What about the workers? — Experiences of arrangements for safety and health in global container terminals

Abstract

Container terminals are normally exclusively involved with the transport of containerised goods. They now exist everywhere and have redesigned dock-work to increase productivity and efficiencies in the handling of goods, making physical handling by dock-workers increasingly redundant. Conventional wisdom suggests that arrangements for the safety and health of those who remain in employment are generally improved in comparison with past conditions. Yet, reliable evidence of the effects of work on the occupational safety and health (OSH) of these workers is scarce. This paper is based on research which examined the OSH experiences of workers involved with operational tasks in terminals operated by global network terminal (GNT) companies in four countries situated in Asia-Pacific and Europe. It explored these experiences along with the respondents' perceptions concerning the effectiveness of arrangements made to manage their OSH risks, and compared findings between countries. The research demonstrated a significant gap between managers' understandings of the operation of arrangements for OSH and the perceptions and experiences of workers, both in relation to OSH outcomes and the effectiveness of the OSH arrangements. This was especially evident for work-related ill-health, workers' representation and consultation on OSH, and in the differences in the experience of all these between directly employed workers and those employed by contractors. The paper discusses the implications for improved OSH arrangements and outcomes.

Determinants of effective action on workplace safety and health in global companies — The case of global network container terminal operators

“…For this reason, the study on which this paper draws, explored experiences of health and safety arrangements and their outcomes in container terminals operated by four of the largest Global Network Terminal (GNT) operators in different parts of the world. Findings from the study have been published in several recent accounts [4][5][6]. They provide evidence suggesting conditions of work in container terminals are neither as safe nor as healthy as is often assumed.…”

“…As detailed in previously published accounts, data were collected between 2014 and 2016 at the global/corporate and terminal levels [4,5]. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used and OSH data supplied by the companies were also analysed.…”

“…Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used and OSH data supplied by the companies were also analysed. In each terminal OSH data on the experiences of the operational workforce were gathered through a questionnaire-based survey and semi-structured interviews with workers and their supervisors, managers and representatives [4].…”

“…About two thirds of workers were directly employed, and most had been in their job for between one and 15 years. Most worked in roles involving crane and/or horizontal transport [4][5][6].…”

“…Previously published findings focused on an analysis of OSH arrangements and their outcomes as they are understood by the workers who experience them [6]; and a further analysis of differences between workers' experience of OSH and that of corporate leaders and managers [5]; along with a study of differences in labour relations between a highand low-income country [8]. The present paper develops analysis of the determinants of this experience and especially the significance of interplay between global corporate influence and local determinants such as are found in regulatory and labour relations as well as in national administrative arrangements for OSH.…”