Guidelines on Medical Examination of Fishers 07.04.2024 03:27
A new set of guidelines, adopted at a joint meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will improve the medical examination process of fishers.
The definitions of “fishing vessel personnel” and “fisher” are identical. Therefore, the Guidelines use the term “fisher”, which, for the purposes of the Guidelines, means the same as the term “fishing vessel personnel”, while taking into consideration any possible differences in the scope of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, 1995 (1995 STCW-F Convention) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (№ 188) of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The IMO will introduce a similar requirement through its upcoming and newly developed Code of the International Convention on the Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeeping of Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F).
The guidelines refer to the relevant international legal instruments. They provide guidance for competent authorities and for persons recognized by competent authorities to conduct medical examinations and to issue medical certificates. They set out vision and heating standards, physical capability requirements, fitness criteria for medication use and common medical conditions, formats for recording medical examinations and medical certificates. They also address the frequency and conduct of examinations, the right to privacy, and appeals procedures if a certificate is denied.
In addition to the medical examination guidelines, the tripartite meeting of representatives of governments, fishing vessel owners and fishers noted the importance of fisher’s occupational health surveillance programmes. The meeting requested the ILO to develop guidance on this subject through a tripartite consultation process with the IMO and others, drawing on principles set out in ILO occupational safety and health instruments as well work that has already being undertaken by social partners and maritime medical experts.
