Safety and health

in shipbuilding
and ship repair
 Contents

Safety and health in shipbuilding

and ship repair

Revised edition
ILO code of practice Contents

Safety and health in shipbuilding

and ship repair

Revised edition

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE • GENEVA

Copyright © International Labour Organization 2019
First published 1974
Revised edition 2019
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Contents
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ILO code of practice: Safety and health in shipbuilding and ship repair. Revised edition
International Labour Office, Geneva, 2019
ISBN 978-92-2-132344-0 (print)
ISBN 978-92-2-132345-7 (web pdf)

Also available in French: La sécurité et la santé dans le secteur de la construction et de la

réparation navales. Recueil de directives pratiques du BIT (édition révisée), ISBN
978-92-2-132346-4 (print); ISBN 978-92-2-132347-1 (pdf web)), Geneva, 2019 and in
Spanish: Seguridad y salud en la construcción y reparación de buques. Repertorio de
recomenda-ciones prácticas de la OIT (edición revisada), ISBN 978-92-2-132348-8 (print);
ISBN 978- 92-2-132349-5 (web pdf), Geneva, 2019

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Preface

The ILO Code of practice on safety and health in ship-

building and ship repair was adopted by a Meeting of Experts Contents
held in Geneva from 22 to 26 January 2018, in accordance with
a Governing Body decision at its 329th Session (March 2017).
The meeting was attended by 22 experts and their advisers -
eight experts nominated by the Governments of Brazil, China,
Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Nigeria, Philippines and
Singapore; eight nominated by the Employers’ group of the
Governing Body; and six nominated by the Workers’ group
of the Governing Body. Expert observers from other govern-
ments, and observers from intergovernmental and non-govern-
mental organizations, also attended the meeting.
This code of practice replaces an earlier code that was
adopted in 1973 and was considered outdated, in view of tech-
nological and other developments that have taken place since
then.
The good spirit of cooperation among all participants paved
the way for developing consensus on a new, comprehensive and
practical code that will help to raise the profile of safety and
health issues in shipbuilding and ship repair in all parts of the
world, and contribute to the health, morale and well-being of
workers in the industry.
The text of the code was approved for publication by the
Governing Body of the ILO at its 334th Session (October–
November 2018).
Alette van Leur
Director
Sectoral Policies Department

v
Sectoral codes of practice

ILO Sectoral codes of practice are reference tools setting out

principles that can be reflected in the design and implementa- Contents
tion of policies, strategies, programmes, legislation, adminis-
trative measures and social dialogue mechanisms in particular
economic sectors or clusters of sectors. Sectoral codes of practice
are adopted by Meetings of Experts comprising governments,
employers and workers. They can be implemented progressively
to take into account different national settings, cultures, and
social, economic, environmental and political contexts.
Sectoral codes of practice draw their principles from the
ILO’s international labour standards (Conventions and
Recommendations) and other sources, including Declarations,
codes of conduct and other policy guidance adopted and endorsed
by the International Labour Conference or the ILO Governing
Body. They also draw on other international agreements and
policy in the sector concerned, as well as on relevant trends and
developments in regional and national law and practice.
Sectoral codes of practice focus on the issues that are pri-
orities for governments, employers and workers, and that are
unique to particular economic sectors and industries. While
international labour standards normally deal with more general
principles of labour law and practice, Sectoral codes of practice
specify the principles and processes that could be implemented
to promote decent work in particular workplaces or contexts.
They benefit from the expertise of practitioners in the relevant
sectors to capture good industry practices and innovations.
Sectoral codes of practice are not legally binding. They are not
subject to ratification or supervisory mechanisms established

vii