Lifejackets for Lobstermen

  Falls overboard are the most frequent cause of death on the job for lobstermen in the U.S. The on-the-job death rate for fishermen nationwide is 31 times higher than any other industry. It is well-documented that wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) can help prevent these tragedies, but unfortunately most fishermen do not routinely wear a PFD. Staff from the Northeast Center for Occupational Safety and Health were determined to find out why and to identify promising strategies for increasing PFD usage in the lobster fishing industry. The Lifejackets for Lobstermen project was thus born. Starting in 2014 the