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

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1984)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, the standards to control the production and handling of toxic or hazardous waste, the text of which was adopted by Decree No. 1800 of 21 October 1987, and the information on the system of government authorization established by Decision of the Ministry of Development No. 1449 of 14 June 1993, with a view to ensuring that no machinery or substance that is not in conformity with the established standards can be used or imported.

Article 11(f) of the Convention. The Committee notes the information to the effect that the Venezuelan Industrial Standards Commission (COVENIN) issued the standard (No. 2253-90) respecting the permissible concentration of substances in the environment of the workplace, as well as the standard (No. 2277-91) respecting toxicological medical supervision for workers exposed to toxic substances, which both provide for studies to be carried out concerning the risks deriving from chemical and physical substances and agents. Since these texts have not been transmitted to the Office, the Committee requests the Government to provide copies of them. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on systems to examine other agents, including biological agents, in respect of the effects of their use on the health of workers.

Article 12(b) and (c). In its reply to the Committee's previous comments concerning the standards used by industrial health and safety inspectors as concerns the design, manufacture, import or transfer of machinery, equipment or substances, the Government refers to a number of the provisions of the Basic Act respecting prevention, working conditions and the working environment. The Committee notes that the provisions referred to by the Government cover the activities of the National Council for Prevention, Health and Safety at Work and the National Institute on Prevention, Health and Safety at Work, as the advisory body to the national executive authorities and the executive body of national policy in this field. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the legal provisions or regulations which oblige inspectors to comply with the same standards that are established by the above bodies.

Article 17. In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government refers to the coordination established between enterprises and groups of enterprises for the organization of medical services. Nevertheless, the Committee recalls that this Article refers to the collaboration between two or more enterprises engaged in activities simultaneously at the same workplace, under the terms of the provisions set out in the Convention. This collaboration should permit the more effective implementation of the occupational safety and health measures adopted by each of the two or more enterprises. The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the legislative or other measures which oblige enterprises that are in the situation covered by this Article to collaborate in the above field.