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Ports:
Social protection
Safety and health
Despite new and sophisticated innovations, port work is still considered an occupation with very high accident rates. Statistics for a range of major international companies indicate that ports are indeed hazardous working places: as an example, for a mineral exploration and mining company, the rate for deaths is 0.20 per 1000 workers per year compared to 0.42 deaths per1000 workers per year for a port/terminal operating company, which is more than twice. So ports are dangerous places, compared with other major industries - and those are just the figures for fatalities. For every accident involving a death there are estimated to be 30 serious injuries resulting in lost working time, 300 minor injuries requiring first-aid or medical treatment, and probably 3000 "near-misses" which, by luck, did not result in injury or death. Apart from the accidents, the work environment also causes long-term occupational diseases. There are reasons to believe that accident rates and occupational diseases in ports, in which such incidents are often not reported, would be higher than the official statistics.
The ILO provides a package of standards and training materials that, if implemented, would undoubtedly substantially improve safety and health conditions in ports. The ILO C152 Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 and R160 Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Recommendation, 1979 supported by the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Ports (2005) and relevant training materials provide substantial guidance to ILO Member States to develop and implement appropriate port related OSH policies and opportunities for skills development of portworkers that would make ports much safer and healthier workplaces. The ILO is ready to provide guidance and technical support to those countries that would like to improve safety and health conditions in their ports.
Useful links/resources
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