Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161) - Czechia (Ratification: 1993)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its last report to the effect that section 133 of the Labour Code has been amended in order to set out employers’ obligations in the area of health and safety. The Committee recalls that in its first report on this Convention, received in 1994, the Government stated that there had been a fundamental transformation of the whole health system. It also indicated that Act No. 550/1991 abolished the Instruction of the Ministry of Health concerning the organization of enterprise health services. It further stated that new legislation was under preparation. The Committee therefore renews its request to the Government to provide as soon as possible copies of the laws or regulations in force which give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee notes the information concerning Articles 10 and 12 of the Convention. It draws the Government’s attention to the following points.

Article 5, paragraphs (d), (g), (h) and (k). The Committee notes that, according to the Government, Act No. 20/1966 on People’s Health Care covers occupational health services. This Act describes briefly the role of occupational health services. The Committee also notes that apart from the medical centres of a few big companies, there is a general shortage of physicians specializing in occupational health services. Furthermore, these services are currently provided by general practitioners, who perform only preventive medical examinations. They participate only to a minor extent, if at all, in the development of programmes for the improvement of working practices, testing and evaluation of the health aspects of new equipment. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the same applies to the provisions of the Convention on the adaptation of work to the worker, vocational rehabilitation measures, and analysis of occupational accidents and diseases. The Committee asks the Government to keep the Office informed of any improvements in this area and to report on any measures taken to ensure that occupational health services carry out the following functions: participation in the development of programmes for the improvement of working practices as well as testing and evaluation of the health aspects of new equipment; promotion of the adaptation of work to the workers; contribution to measures of vocational rehabilitation; participation in analysis of occupational accidents and occupational diseases.

The Government indicates in its report that the obligation to ensure occupational health services is based on the provisions of the People’s Health Care Act, No. 20/1966, and that work is in progress on a new health-care Act in which the subject of occupational health services will be covered in full conformity with EC legislation and Convention No. 161. The Committee asks the Government to keep the Office informed of progress made in this regard and to provide a copy of the new Act once it is adopted.

Part III of the report form. The Committee notes that section 138 of the Labour Code provides for specialized state supervision of occupational safety and health which shall be regulated by special provisions. It asks the Government to provide a copy of these regulations and to state whether the former regulations are still in force.