Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120) - Lebanon (Ratification: 1977)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s report. It draws the Government’s attention to the following points.

1. The Committee takes note of the extracts from the inspection reports carried out by the Labour Inspectorate and medical inspector in July 2002, which have been supplied with the Government’s report. It notes from the conclusions of the inspection reports that the Convention is generally applied in practice. However, in some cases, failures in the fulfilment of the requirements spelled out in Articles 8 and 10 of the Convention have been stated. In this respect, the Government indicates that it will try to inform the Committee on the action carried out to remedy these failures. The Committee therefore hopes that the Government will soon take appropriate action to ensure full application of the Convention not only in law but also in practice. It requests the Government to supply information on any progress achieved in this respect.

2. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that a tripartite committee for occupational safety and health has not yet been established. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether any steps have yet been taken in view of the establishment of this committee. It invites the Government to keep the Committee informed of the process achieved in this regard.

3. The Committee notes with interest that a training session for physicians on occupational medicine was organized and conducted two years ago with the assistance of the ILO, which the Government considered useful, since the labour inspectorate needs additional physicians to carry out inspections as well as the other numerous tasks attributed to the labour inspectorate. The Committee accordingly asks the Government to supply further information on the development of increasing the numbers of occupational physicians.

4. The Committee takes note with interest of the Government’s indication that the draft amendment of Decree No. 6341 dated 24 October 1951 relating to the regulation of health prevention and protection to all undertakings subject to the Labour Code includes a provision that makes it mandatory to supply appropriate and sufficient seats for workers regardless of their sex, in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention. The Committee hopes that the draft amendment will be adopted soon to ensure the provision of appropriate seats for workers regardless of their sex. The Committee requests the Government to communicate a copy of the Decree as soon as it is adopted.