An innovative ‘train the trainers’ day has been held in Aberdeen, Scotland using the Sea Fish Industry Authority’s (Seafish’s) new First Aid at Sea course, now one of the four mandatory one-day courses that UK fishermen must complete. The newly devised training course has been given a fisherman’s input by Derek Cardno, safety officer for the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF).
Cardno originally approached safety officials after he suffered a severe injury at sea and felt ‘the system’ had failed him. He eventually suggested solutions that could make first aid training better for fishermen.
One of the main improvements in the new course is an Emergency Recording Chart (ERC) that can be used by fishermen at sea to gather information about the victim and accident before they call for assistance. The ERC gives individuals confidence when passing over details of an injured crew member in a ‘high pressure’ situation.
Seafish now intends to roll out the new course and hopes fishermen also will take the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills by attending refresher training. Cardno said: “I am delighted that we have reached this stage after two-and-a-half years work. The course has gone well beyond my expectations of what I thought we could achieve.”