How to conduct a WIB program

Each WIB program is conducted in the form of a brief workshop involving seamen or fishermen. Usually, 20-40 people can participate in the workshop. This workshop of 1-2 hours can be followed up by encouraging the participants to use the manual distributed at the workshop in their own vessels and to plan and implement improvement actions.

In the workshop, the participants learn local good practices, have a trial to apply an action checklist and make plans for immediate improvements in their own vessels. The purpose is to enable the participants to look at their own working conditions and propose practical improvements for better safety and health at work. A clear emphasis is placed on low-cost improvements that are feasible in the local situations of the participants. The participants are trained in this way about checking their existing conditions as well as planning and implementing practical improvements in multiple technical areas relevant to their daily work. Action-oriented tools used by the participants can facilitate not only the learning process but also the planning and implementation of available improvements.

Participatory tools used in the WIB program are suited to the planning and implementation of practical improvements on vessels. Each WIB program for seamen and fishermen consists of an introductory presentation of the WIB methods, learning good practices achieved by seamen and fishermen, application of an action checklist for promoting feasible improvement actions and planning of immediate actions by using a WIB Planning Sheet. Usually, the program is conducted as a one-hour or two-hour workshop. Each program is followed up to know the improvements done by the participants.  

Each set of tools include a WIB Action Checklist, good examples and a WIB Planning Sheet. The 28 items of the action checklist cover (a) work space and its maintenance, (b) preventing falls, (c) machine safety and protective equipment, (d) lighting, (e) mooring and fishing equipment, (f) work operations, and (g) communication and welfare facilities. The participants check their vessel by utilizing the WIB action checklist. Then the participants discuss the existing good practices and the ideas for work improvements that can be implemented by themselves. At the end of the workshop, participants agree to propose 3 work improvements for their vessel and workplace. Many of the proposed improvements have been implemented with visible effects on safety and health at work.

The steps taken in each WIB program are shown in the following figures. The workshop comprises three steps that can enable the participants to learn good practices and propose practical improvements by means of the WIB Action Checklist and the WIB Planning Sheet.