Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Panama (Ratification: 1958)

Articles 10 and 16 of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the labour inspection statistics provided by the Government. The Committee notes that the statistics refer only to inspections carried out in 1990 and 1991 in Panama City and the Canal Zone, and in the maritime sector. Furthermore, the number of such inspections dropped considerably in 1991: there were, respectively, 898, 81 and 70 inspections fewer than in 1990. Furthermore, in Panama City, for which data are available, the same trend can be observed in the strength of the inspectorate which dropped from 14 in 1990 to 10 in 1991. The Committee requests the Government in its future reports to indicate the number of labour inspectors and the total number of establishments liable to inspection throughout the country, and to provide general information on the number of inspectors in the various categories, indicating which inspectors have technical or special duties, and on the geographical distribution of the inspection services. Please state the measures taken to increase the number of inspections and inspectors in order to ensure that workplaces are inspected as often and as throroughly as is necessary.

Article 11. The Committee notes the Government's statement that the competent authorities have taken steps to improve the inspection service. The Committee asks the Government to give particulars, in the light of the above comments on Articles 10 and 16, of the measures taken and the progress made in providing inspectors with all the necessary facilities for the performance of their duties.

Article 19. The Committee notes the new forms used to record the results of routine inspections and observes that it does not elicit specific information on matters such as occupational accidents and diseases and related problems. The Committee asks the Government to indicate how inspectors record such information.

Articles 20 and 21. The Committee notes the labour statistics for 1990 and 1991 published by the Statistics Department of the Planning Office of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. The Committee hopes that the Government will pursue its efforts to produce annual labour inspection reports containing all the information required by Article 21. It would particularly appreciate all available information on inspections carried out by the Maritime Labour Division.