Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Dominican Republic (Ratification: 1953)

The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in its report. It notes in particular the decision to set up a national labour inspection system combining the inspection services for industry, commerce, services and agriculture, with a sufficient number of labour inspectors to secure the effective discharge of the duties of the inspectorate, taking into account the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention.

Furthermore, in this new system, appropriate measures are to be taken to ensure effective co-operation between the inspection services on the one hand and other government services and public or private institutions engaged in similar activities, employers and workers or their organisations and duly qualified technical experts and specialists on the other, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 5 and 9.

The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any developments in this respect. It also asks the Government to transmit the document to which it refers in its report (Annex I, which was not appended to the report), containing a description of the structure and functions of the inspection services.

Article 6. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that no progress has been made with regard to the adoption of the statute for the civil service to which the Government has been referring for many years. It trusts that the Government will take the necessary steps to ensure that appropriate measures are taken shortly to give effect to this Article of the Convention. In this connection, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government, to the effect that, should the draft statute for the civil service not receive approval, the adoption of legislative measures within the national labour inspection system is being considered, to guarantee labour inspectors stability of employment and independence in the exercise of their functions, by means of an adequate definition of the legal status and the establishment of appropriate conditions of service for these public servants.

Article 13, paragraphs 2(b) and 3. The Committee notes with regret that legislative measures providing labour inspectors with the right to make or have made orders requiring measures with immediate executory force in the event of imminent danger to the health and safety of workers have not yet been adopted. The Government states that the Bills drafted in 1977 and 1980 to give effect to these provisions of the Convention are still being examined. The Committee hopes that these Bills will be adopted without delay.

Article 14. The Committee has been drawing the Government's attention for many years to the fact that the labour inspectorate must be notified not only of occupational accidents, but also of cases of occupational disease. It hopes that the necessary measures to ensure the application of this Article of the Convention will be adopted very shortly, in accordance with the Government's assurances.

Article 20 and 21. In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government indicates that the annual inspection reports containing all the information required by Article 21 will be published within a reasonable period and transmitted to the International Labour Office. The Committee must again recall that these reports must be published within a period not exceeding 12 months after the end of the year to which they relate. It hopes that the International Labour Office will shortly receive the annual inspection reports for 1983-88. [The Government is asked to supply full particulars to the Conference at its 77th Session.]