AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE SUPPLEMENT 2:10–18 (2002) Ergonomic Exposure Case Studies in Massachusetts Fishing Vessels Scott Fulmer, MS  and Bryan Buchholz, PhD Background Musculoskeletal disorders may not have been studied as much as greater risks in the dangerous environment of commercial fishing. Primary prevention of risk for these kinds of injuries and illnesses begins by a detailed understanding of what risks are likely to be common in the different fisheries, and how those risks might be reduced. Methods Ergonomic job analyses were conducted on three different types of fishing vessels in Massachusetts: gillnetting, otter trawling, and lobstering. Direct observation was used to link posture to task. Noise measurements, tool analysis, and cycle time mea- surements were also included. Results Production speed, materials handling, and vessel movement contributed to musculoskeletal stress by affecting observable postural deviation, repetition, and forceful exertions. Conclusions Interventions to reduce ergonomic risk factors might be possible through utilization of below deck space in certain boats, through better technology, or through simple tool adjustments. Am. J. Ind. Med. Suppl. 2:10–18, 2002. ß 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. KEY WORDS: fishing vessel; ergonomics; musculoskeletal; cumulative trauma INTRODUCTION Fishing has long been recognized as a dangerous occupation, consistently ranking at or near the top of all occupations in fatalities in states where the industry employs a significant population. In Alaska, for instance, between 1991 and 1996, the fatality rate for fishing was 140/ 100,000, 28 times the national average [Lincoln, 1997]. During the same time period, the non-fatal injury rate for fishing in Alaska was 459/100,000. Comparable data on other industries in Alaska show that non-fatal injury rates in fishing are less than construction and mining, but more than land transportation, seafood processing, and petroleum. Although selected use of existing data from large, local surveillance efforts has increased, such as the Alaska Trauma Register [Husberg, 1998], and the Scandinavian system, Nordic Medico Statistical Committee [Jensen, 2000], systematic data on non-fatal injuries, particularly muscu- loskeletal disorders (MSD) brought on by cumulative trauma rather than acute events, are not considered complete in the commercial fishing industry [National Research Council Committee on Fishing Vessel Safety, 1991]. Nevertheless, the International Labor Organization [1999] cited gutting (highly repetitive, awkward postures) and heavy lifting (overexertion) in fishing as risks for MSDs in a 1999 report, ‘‘Safety and Health in the Fishing Industry.’’ Literature in occupational epidemiology continues to grow, which links certain occupational risk factors to the incidence of musculoskeletal injury and illness [Bernard, 1997], namely awkward and static postures, repetition, forceful exertions, cold, and vibration. To ¨rner et al. [1988a] showed a correlation between musculoskeletal symptoms in Swedish fishermen and tasks with recognizable ergonomic risk factors. Some of the work observed in this study is comparable to land-based fish processing, which has been shown to be a risk factor for increased disorders of the neck ß 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts Contract grant sponsor: Northeast Center for Agricultural and Occupational Health; Contract grant number: U07/CCU208030-07. *Correspondence to: Scott Fulmer, Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854. E-mail: scott__fulmer@uml.edu Accepted18 March 2002 DOI10.1002/ajim.10086. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com)