Instructions for forms

Attachment 5: Instructions to Respondents (appears on each instrument)

Phase 1 Questionnaire:

This survey contains questions about your experiences, opinions, and perceptions involving personal flotation devices (PFDs) and falls overboard. Each question and its possible responses will be read to you, and you are asked to select one of the answer choices presented. The survey may take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete.

Purpose of study:

• The purpose of this study is to evaluate a variety of modern PFDs with commercial fishermen to discover the features and qualities that they like and dislike.

• Findings from the PFD evaluations will help PFD manufacturers design PFDs that better meet the needs of the fishing industry.

• The PFD evaluations will also supply information to fishermen about which types of PFDs worked best.

• This study has the potential to greatly benefit the fishing industry. It will provide information to fishermen that may encourage them to wear PFDs while they work.

Participation is voluntary, responses will not be used in enforcement actions against you, and the survey results will be made available to industry, safety organizations, federal agencies, and other interested parties in a summary format only - without any personal identifiers.

Thank you for participating and helping us gather this information!

Phase 2 Evaluation Form:

Thank you for assisting us in this PFD evaluation. This form has been provided as a tool to rate comfort, satisfaction, and opinions about the PFD you have been given. You should complete this form at two times during the evaluation period - after one day of wear, and after one month of wear. Only you should wear the PFD and complete the form. All answers are completely confidential. The information you provide will not be identified with you in any manner.

Please answer the questions as accurately as possible. Place a check mark in the box or fill in the blank where appropriate. If you don’t know the answer, simply write DK for “don’t know” and go to the next question.

Purpose of study:

• The purpose of this study is to evaluate a variety of modern PFDs with commercial fishermen to discover the features and qualities that they like and dislike.

• Findings from the PFD evaluations will help PFD manufacturers design PFDs that better meet the needs of the fishing industry.

• The PFD evaluations will also supply information to fishermen about which types of PFDs worked best.

• This study has the potential to greatly benefit the fishing industry. It will provide information to fishermen that may encourage them to wear PFDs while they work.

Participation is voluntary, responses will not be used in enforcement actions against you, and the survey results will be made available to industry, safety organizations, federal agencies, and other interested parties in a summary format only - without any personal identifiers.

Thank you for participating and helping us gather this information!

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