Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Lebanon (Ratification: 1962)

1. Article 3, paragraph 1, of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether labour inspectors are officially required to bring to the notice of the competent authority defects or abuses not specifically covered by existing legal provisions.

Article 3, paragraph 2. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate how it is ensured that the functions entrusted to labour inspectors relating to the improvement of relations between employers and workers do not interfere with the effective discharge of their primary duties or prejudice their authority and impartiality.

2. Article 10. In its previous comments, the Committee noted with interest the project for the reorganization of the Ministry of Labour, which provided for the development of the work of the inspectorate and an increase in its staff, as well as the creation of technical posts (chemical and industrial engineers, etc.), in addition to existing posts of medical inspectors and engineering inspectors. It notes that an ILO mission on standards which visited Lebanon between 12 and 18 May 1994 noted an increase in the number of inspectors from 15 to 46 in the region of Beirut. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the number and current situation of the staff of the labour inspection services in the country.

3. Articles 12 and 13, paragraphs 2(b) and 3. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures which have been taken to accord labour inspectors the powers set out in these Articles of the Convention.

4. Article 15(a). With reference to its previous comments, the Committee requests the Government to supply the text of Legislative Decree No. 112 of 12 July 1959 which, according to the information provided previously by the Government, prohibits civil servants from having a direct or indirect material interest in the enterprises inspected by them or by the departments for which they work.

5. Articles 20 and 21. The Committee hopes that, as a result of the adoption of Directive No. 5/2 of 19 January 1995, and Directive No. 71/2 of 29 August 1995 of the Director-General of the Ministry of Labour, an annual inspection report will be transmitted to the ILO within the time-limits set out in Article 20 and that it will contain all the information and data referred to in Article 21.

6. The Committee notes that, according to the information that the above ILO mission was able to obtain, a Decree with the No. 5006 respecting labour inspection was adopted on 27 April 1994. It requests the Government to supply the text of the above Decree.