Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Maximum Weight Convention, 1967 (No. 127) - Thailand (Ratification: 1969)

The Committee has taken note of the information supplied by the Government.

Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention. The Committee noted that the national legislation does not contain provisions to give effect to Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention, which prohibit the manual transport by an adult male worker of a load which, by reason of its weight, is likely to jeopardize his health or safety, and provide that the conditions in which the work is to be performed shall be taken into account.

The Committee notes with interest from the Government's report that the Notification of the Ministry of Interior on Fishery provides for the maximum weight of 55 kg in respect of a load transported manually by an adult male worker, and that a provision concerning the maximum weight allowed to be transported manually by an adult male worker is envisaged in the Draft Legislation on Agriculture. The Committee would point out that relevant provisions should be adopted with regard to all branches of economic activity in respect of which the member concerned maintains a system of labour inspection, in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 2. The Committee hopes that account would also be taken of the conditions (nature of the work, physiological characteristics, climatic conditions, etc.), in conformity with Article 4. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to complete the national legislation in this respect, and to indicate the progress made in this direction.

Article 7. In its earlier comments, the Committee noted that the laws that are currently in force provide that the maximum weight of loads that may be transported by women is 30 kg for work performed on level ground and 25 kg for work requiring the climbing of a ladder or on any elevated surface (section 14 of the Announcement of the Ministry of the Interior respecting labour protection, dated 16 April 1972). As regards young workers, the Committee noted that the laws had authorized the manual transport of loads not exceeding 10 kg by children aged between 12 and 15 years (announcement of the Ministry of the Interior of 16 April 1972 respecting the employment of children who are over 12 years of age but still under 15 years). The Committee notes from the Government's report that the minimum age has been raised to 13 years and is expected to be raised further in steps until the age of 15.

The Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of this text with its next report and points out that Article 7 of the Convention provides for the limitation of the assignment of women and young workers to manual transport of loads and that, under the terms of Articles 21 and 22 of Recommendation No. 128, "where the minimum age for assignment to manual transport of loads is less than 16 years, measures should be taken as speedily as possible to raise it to that level", "with a view to attaining a minimum age of 18 years". Where women and young workers are engaged in the manual transport of loads, the maximum weight of such loads shall be substantially less than that permitted for adult male workers (Article 7 of the Convention).

The Committee also refers to the ILO publication "Maximum weights in load lifting and carrying" (Occupational Safety and Health Series, No. 59, Geneva, 1988), in which it is indicated that 15 kg is the limit, recommended from an ergonomic point of view, of the admissible load for occasional lifting and carrying for a woman aged between 19 and 45 years. As the legal minimum age for assignment to manual transport of loads is only 13 years and the maximum weight of loads that may be transported by women is 30 kg, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the assignment of women and young workers to manual transport of loads other than light loads is limited.