Exposures and health effects at sea: report on the NIVA course: Maritime Occupational Medicine, Exposures and health Effects at Sea 2014

The presentations and discussions summarised provide an overview on the current state of knowledge on a wide range of occupational health risks to which seafarers are exposed. The definition of an occupational risk for a seafarer poses problems as their ship provides both their working and their living environment and, because of its mobility, can expose them to diverse climatic and infectious risks. Knowledge about levels of exposure to potential health risks in seafarers is limited when compared to those working ashore while, because of a pattern of working that is often temporary and insecure, there is little valid long-term information on ill-health that can be related to risks at sea and in port. The data that do exist mainly come from developed countries, especially those in North Western Europe and extrapolation from these populations to the Asian seafarers who now crew most ships is of uncertain validity. This course, run by the NIVA Foundation and supported financially by the Nordic Council of Ministers, provided a first opportunity to draw a wide range of information and experience together to review exposure and health risks in seafarers. As a result it provided both a forum for deciding on future needs for investigation and gave those attending a range of insights that can help inform their own practices. (Int Marit Health 2014; 64, 3: 114–121)