Transport and social protection

The ILO promotes the concept of decent work for all workers, including workers in the transport sector. Work-related injuries have generally declined in the transport sector, but new hazards and risks have been identified and recognized recently. They include: exposure of cabin crews to radiation; the quality of air on board aircraft; handling of and exposure to asbestos by railway workers; exposure of women in advanced stages of pregnancy to stressful conditions in air traffic control; exposure of truck drivers to organized banditry in an increasing number of countries; etc. Violence against transport workers has become a serious issue in all sub-sectors worldwide. In view of the importance of transport safety to users and the public at large, there is need to: (a) ensure adequate training for safe work practices; and (b) promote compliance with existing health and safety standards and codes of practice through incentives at sectoral and enterprise level, and through improvements in inspection capacity.

Useful links/resources

• InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration
  ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998
  
• InFocus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment
  Catalogue of ILO publications on inland transport occupational safety and health
  International hazard datasheet on occupations: drivers of heavy trucks
  
• Asian-Pacific Regional Network on Occupational Safety and Health information
  Protecting and saving lives at work: The emerging challenge in Asia
  
• International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre
  Symbols of the United Nations Committee for the Transport of Dangerous Goods
  
• Fatigue and working time in the road transport sector (pdf, 140k)
  
• Violence and stress in the transport sector
• Gender aspects of workplace violence in the transport sector
• HIV/AIDS and the transport sector