Ground-breaking container port health and safety study published

The first major international study of health and safety in global network terminal (GNT) ports is published today.

Commissioned by the ITF and conducted by Cardiff University in cooperation with three major terminal operators, PSA International, APM Terminals and one other, the 94-page report – Managing the health and safety of workers in globalised container terminals – examines six GNT ports and a worldwide survey of ITF member unions.

It finds that container terminals remain a high risk environment for dock workers. It concludes that, while the GNT operators have made important strides in improving health and safety management systems, significant improvement is needed to bring container terminals up to the standards of best practice found in other sectors where worker participation systems are effectively developed. 

Sharon James, ITF dockers’ section secretary, commented: “This is an important, first-of-its-kind project. We commend these three leading GNT operators for cooperating with this research. By engaging in an independent assessment of their performance, these companies are showing leadership for the wider container terminals industry.”

ITF president Paddy Crumlin added: “The findings show that the GNTs have made some important steps to improving their health and safety importance, but there is still a good way to go. This report lays out guidance on what can be done to enshrine and spread good practice.”

The report recommends strengthening OHS (occupational health and safety) by moving away from the top-down behavioural type towards worker participation systems, which evidence from other industries shows can address the underlying causes of health and safety problems. Its other recommendations include ensuring that OHS provisions and outcomes are equal for sub-contracted workers; and focusing OHS management systems more on health issues, such as musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue.

Managing the health and safety of workers in globalised container terminals can be seen at http://www.itfglobal.org/infocentre/pubs.cfm/detail/39726.