Safety
Commercial fishing - a Dangerous Occupation
Our crew is created entirely from dedicated, highly valued individuals. This being said, commercial fishing has always been one of the most hazardous occupations on Earth, with fatality rates far exceeding the average occupation.
Consequently we take extra care when it comes to crew safety and the safety of our fishing vessel.
South African Maritime Safety Authority
Our top priority is the safety of our crew. In order to protect our invaluable employees, we at Rial Fishing strictly adhere to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Maritime Occupational Safety (MOS) Regulations they provide.
Crew Safety
The MOS regulations concern crew safety and the safety of the vessel. We try to assist our fishermen in every way when it comes to safety, which is why all equipment; protective clothing and protective gear required on the vessels are supplied to our crew.
In addition, all fishermen at Rial Fishing are required to:
- Attend a marine safety class every 5 years.
- Wear a PFD on deck at all times.
- Perform monthly drills including abandon ship; flooding; fire and man overboard.
- Take heed of weather forecasts.
- Avoid fishing in severe weather conditions.
- Inspect and monitor the hull of the vessel regularly in order to maintain watertight integrity.
- Utilize a man overboard alarm system.
However, there is always a high risk associated with commercial fishing. It is important to note that, even with protective gear, accidents do occur at sea. If any unfortunate event happens to occur on-board the vessel, employees are provided with extensive medical aid coverage and benefits.
Due to the diligent adherence to the MOS regulations, Rial Fishing as well as the other commercial fishing companies in South Africa can celebrate the reduction of accidents and deaths on fishing vessels from double to single digits per annum.