This report reviews international and national guidance and practice relating to the inspection of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the ports sector. One of the keys to more successful implementation of such standards is effective inspection at the enterprise level. The report concludes that OSH inspection in ports by government authorities is often infrequent and tends to be reactive in nature rather than proactive and preventive. Government inspection alone is not enough to raise OSH standards, and all social partners need to be held accountable for their own standards of performance and more committed to taking preventive action and managing OSH effectively.