Representatives of governments and social partners from around the world gathered at the ILO from 22 to 26 January 2018 to adopt a revised code of practice on safety and health in shipbuilding and ship repair.
The new code wants to address the many changes in the industry, including the use of robotic systems, over the last 43 years since an earlier code was adopted by the ILO. It emphasizes on a preventive approach based on occupational safety and health (OSH) management systems, management of change and safe work plans.
Moreover, another thing that was highlighted was the importance of improving occupational safety and health (OSH) in shipbuilding and ship repair. An improvement in this sector will lead to reduced injury rates and fatalities, and will provide economic costs to affected families and societies.
The new Code of Practice includes detailed guidance to improve OSH in the industry, including the rights of workers to be aware of the risks they face, the right to know how to address those risks, and the right to remove themselves from hazardous work situations.
“The industry is not in a good shape at the moment but there are early signs that the outlook for the industry is improving. I am hopeful that as the industry rebounds, the revised and adopted Code of Practice on shipbuilding and ship repair will serve as a basis for developing national or company OSH management systems and contribute to the overall improvement of working conditions in this key sector,” said Alette van Leur, Director of the ILO Sectoral Policies Department.
