Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

Maximum Weight Convention, 1967 (No. 127) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1983)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its latest report. Further to its previous comment, it wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the following points:

1.  Articles 3 and 7 of the Convention.  The Committee notes the provisions of Administrative Order No. 885 of 26 March 1990 in application of, inter alia, the occupational safety and health provisions of the Labour Code. Section 202 of the Labour Code provides for the promulgation of regulations to specify the admissible weight of loads to be transported by a single person, with due consideration being given to factors such as the age, sex and physical condition of the worker. In this respect, the Committee notes the provisions of section 6 of Administrative Order No. 885, 1990, providing that the maximum weight that may be carried by a male worker under the age of 60 is 120 pounds, equivalent to 60 kg. The Committee therefore wishes to draw the Government’s attention to Paragraph 14 of the Maximum Weight Recommendation, 1967 (No. 128), which provides that where the maximum permissible weight which may be transported by one adult male worker is more than 55 kg, measures should be taken as speedily as possible to reduce it to that level. It also refers to the recommendations contained in the ILO publication "Maximum weights in load lifting and carrying" (Occupational Safety and Health Series, No. 59, Geneva, 1988) indicating 55 kg as the limit recommended from the ergonomic point of view which may be lifted occasionally by a male worker between 19 and 45 years of age, and 45 kg is the limit recommended for male workers over the age of 45.

The Committee further notes that section 6 of Administrative Order No. 885, 1990, determines 60 pounds, equivalent to 30 kg, as being the maximum weight that may be transported by a healthy female worker under the age of 50. The Committee referring again to the abovementioned ILO publication states that 15 kg is the limit recommended from an ergonomic point of view for the load permitted to be lifted and transported occasionally by an adult woman, and 10 kg is the limit recommended in the case of a more frequent lifting and carrying of loads.

The Committee, however, notes with interest the Government’s indication that a pre-draft concerning a new regulation on hygiene and security is under preparation providing for a maximum weight of 50 kg that may be carried by a male worker. It also notes with interest that discussions between the Ministry of Labour, the employers and workers have been started to this effect. Nevertheless, the Committee invites the Government to reconsider as well the provision of section 6 of Administrative Order No. 885, 1990, with respect to the maximum weight that may be carried by a female worker. The Committee hopes that the new regulation on hygiene and security providing for new limits concerning the maximum weight that may be transported by a single worker will be issued in the near future.

2.  Article 5.  The Committee notes with interest section 2 of Administrative Order No. 885, 1990, providing that every worker assigned to the manual transport of loads must get instructions, prior to such assignment, on methods of lifting loads correctly according to the different types of loads to be transported. The Committee further notes the information supplied by the Government to the effect that the School of Capability of the Security and Hygiene Section, which is a branch for formal education, has established a new education method which is called "school without walls". According to the Committee’s understanding, this school provides training to the workers directly at enterprise level which facilitates the workers’ access to training. The Government further explains that, at present, all information and training-related activities are carried out in accordance with the provisions of Administrative Order No. 1002, 1995, concerning the protection of accidents, and that the Technical Institute on Capability and Productivity (INTECAP) is responsible to carry out basic activities related to occupational safety and health (section 4 of Decree No. 17-72 issued by the Congress of Guatemala). With regard to the promotion and dissemination of information on the manual transport of loads, the Committee notes that the Institute of Social Security has published information material concerning the correct lifting of loads with due view to ergonomic demands. The Committee taking due note of this information would invite the Government to continue to provide information regarding training activities and instructions of workers prior to their assignment to work involving manual transport of loads.