Work-related homicides among seafarers and fishermen.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse work related homicides among various defined populations of seafarers and fishermen during the period 1976-2002, to compare homicide rates with other occupations and general populations, and to discuss implications for maritime health and safety.


METHODS
A longitudinal study of work related homicides, based on official mortality files, with an aggregated population of almost two million seafarer-and fishermen-years at risk.


RESULTS
Of 46 work related homicides, 44 occurred among seafarers, and two among fishermen. Homicide rates were 1.5 per 100,000 worker-years among seafarers in British merchant shipping (1976-2002), 2.9 per 100,000 among British seafarers employed in non British shipping (1986-95), 3.7 in Singapore shipping (1984-95) and in Hong Kong shipping (1981-95), and 0.4 among fishermen in British fishing (1976-2002). The homicide rate in British shipping increased from 2.7 per 100,000 seafarer-years in 1961-65 to 4.4 per 100,000 in 1971-75, but has declined to 0.0 in 1996-2002.


CONCLUSIONS
Although work related homicides were generally quite rare occurrences, among British seafarers and fishermen, they were largely caused by attacks from assailants, other than colleagues, that occurred ashore. The decline in the homicide rate in British shipping since the 1970s has coincided with the reduction in deep-sea ships trading to high risk countries for homicide. Among Asian seafarers, most homicides resulted from disputes among colleagues that mainly occurred on board ships. Prevention should include alertness to potential risks when spending off-duty time ashore in locations with high homicide rates, and conflict resolution for disputes among seafarers.
Roberts
Stephen E
SE
Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK. stephen.roberts@uhce.ox.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009326:Naval Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D012767:Ships; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology