Man Overboard Awareness Events
This page has information on:
What to expect
Upcoming training events
Funding and costs
How to book
Further information
Falling overboard is the single biggest cause of workplace fatalities in the fishing industry. In 2021, ten fishermen tragically lost their lives at sea. Six of these were recorded as man overboard fatalities by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
The in-water awareness events, in partnership with the RNLI, explain how to reduce the risk in going overboard and what can be done to improve the chances of survival. Participants will experience a man overboard emergency under controlled conditions. The pools use wind, rain and waves to make the experience more realistic.
This is a full day event that is split into morning and afternoon sessions.
The morning session is based in a classroom and covers:
- Causes of falling overboard
- How to prevent falling overboard
- How to improve chances of survival if you do fall overboard
The afternoon session is based in the training pool and covers:
- Jumping into the pool with clothes and oilskins on and no personal flotation device
- Jumping into the pool with clothes and oilskins on and wearing a personal flotation device
- Practise climbing into a life raft
- Practise with the lines, tyres and a ladder to pull you out of the water
Unforgettable day yesterday, most useful safety course I’ve ever been on.
Get a first-hand account of what the training day will involve from one Shetland crew, by visiting the Fishing News website using the link below.
Katie Hooper, our Fisherman's Training Advisor, wanted to find out more about Man Overboard awareness events and decided to complete the training. Katie shares her experience and what to expect in our video below.
The current venues and dates for training courses are listed below. Spaces are limited so early sign up is recommended.
| Venue | Dates |
| Aberdeen: Survivex, Dyce | 10-11 May, 2023 |
You can register for events by emailing our Fisherman's training team training@seafish.co.uk
The event is free for participants but they will need to cover their own expenses for attending.
To book a place at an event, email our Fishermen’s Training team by emailing training@seafish.co.uk
Or call Katie Hooper on 07966 764151 or Lee Haigh on 07904 660484.
These events have been provided as part of our work with the Fishing Industry Safety Group. Information on staying safe at sea, including videos on completing Risk Assessments and Man Overboard Drills are available by visiting the Fishing Industry Safety Group website on the following link below.