Winch-Related Injuries More Likely for Gulf of Mexico Fishermen

Mechanical devices on board commercial fishing vessels are causing injuries and fatalities among fishermen. Winches are the most common culprit. A winch is device that pulls, lets out, or adjust the tension of the rope on the vessel.

In 2011, these winch-related fatalities were extremely common among fishermen working along the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. fishermen aboard commercial fishing vessels had a fatality rate 35 times higher than all American workers in 2011. For maritime lawyers, this isn’t new information; commercial fishing is among the deadliest trades in the U.S.

Between 2000 and 2009, over 500 commercial fishermen died on-the-job. Around 51 percent of them died due to drowning when their vessels capsized; 30 percent, when they fell overboard. Other fishermen died as a result of machinery-entanglement injuries incurred while aboard the vessel.

For commercial fishermen doing their trade along the Gulf of Mexico, most of them were likely to get injured as a result of machinery-entanglement incidents, particularly deck winches. There were eight who died while 27 sustained injuries from 2000 to 2011. The fleet also operates off the North Carolina and Florida coast.

Most of these winch-related injuries involve the winch cat head, occurring when the fisherman is alone on the deck with the winch. To avoid these injuries, CDC advises fishermen to guard the winch drums and work with a buddy who can help when these accidents arise. Also, wearing baggy clothes is highly discouraged.