Search

Maritime transport is defined by systemic factors that create significant human and labour rights risks. 

The widespread use of Flags of Convenience – where ships are registered in countries other than that of their true ownership to reduce costs and regulatory oversight – undermines accountability

Climate change is a growing occupational safety and health risk for transport workers, and is already reshaping working conditions. Rising temperatures, extreme cold, storms, flooding and other severe weather events increasingly expose workers to hazardous conditions – generating operational

Mental health and psychosocial risks are significant and growing across transport, often driven by other risks outlined in this guidance. Job insecurity, excessive and irregular working hours, work intensification, surveillance, isolation and the pressure associated with safety-critical

Transport work involves repetitive movements, manual handling, static postures and prolonged periods operating vehicles, machinery or equipment. When procurement and operational decisions prioritise cost efficiency, speed or productivity, ergonomic factors are often overlooked – and workers can

Exposure to hazardous substances and biological risks threatens both transport workers’ safety and health and the resilience of supply chains.

Workers operate in environments – including ports, terminals, warehouses, ships, airports and aircraft – where chemicals, fumes, fuels, dust and infectious

Fatigue is a systemic, safety-critical risk and one of the leading contributors to accidents in transport – killing and injuring workers, harming passengers and the public, and damaging vehicles, cargo and critical infrastructure. Fatigue-related incidents also expose companies to significant legal

Isolation and lone working are defining feature of many transport occupations, presenting significant physical and psychological risks for transport workers. Transport workers frequently perform their duties alone, or in remote or mobile environments, where access to immediate assistance or help

Commercial and contracting decisions at the top of the chain determine safety, working conditions and the risk of human and labour rights violations at the point of work – excessive working hours, wage theft and, in serious cases, human trafficking and forced labour. 

A rate that does not cover the

Warehouses are no longer long-term storage sites. They are fast-paced environments fundamental to global commerce, operating to meet the expectations of customers who want their products immediately – and the workers who keep them moving are too easily exploited, in work that is largely invisible to