Union calls for review of fish farm health and safety record.
A trade union has called for an urgent review of health and safety standards in Scotland’s fish farming industry, citing a high number of serious workplace accidents over the past five years.
According to data obtained by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) through Freedom of Information requests to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there were 139 serious accidents in the sector during the period. These included fractures, exposure to hazardous substances and finger amputations. One fatality was also recorded.
More than a quarter of the reported serious injuries involved fractures. Cases included a worker who broke their back and another who sustained a broken neck. Three workers suffered finger amputations.
In February 2020, Mowi Scotland was fined more than £800,000 after admitting health and safety failures related to the death of Clive Hendry, 58, near Kyle of Lochalsh. Hendry was crushed while attempting to transfer from a moving workboat to a salmon feed barge.
Last week, a motion was lodged in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the sector’s health and safety record and urging closer cooperation between fish farming companies and trade unions.
BFAWU regional officer Mark McHugh said the level of reported accidents was a “massive worry” and noted that, unlike Norway, the Scottish salmon farming industry is largely not unionised. He said union efforts to engage with companies on safety issues had repeatedly been rejected.
Salmon Scotland said member companies take health and safety responsibilities seriously and fully comply with workplace requirements, noting that salmon farming involves heavy machinery similar to other agricultural and processing environments.
