International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) President Paddy Crumlin said: “This will be a heart-wrenching time for this man’s family, friends and workmates. The ITF extend our thoughts to them all.”
Serikat Pekerja Jakarta International Container Terminal (SPJICT) chair, Nova Hakim, said: “We are shocked and alarmed by the continuing carnage at the Hutchison’s terminal in Jakarta. Two workers have died within two months, and four within the past 15 months. This is an atrocious record that speaks for itself.”
The ITF and SPJICT are calling on the company to conduct an official inquiry into the death and the circumstance surrounding how this worker fell overboard. The incident again raises serious questions about Hutchison’s safety procedures.
Paddy Crumlin added: ““Hutchison needs to answer serious questions. Was this man provided with adequate fall protection? Was the outboard fencing on this vessel complete and compliant with international and class standards?
“Falls from height – and falls overboard – are 100% preventable. On a modern vessel, there is no reason why a worker should die from a fall from height with proper inspections, proper management of the work environment, proper equipment and engineering controls.
“When a person falls overboard, management are often quick to blame the worker. We need to dig deeper to find the root causes of this horrible tragedy.
“Did management inspect the vessel on arrival? This is essential practice. Every ship must be inspected, even if it has been worked with many times before. A report or checklist must be done, setting out any deficiencies that were identified. A plan must be made to manage risk of the deficiencies. That’s 100% the responsibility of management in the terminal.
“The ITF is uncompromising in our commitment to safety. Every employer needs to know the ITF will fight to make sure every worker goes home safe, every day.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact
Luke Menzies, ITF Asia Pacific
mediasydney@itf.org.uk | +61 433 889 844
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