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Dive into the research topics where Samantha Case is active.

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Featured researches published by Samantha Case.


International Maritime Health | 2015

Reported traumatic injuries among West Coast Dungeness crab fishermen, 2002-2014.

Samantha Case; Viktor E. Bovbjerg; Devin L. Lucas; Laura Syron; Laurel Kincl

BACKGROUND Commercial fishing is a high-risk occupation. The West Coast Dungeness crab fishery has a high fatality rate; however, nonfatal injuries have not been previously studied. The purpose of this report was to describe the characteristics of fatal and nonfatal traumatic occupational injuries and associated hazards in this fleet during 2002-2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data on fatal injuries were obtained from a surveillance system managed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Data on nonfatal injuries were manually abstracted from Coast Guard investigation reports and entered into a study database. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise demographics, injury characteristics, and work processes performed. RESULTS Twenty-eight fatal and 45 nonfatal injuries were reported between 2002 and 2014 in the Dungeness crab fleet. Most fatalities were due to vessel disasters, and many nonfatal injuries occurred on-deck when fishermen were working with gear, particularly when hauling the gear (47%). The most frequently reported injuries affected the upper extremities (48%), and fractures were the most commonly reported injury type (40%). The overall fatality rate during this time period was 209 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers and the rate of nonfatal injury was 3.4 per 1,000 full-time equivalent workers. CONCLUSIONS Dungeness crab fishermen are at relatively high risk for fatal injuries. Nonfatal injuries were limited to reported information, which hampers efforts to accurately estimate nonfatal injury risk and understand fishing hazards. Further research is needed to identify work tasks and other hazards that cause nonfatal injuries in this fleet. Engaging fishermen directly may help develop approaches for injury prevention.


Journal of Safety Research | 2017

Preventing fatal winch entanglements in the US southern shrimp fleet: A research to practice approach

Jennifer M. Lincoln; Chelsea C. Woodward; Grant W. King; Samantha Case; Devin L. Lucas; Theodore Teske

INTRODUCTION During 2000-2011, 35 injuries (8 fatal) involving winches were reported to the Coast Guard in the Southern shrimp fleet. Injuries involving the main winch drums had a higher risk for fatal outcomes compared to injuries involving the winch cathead (RR=7.5; 1.1-53.7). The objective of this study was to design effective solutions to protect deckhands from entanglement hazards posed by winches found on the vessels in the Southern shrimp fleet. METHODS Based on injury characteristics, site visit observations, and input from vessel owners, NIOSH determined that the design and implementation of effective main-winch guarding was a feasible first-step in mitigating the entanglement hazard. Design considerations for stationary guards favor systems that are simple, affordable, durable, unobtrusive, and will not interfere with normal fishing operations. In addition, an auxiliary-stop method was tested to prevent entanglements in try-net winches. RESULTS Standardized passive guards were designed for three commonly found main winch models. Initial prototype guards have been sea-tested. The design of six additional guards is underway, for a total of three iterations for each winch model identified. These will incorporate features found to be valued by fishermen, will be more efficient, and will reduce the overall cost of fabrication and maintenance. Sea testing of these iterations continues. The auxiliary-stop circuit control prototype system was designed to prevent entanglements in the try-net winch and is currently being sea tested. DISCUSSION NIOSH has completed initial designs for stationary-winch guards. Through collaborations with shrimper associations and safety groups, the successfully tested winch guard and auxiliary stop designs will be made available to qualified welders and craftsmen to use. This approach has proven effective in preventing other types of winch injuries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Injury epidemiologic methods and industry input are an effective way to identify workplace hazards and to design effective safety interventions to control hazards.


Safety Science | 2018

Factors associated with crewmember survival of cold water immersion due to commercial fishing vessel sinkings in Alaska

Devin L. Lucas; Samantha Case; Jennifer M. Lincoln; Joanna R. Watson

Occupational fatality surveillance has identified that fishing vessel disasters, such as sinkings and capsizings, continue to contribute to the most deaths among crewmembers in the US fishing industry. When a fishing vessel sinks at sea, crewmembers are at risk of immersion in water and subsequent drowning. This study examined survival factors for crewmembers following cold water immersion after the sinking of decked commercial fishing vessels in Alaskan waters during 2000-2014. Two immersion scenarios were considered separately: immersion for any length of time, and long-term immersion defined as immersion lasting over 30 minutes. Logistic regression was used to predict the odds of crewmember survival. Of the 617 crewmembers onboard 187 fishing vessels that sank in Alaska during 2000-2014, 557 (90.3%) survived and 60 died. For crewmembers immersed for any length of time, the significant adjusted predictors of survival were: entering a life-raft, sinking within three miles of shore, the sinking not being weather-related, and working as a deckhand. For crewmembers immersed for over 30 minutes, the significant adjusted predictors of survival were: wearing an immersion suit, entering a life-raft, working as a deckhand, and the sinking not being weather-related. The results of this analysis demonstrate that in situations where cold water immersion becomes inevitable, having access to well-maintained, serviceable lifesaving equipment and the knowledge and skills to use it properly are critical.


Safety Science | 2018

Work-related nonfatal injuries in Alaska’s aviation industry, 2000–2013

Samantha Case; Kyle M. Moller; Nancy A. Nix; Devin L. Lucas; Elizabeth Hodges Snyder; Mary B. O'Connor

Aviation is a critical component of life in Alaska, connecting communities off the road system across the state. Crash-related fatalities in the state are well understood and many intervention efforts have been aimed at reducing aircraft crashes and resulting fatalities; however, nonfatal injuries among workers who perform aviation-related duties have not been studied in Alaska. This study aimed to characterize hospitalized nonfatal injuries among these workers using data from the Alaska Trauma Registry. During 2000-2013, 28 crash-related and 89 non-crash injuries were identified, spanning various occupational groups. Falls were a major cause of injuries, accounting for over half of non-crash injuries. Based on the study findings, aviation stakeholders should review existing policies and procedures regarding aircraft restraint systems, fall protection, and other injury prevention strategies. To supplement these findings, further study describing injuries that did not result in hospitalization is recommended.


Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | 2018

Fatal Falls Overboard in Commercial Fishing — United States, 2000–2016

Samantha Case; Jennifer M. Lincoln; Devin L. Lucas

Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, with a 2016 work-related fatality rate (86.0 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) 23 times higher than that for all U.S. workers (3.6) (1). Sinking vessels cause the most fatalities in the industry; however, falling from a fishing vessel is a serious hazard responsible for the second highest number of commercial fishing-associated fatalities (2,3). CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed data on unintentional fatal falls overboard in the U.S. commercial fishing industry to identify gaps in the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies. During 2000-2016, a total of 204 commercial fishermen died after unintentionally falling overboard. The majority of falls (121; 59.3%) were not witnessed, and 108 (89.3%) of these victims were not found. Among 83 witnessed falls overboard, 56 rescue attempts were made; 22 victims were recovered but were not successfully resuscitated. The circumstances, rescue attempts, and limited use of lifesaving and recovery equipment indicate that efforts to reduce these preventable fatalities are needed during pre-event, event, and post-event sequences of falls overboard. Vessel owners could consider strategies to prevent future fatalities, including lifeline tethers, line management, personal flotation devices (PFDs), man-overboard alarms, recovery devices, and rescue training.


American Journal of Industrial Medicine | 2018

Work‐related mortality in the US fishing industry during 2000‐2014: New findings based on improved workforce exposure estimates

Devin L. Lucas; Samantha Case

BACKGROUND Commercial fishing is a global industry that has been frequently classified as high-risk. The use of detailed surveillance data is critical in identifying hazards. METHODS The purpose of this study was to provide updated statistics for the entire US fishing industry during 2010-2014, generate fleet-specific fatality rates using a revised calculation of full-time equivalent estimates, and examine changes in the patterns of fatalities and in risk over a 15-year period (2000-2014). RESULTS During 2010-2014, 188 commercial fishing fatalities occurred in the United States. Vessel disasters and falls overboard remain leading contributors to commercial fishing deaths. The Atlantic scallop fleet stands out for achieving substantial declines in the risk of fatalities over the 15-year study period. However, fatality rates ranged from 21 to 147 deaths per 100 000 FTEs, many times higher than the rate for all US workers. CONCLUSIONS Although the number of fatalities among commercial fishermen in the United States has generally declined since 2000, commercial fishing continues to have one of the highest occupational fatality rates in the United States. The sustainable seafood movement could assist in improving the health and safety of fishing industry workers if worker well-being was integrated into the definition of sustainable seafood.


Occupational and Environmental Medicine | 2016

O36-6 United states west coast commercial fishing injury, fatality and vessel disaster surveillance informing safety measures

Laurel Kincl; Laura Syron; Viktor E. Bovbjerg; Samantha Case; Devin L. Lucas

Objectives Quantitative risk assessments for commercial fishing fleets can inform safety requirements and voluntary programs. In collaboration with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and surveillance data provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) we have analysed fatal and non-fatal injuries and vessel disasters. Methods Washington, Oregon and California commercial fishing data from 2002–2014 are included. Data on vessel disasters and fatalities were collected by a NIOSH surveillance program. Non-fatal injury data were abstracted from USCG investigation reports and then coded and entered into a study database. Location, weather, factors, demographics, work process, injury characteristic, and vessel details were included in the database. Descriptive analysis was performed to identify risk factors. Results During the study period, 101 fatal and 208 non-fatal injuries were reported. In the same period, 184 commercial fishing vessel disasters occurred on the US West Coast resulting in 66 fatal and 28 non-fatal injuries out of 493 total crewmembers onboard. In addition to vessel disasters, falls overboard accounted for 22 fatalities and 3 reported nonfatal injuries. The groundfish and shellfish fisheries suffered the most fatal (23 and 38, respectively) and non-fatal injuries (93 and 55). The majority of non-fatal injuries occurred onboard (81%) and the highest risk work tasks associated varied by specific fishery and gear type. For the Pacific whiting fishery, processing the catch and handling frozen fish, and for Dungeness crab, hauling pots accounted for the most injuries. Conclusion Fatality and vessel disaster data are reliably collected through NIOSH surveillance. Non-fatal injury data reported to the USCG is limited. Our results are currently being used in a regional risk assessment to inform the industry and USCG for developing safety programs. Other sources of data should be explored for ongoing research and monitoring of such programs and for the industry.


Archive | 2016

Assessment of safety in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Island crab fleet

Devin L. Lucas; Samantha Case; Theodore Teske; Alexis DeLeon; Dimitreus Kloczko


Journal of Safety Research | 2018

Occupational traumatic injuries among offshore seafood processors in Alaska, 2010–2015

Laura N. Syron; Devin L. Lucas; Viktor E. Bovbjerg; Samantha Case; Laurel Kincl


Archive | 2017

Factors associated with crewmember survival of commercial fishing vessel sinkings in Alaska

Devin L. Lucas; Samantha Case; Jennifer M. Lincoln; Joanna R. Watson

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Devin L. Lucas

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Laura Syron

Oregon State University

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Theodore Teske

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Jennifer M. Lincoln

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Laurel Kincl

Oregon State University

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Joanna R. Watson

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Chelsea C. Woodward

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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Elizabeth Hodges Snyder

University of Alaska Anchorage

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Grant W. King

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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