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

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Sweden (Ratification: 1970)

The Committee notes the Government’s report and the statistics on work accidents and work-related illnesses disaggregated by activity and gender for 1998, 1999 and 2000. It also notes the observations from the Swedish Agricultural Workers’ Union (SAWU) and the information provided in reply by the Government and the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health. According to the SAWU, cooperation between the labour inspectorate in agriculture and employers and workers or their organizations (Article 13 of the Convention) is inadequate particularly at local level and should be developed on a more regular basis. The SAWU also regrets that there has been a reduction in the number of inspectors and in the time spent by inspectors in the agricultural sector (Article 14) despite the fact that the proportion of fatal accidents in the agricultural sector is relatively high compared to all sectors taken together. Furthermore, the time between visits and follow-up visits is becoming longer and longer because inspectors spend their time on other activities. The National Board of Occupational Safety and Health (NBOSH) for its part states that cooperation between the supervisory authorities and the organizations of agricultural employers and workers is flexible, focusing on certain specific questions in agriculture when the need arises. As to the strength of the agricultural labour inspectorate, the Government indicates that 23 inspectors are responsible for ten districts. While omitting to state whether this number is sufficient in respect of the criteria set in Article 14 of the Convention, the Government nonetheless says that most of the fatal accidents mentioned by the SAWU involve tractors and that, consequently, in the spring of 1999 a joint official project was conducted with seven inspection districts, entitled "Safer work with farm tractors". Measures to improve safety were ordered for 71 per cent of the 1,013 tractors subjected to a technical inspection in 413 undertakings. Furthermore, the Government states that the adoption of a new supervisory approach for agricultural machinery is being implemented in 300 undertakings with an audit of 15,000 agricultural machines, and refers to measures taken by the NBOSH in 1996 to prohibit the use of agricultural machinery by minors. The Government also states that the Labour Inspectorate has alerted employers to the risks incurred by children as passengers on tractors, such as the possibility of hearing impairment or of the tractor being started by a child.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide the information requested in the report form on the Convention under Article 14 and on practical measures taken or envisaged to ensure that inspections are carried out as often and as thoroughly as is necessary, in accordance with Article 21.