D Tappin Healthy Work Group School of Management, Massey University Private Bag 102904, Albany, Auckland 0745 d.c.tappin@massey.ac.nz (P24, Thursday 27, Civic Room 3, 2.30)

1. Sprains and Strains in Seafood Processing:
an analysis of injury data, risk factors and
interventions
David Tappin
Darryl Forsyth
Tim Bentley

2. Seafood Processing
1. Main sectors are finfish and shellfish
2. Widespread processing site locations
3. Hygiene compliance
4. Export driven
5. Company and plant size
6. Workflow control
7. High MSD rates

3. ACC Data
Year Total Accepted MSD Claims % Entitlement
2002-03 684 22% (n=148)
2003-04 640 18% (n=118)
2004-05 606 20% (n=120)
2005-06 559 15% (n=85)
2006-07 515 23% (n=118)
2007-08 648 15% (n=98)
2008-09 625 23% (n=146)
2009-10 477 23% (n=109)

4. Accident Register and Survey Data Results
• 13 plants (32% of industry workforce)
• Shellfish: shucking/opening, grading, bin handling, packing
• Fin Fish: bin handling, trimming, filleting, loading/unloading
• H&S staff rated these same tasks as most likely to result in MSD
• Based on triangulation of ACC and industry data sources
• Agreement on tasks and priorities reached with the industry

5. Plant Data Collection
• 15 seafood processing plants
• Semi-structured interviews
• Task observation, measurements
• KRF, KPF, interventions, barriers collated
• Interventions drafted

6. MSD Risk Factors?
• Heavy physical work
• High psychosocial work demands
• Co-morbidities
• Repetition
• Awkward postures
• Heavy lifting
• Smoking
• High BMI

7. MSD Risk Factors in Seafood Processing?
• Heavy physical work
• High psychosocial work demands
• Co-morbidities
• Repetition
• Awkward postures
• Heavy lifting
• Cold work environments

8. Other risk factors we found
• Seasonality
• Unfavourable economic factors
• Weather fluctuations
• Labour market factors
• Physical task requirements
• Payment methods
• Limited training

9. Possible contextual factors in seafood
processing MSD
Political and
employment relations influences
Change factors
External forces
Payment & scheduling systems Job demand factors
Human resource issues
Cultural influences
Economic factors
Exposure to
physical &
psychosocial risk
factors
Job design factors
Internal factors
Seasonality and environment
influences

10. Implementation Barriers
• Limited resources – especially smaller plants
• Limited time – busy season
• H&S priority
• Ownership
• Absenteeism
• Staff turnover
• Feeling threatened
• Limited resources
• Pay differences

11. Interventions
Job Design Organisational Physical Training Task Specific
Design Design Design Design
Task Rotation Recruitment / Plant and Task Training Filleting and
Retention Trimming
Rest/Recovery Workspace and Knife sharpness
Breaks Work Flow Equipment Training Loading and
Design Unloading
Physical Task Remuneration / Job MSD Awareness
Requirements Grades Knife and Shellfish
Glove Design Training Opening
Employee
involvement Thermal
environment
Shift Design
Noise
Health & Safety
Management
Early Reporting and
Injury Management
Maintenance

12. Some Conclusions
MSD remain a significant issue for seafood processing
Risk factors or symptoms?
Intervention ideas often already exist
Investigate MSD at the highest level possible

13. Thank you
Any questions?
healthyworkgroup@massey.ac.nz
www.facebook.com/healthyworkgroup