Current reality and progress towards change

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The IMF estimates that 15 per cent of the 66,000 Indian shipbreaking workforce is affected by asbestos exposure. A survey they carried out at Alang showed that most of the 60,000 people working there earn less than one US dollar a day.
There are no accurate figures on the number of deaths, injuries and incidents of occupational ill health in the global shipbreaking industry. However it is recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as one of the most hazardous occupations.
According to the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health in Gujarat, India, the data on fatal accidents during the last 10 years (1995 to 2005) in shipbreaking at Alang shows that the average annual incidence of fatal accidents in the industry is 2 per 1,000 workers, while the all India incidence of fatal accidents during the same period in the mining industry, which is considered one of the most accident prone sectors, is 0.34 per 1000.
Hazardous substances and wastes on board a ship can include asbestos, heavy and toxic metals/substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, batteries and fire-lighting liquids, PCBs) and compressed gas. In addition, workers face other risks such as fire, explosions, falls from heights, oxygen deficiency in confined spaces and lack of personal protective equipment.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO is in the process of negotiating a mandatory global instrument to ensure safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships.
The shipping industry has for many years recognised the need for minimal standards on ships to be recycled, and the poor conditions of work in the shipbreaking yards has been well documented. The complex system of brokering ships to the yard, and the responsibilities of the various parties to workers in the yards has been more contentious. Progress however has been made in the past decade.
The ITF has co-operated with the IMF in its work with the ILO, which produced the Safety and Health in Shipbreaking, Guidelines for Asian countries and Turkey.
The ITF also continues to work closely with the shipping industry forum on recycling of ships and they produced guidelines for ship owners and crews for vessels prior to the breaking yards, introducing the green passport concept identifying hazardous materials.
The IMO 2005 Assembly adopted Guidelines on Recycling and Resolution A.981 (24) calling for a new Legally-binding Instrument on Ship Recycling, and set up a tripartite working group with the ILO and Basel Convention secretariat. This new convention will include a health and safety section for the breaking yard, and it is intended for it to be adopted in 2009. Ratification could take until 2015.
The ITF and IMF support the work of the IMO, particularly where this is carried out in full cooperation with the ILO, and will welcome a legally binding instrument. However they are concerned that this will do nothing to help the yard workers in the next decade and there are no more immediate safety and health initiatives from the industry.
Unfortunately action by some environmental groups would result in the closing of the yards and the loss of many much-needed jobs. The workers and their unions are asking for some of the more basic requirements of decent work, such as training in safety practices, protective clothing and safeguard from hazardous material. More details are available on the IMF website at: www.imfmetal.org/shipbreaking

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