Page 14: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2003)

News

Shipbreaking in the Spotlight at ILO

Existing international and national regulations do not specifically address shipbreaking, widely regarded as one of the world's most hazardous occupations.

Some sites where shipbreaking takes place are referred to as 'time bombs' as they hold potentially dangerous long- term effects for public and environmen- tal health. "Although working conditions vary from country to country, workers in shipbreaking are exposed to extremely hazardous working conditions with high accident rates leading to injuries and fatalities," said Dr. Jukka Takala, director of the International Labor

Organization (ILO)'s InFocus Program on Safety and Health at Work and the

Environment. "Inadequate safety controls, badly monitored operations, exposure to high- ly toxic substances, a high risk of explo- sions and a lack of adequate training exacerbate the situation."

The ILO. concerned by the lack of protection for workers in this area, held a Tripartite Meeting of Experts on

Safety and Health in Shipbreaking from

October 7-14 in Bangkok. During the meeting, guidelines for responsible ship dismantling and the provision of support for improved safety and health in ship- breaking were revised and adopted. "Our long-term objective is to improve the health and safety conditions for workers in shipbreaking operations by transforming it from the informal sector into a sustainable industry in the formal sector, thus contributing to poverty alleviation." Takala explained.

The program aims at the establishment of sound national frameworks for

Pictured are shipbreaking operations in Bangladesh, as seen through the lens of photographer

Edward Burtynsky, and as originally published in the June 2002 edition of Maritime Reporter &

Engineering News. Burtynsky's graphic images helped educate many on the brutal conditions encountered in shipbreaking operations in the developing world. The International Labor

Organization addressed the matter in a recent meeting. (Image by Edward Burtynsky, and courtesy of the Charles Coweles Gallery, New York, NY) 0 PETROCOM

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