Work environment and health in the Norwegian fishing fleet - a field study on board deep-sea fishing vessels

Workers in the Norwegian fishing fleet who are exposed to unfavorable conditions such as cold, noise, heavy lifting, inconvenient working hours, long work days and excessive strain, are liable to be negatively affected in terms of their health and work performance. Such conditions may also affect thermoregulatory responses, thermal sensation and comfort. There is a lack of knowledge regarding interaction between work, the work environment and the working health of fishermen. The objective of this study was to identify work strain and cold-related problems in deep-sea fishing vessel crew members.