Ports:
Standards & rights at work

The ILO has adopted a number of standards which specifically concern the social and labour conditions of portworkers. Most of these are aimed at improving the safety of work in ports. Among the most important, which presently the ILO promotes, are the following:

• C137 Dock Work Convention, 1973. Ratifications.
• R145 Dock Work Recommendation, 1973.
• C152 Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979. Ratifications.
  
• R160 Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Recommendation, 1979.

The first two instruments concern protections for portworkers against changes in their employment resulting from technological and structural changes. The second two concern health and safety issues.

The Marking of Weights (Packages Transported by Vessels) Convention, 1929 (No. 27) (its Ratifications) that is also pertinent to ports is presently being considered for revision in order to reflect new developments.

Other recent ILO port related standards that presently the ILO promotes, are the following two codes of practice:

• Code of Practice on Security in Ports (2004)
  
• Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Ports (2005)