Shipbreaking: Inside the ‘most dangerous job on earth

One type of occupation has for good reason been described as the most dangerous job on earth — this is the reality of what it involves.

The stats don’t lie.

One worker is injured every day. Another dies every week.

Shipbreaking has for good reason been described as the most dangerous job on earth.

It’s the process of cutting up ships for scrap when they reach the end of their usable life.

The ship is sailed to Bangladesh, Pakistan, India or Turkey — where most of the world’s ship-breakers work.

The Bangladesh shipyard where Glenn Thompson visited. Picture: Supplied

Men in these countries desperate for work demolish huge ships in woeful conditions, braving disease, pollution, and the threat of being crushed or stabbed by steel sliced from the hulls.

It takes thousands of them more than a year to dismantle the ship with oxy cutters and unsophisticated tools.

And the scale of it is huge. Every year around 800 vessels are broken down.

Disturbing scenes

“Horrific”: That’s the one word Glenn Thompson uses when talking about shipbreaking.
Thompson is the assistant national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Union.

He visited Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2015 to observe some of the shipbreaking yards and paints some truly horrific images.

ARD Exclusive: While dismantling Norwegian company BW Offshore’s former ship „BW Cidade de Sao Vicente“ (IMO 7380693) in #Alang, Gujarat shipyard on 21 April: one worker died, 2 injured. Local sources: pressurised unit was cut contrary to regulations. #[e-mail]/m0E7qerMcA

— Peter Hornung (@ph_reporterpool) April 27, 2022

“There is just crap laying everywhere,” he said.

Workers without basic protective gear. No gloves or shoesdespite dealing with deadly chemicals and gas.

“Men working with oxy acetylene torches high on the superstructure of hulks with no safety barriers to stop them slipping and falling,” he said.

Many die that way.

Asbestos is another major risk. On average, each ship contains seven tonnes of the material – all of which ends up being removed by hand

“I was picking off lumps of asbestos,” Thompson said.

The way forward

The union wants Australia to sign up to the Hong Kong convention which provides health, safety and regulation to cover the sector globally.

Seventeen countries have signed up, but many of the worst offenders such as Bangladesh are not signatories.

There is no shipbreaking in Australia – although there is a push for the McGowan government to introduce shipbreaking as a new sector in Western Australia.

But Australia’s ratification of the global convention would intensify pressure on yard owners to give workers basic safety protection and raise their wage above the $2.50 a day.

“Australia is part of the international global community,” Mr Thompson said.

“As a country we should ensure all workers regardless of where they are have a safe work environment. As a country which is heavily reliant on shipping we should play our part.”

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