Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

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

1. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report and the attached documents.

2. Articles 3 and 7 of the Convention. Maximum weight of loads transported by an adult worker. The Committee regrets to note that, despite its repeated comments over the last ten years, the Government has still not been able to promulgate the draft safety and health regulations that take into account the Maximum Weight Recommendation, 1967 (No. 128), of the ILO. The Committee understands that, even though the Department of Occupational Hygiene and Safety verifies that the manual transport of loads does not present a risk to the health of workers, section 6 of Agreement No. 885 of the Executive Board of the Guatemalan Social Security Institute, concerning the maximum weight that may be transported by a single worker still remains in effect. According to this section, the weight that may be lifted by a healthy male adult under 60 years of age is 120 pounds, in other words 60 kg, and the weight that may be lifted by a healthy female adult under 50 years of age shall not exceed 60 pounds, or 30 kg. In the light of this, the Committee urges the Government to promulgate, in the very near future, the new regulations on occupational safety and hygiene that envisage new limits for the maximum loads that can be carried by a single worker, and requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard.

3. Article 5. Steps to ensure that workers receive adequate training or instruction in working techniques, with a view to safeguarding health and preventing accidents. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the training activities in respect of physical loads, ergonomics and load handling, carried out by the Guatemalan Social Security Institute in 2004 and 2005. While taking due note of the information submitted, the Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the training and instruction that is given to workers before they are assigned to work involving the manual transport of loads.

4. Part V of the report form. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the application of the Convention in practice throughout the country and to supply, for instance, extracts of inspection service reports and, if available, information on the number and nature of the violations reported and the measures taken as a result.