Finally, this study has shed some light on the link between environmental
performance and health and safety outcomes by adding
to the current literature on the impact of psychosocial risk factors.
There is still the need to understand the impact of job specific factors
(e.g. the potential for coming into contact with pathogens or
carcinogens) and to use more appropriate methodologies to examine
the potential for long-term health impacts of compliance,
which is beyond the scope of this paper. Individual differences
(job description and rank on board the ship) and differences in
vessel type may potentially influence health and safety outcomes
from environmental compliance but which this study has not considered.
Notwithstanding, seafarers are particularly hard to study
in relation to occupational health. Knowledge about the linkages
between shipboard work activities and known stress-related conditions
is challenged by the ‘‘healthy worker” effect and some job
stress-related health problems are difficult to see because these
take a long time to develop. However, this study makes it clear that
without longitudinal studies, it is hard to know whether there has
been an impact on longer term health and well-being, and if so,
whether environmental compliance played a part.