Focus On: Risk perceptions and experiences of ocean workers

This page is approximately a 3 minute read

This page was published on 10/06/2025

This short ‘Focus On’ report presents the findings of a new analysis of World Risk Poll data collected in 2023, focusing on the risk perceptions and experiences of ocean workers – those who work on or near water.

The findings of this report reveal a stark reality: ocean workers are on the front lines of climate change. Compared to the global workforce, they are not only more concerned about experiencing harm from climate change, but also face a heightened risk from severe weather events. These fears are not hypothetical – they are rooted in lived experience, with many ocean workers having already suffered harm from extreme weather and dangerous working conditions at sea.

But climate change is only part of the threat. Ocean workers also face elevated levels of workplace harm more broadly, due to the demanding, hazardous, and often isolated nature of their jobs. Despite this, they are less likely than other workers to report harm when it occurs – often due to fear of retaliation, lack of trust in reporting systems, or limited access to support. This silence makes already dangerous work even riskier.

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Key findings

17% of ocean workers identify climate change as the greatest personal safety risk they face – almost triple the response of other workers (6%). This indicates ocean workers are significantly more likely to view climate change as a direct and immediate threat.
33% of ocean workers report having personally experienced serious harm from severe weather in the last two years – compared to only 20% of other workers. This reflects their heightened direct exposure to climate-related risks.
A quarter (25%) of ocean workers report experiencing harm from their work in the past two years – compared to 18% of other workers, making it the highest of any employment sector surveyed.
32% of ocean workers received OSH training in their current role, compared to 38% of other workers. Just 25% have received OSH training in the last two years, suggesting a training gap in a high-risk sector.
Only 41% of ocean workers who experienced harm reported the incident, compared to 51% of other workers. This suggests underreporting is more prevalent in maritime contexts – perhaps due to fear of retaliation, isolation, or lack of reporting infrastructure.

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