ABSTRACT

The types of operations that occur day in and day out in modern port facilities include significant levels of industrial activities that lend themselves to risks of death, personal injury, and property damage. The transfer of containerized cargo between vessels and land conveyances, as illustrated in Figure 11.1, is just one example of the potential for danger that can occur from mishandling, poor supervision, ill-trained staff, defective equipment, and inadequate security practices. In 1970, the U.S. federal government enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This act was designed to provide an environment of safe and healthful working conditions for employees by authorizing the enforcement of safety standards and providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health (Legal Archiver.org 2008). Pursuant to the enactment of this legislation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor, was established in 1971.