https://doi.org/10.1177/1035304620981374 The Economic and Labour Relations Review 1–17 © The Author(s) 2020 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1035304620981374 journals.sagepub.com/home/elra ELRR Original Article Representation of seafarers’ occupational safety and health: Limits of the Maritime Labour Convention Carolyn AE Graham University of Technology, Jamaica David Walters Cardiff University, UK Abstract This article assesses the regulatory steer provided by the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, against the research evidence as to what works in making for effective worker representation and consultation on occupational safety and health. Based on the testimony of seafarers and regulatory agencies, it demonstrates that the Maritime Labour Convention provisions lack the necessary elements for an effective regulatory steer. This is because the conditions shown to support this form of representation are absent from or underdeveloped in the shipboard work environment. The article concludes with some suggested ways to enhance the Convention’s provisions to achieve a more positive effect for seafarers. JEL Codes: J28, J53, J83 Keywords Maritime industry, Maritime Labour Convention, occupational safety and health, seafarers’ safety and health, worker representation Introduction Shipping is among the most dangerous of industries (International Labour Organization (ILO), 2004). Seafarers face a combination of risks in ways that do not occur in other Corresponding author: Carolyn AE Graham, School of Business Administration, University of Technology, Jamaica, 237 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6, Jamaica. Email: carolynaeg@gmail.com 981374ELR 0 0 10.1177/1035304620981374The Economic and Labour Relations ReviewGraham and Walters research-article 2020