week closures in February and March.
Operating conditions Coral reef fish: reef edges and reef tops. Daylight fishing.
Spanish mackerel: open water and near reefs. Daylight fishing.
Risk assessment considerations
Tasks
- Voyage to and from grounds – Mother boats towing dories
- Dories operating from mother boats
- Single boats operating alone
Person overboard controls in place
- Weather limits
- Induction and training
- Life rings
- Ladders
- Kill switches to stop outboard motors
- Situational awareness
Lifejacket wear procedure
In all dories operating prior to daylight.
For Spanish mackerel (troll line) fishing: Slimline or bum bag style lifejackets to be worn when safe from entanglement and in hazardous weather conditions on master’s discretion.
- River and foreshore net and pot fishing
Example 1: Gulf of Carpentaria Net and Mud Crab Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by fishers operating near Karumba, Queensland.
Fishing method Gillnets (hydraulic drums and hand worked) and crab pots. Vessels Mother boats over 10 metres working with shallow draught punts. Crew 1 master and 3 crew. Fishing season Barramundi closure 7 October to 1 February. Operating conditions Netting and crabbing estuarine rivers and creeks and mangrove foreshores.
Extended mother boat trip durations of weeks or months.
Day and night operations depending on tides.Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
Single operator or pair working together and sharing these roles:
- setting nets and pots
- hauling in nets and pots
- monitoring.
Weather risk controls
Weather limits if travelling outside estuarine waters to from or between crabbing locations. Maximum wind speed of 35 knots.
Other person overboard controls in place
- Life rings
- Training
- Local knowledge
- Common sense
- Duty of care – checking on dory operations by radio
- Spotlight
Lifejacket wear procedure
Lifejackets are not required working in shallow and narrow creeks. Wearing lifejackets is also an entanglement hazard when working with gillnets and crab pots. At other times, lifejackets are to be worn on the master’s discretion and decision.
Example 2: East Coast Mud Crab Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by fishers operating near Ayr, Queensland.
Fishing method Crab pots. Vessels Fibreglass or steel monohull vessels, length around 6 to 10 metres. Crew 1 or 2 people onboard. Fishing season No closure. Operating conditions Crabbing estuarine rivers and creeks and mangrove foreshores.
Trailer boats launched from creek or coastal boat ramps.
Day and night operations depending on tides.Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
Single operator or pair working together and sharing these roles:
- setting pots
- hauling in pots
- relocating empty pots
- monitoring.
Weather risk controls
Weather limits if travelling outside estuarine waters to, from or between crabbing locations.
Other person overboard controls in place
- Kill switches to stop outboard motors
- Personal locator beacons
- VMS tracking available to family/contacts
- Operating area known to family/contacts
- Man overboard procedures
- Situational awareness, experience and understanding
- Local industry collaboration – buddy system
Lifejacket wear procedure
Lifejackets to be worn when transiting exposed water in hazardous weather conditions on master’s discretion.
- Oceanic crab trap fishing
Example: Spanner Crab Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by crab trap fishers operating near Mooloolaba, Queensland.
Fishery details
Fishing method Spanner crab pots (dillies) attached to trot lines up to 1.5 kilometres long (up to 3 on a boat).
Up to 25 pots on a line.Vessels Extended trips (hundreds of miles including Coral Sea waters) using fibreglass (West Coaster) or aluminium monohull vessels, length around 12 to 20 metres.
There are also day trip (around 5 miles offshore) boats around 7 metres long.Crew Master and 1 or 2 deckhands. Fishing season 15 December to 1 November. Operating conditions Offshore.
Day operations only.
Working in depth of 30 to 100 metres.Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
- Bait the pots
- Run the trot liners
- Travelling to the fishing grounds and back
- Setting traps (around 1.5 hours)
Weather risk controls
Big vessels are designed and proven for these conditions and this type of fishing
Other person overboard controls in place
Equipment:
- Safety ring
- Step ladders
- Winches
- Good quality gear important
Engine policy:
- Knock engine out of gear
- Kill switch on smaller vessels
Search techniques:
- Plotter and track lines – can trace where they have been.
Training and drills:
- Train crew that to swim to the back of boat as it is the best place to get back on board.
- Don’t employ people without common sense.
Lifejacket wear procedure
- Master’s decision and direction.
- Wear during travelling time depending on weather conditions.
- May not be suitable to wear during fishing operation.
- Only dangerous point is shooting away the gear – don’t wear lifejackets then.
- Dive fishing
Example: Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery
Risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedure developed by rock lobster fishers operating near Thursday Island, Queensland.
Fishing method Hookah diving and free diving. Vessels Fibreglass or steel monohull vessels, length around 6 metres. Crew 2 to 3 crew.
Divers and dinghy drivers.
Swapping roles during fishing operations.Fishing season October to November fishery closure.
Hookah diving closure in December, January and for 7 days around the February to September new moons.Operating conditions Fishing on fringing and offshore coral reefs.
Open seas travel between grounds.
Mainly daylight operations.
Some night lamp fishing on shallow reefs.Risk assessment considerations
Crew tasks
- Travelling to and from the grounds
- Driving on the fishing grounds
- Diving
- Breaks
- Refuelling hookah system
- Work with tides
Personal protective equipment worn
Wet suits. Diving equipment when in the water.
Other person overboard controls in place
- Dive fishery. All crew experienced at climbing back into boats and helping pull others into the boat. Happens constantly as part of fishing operation.
- Outboard motor kill switches worn by drivers to stop motor if they fall overboard.
Lifejacket wear procedure
All drivers and divers are wearing wetsuits. Wearing of lifejackets deemed not required. Some fishers need education on wearing kill switches.
Other person overboard controls
See the risk assessment considerations shared in the examples for advice on how to prevent and manage person overboard incidents.
In detail
Experienced trawl operators, Mark Millward and Tony Sterling, have interesting ideas on preventing and managing person overboard incidents. Read about them in detail:
Update your risk assessment
Use the examples of risk assessment considerations and lifejacket wear procedures as a guide to update your:
- risk assessment
- procedure for person overboard incidents
- procedure for when and where to wear a lifejacket.
Tips:
- Involve the master and crew in assessing risk and developing a lifejacket wear procedure.
- Your risk assessment and lifejacket wear procedure may vary depending on the different types of operations you undertake.
Doing a risk assessment for the first time? Find out how do to a simplified risk assessment for a smaller DCV operation.
Background
The problem
While the benefits of wearing lifejackets are largely recognised within the industry, data shows that most drownings from domestic commercial vessels (DCVs) have occurred from fishing vessels.
Current requirements
To reduce the number of drownings on DCVs, all owners and operators are required to:
- do a risk assessment
- include a written procedure on lifejacket wear in their safety management system.
This is required under Marine Order 504 (Certificates of operation and operation requirements - national law).
About the examples
We ran workshops in Queensland for commercial fishers. During the workshops, attendees produced examples of risk assessment considerations, lifejacket wear procedures and other person overboard controls. This information aims to help fishers and other commercial operators comply with lifejacket wear requirements and save lives.