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

Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 1977)

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

2. Article 5 of the Convention. Legislation necessary to give full effect to the Convention. With reference to its previous comments on the need to adopt specific regulations in conformity with the provisions of the Convention, the Committee notes Ministerial Decision No. 444/04 of September 2004 approving procedures to ensure compliance with occupational safety, health and welfare standards, and Ministerial Decision No. 496/04 of 23 September 2004 regulating the arrangements, methods and procedures for the establishment of Joint Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare Committees with a view to achieving the full participation of employers and workers in preventing occupational risks and diseases. Taking into account the significance of the above regulations, the Committee notes that they do not contain specific provisions requiring suitable seats for workers, including opportunities of using them (Article 14 of the Convention), or suitable facilities for workers to change clothing at work (Article 15). The Committee requests the Government to refer to Paragraphs 42 to 44 and 45 to 48 of the Recommendation accompanying the Convention. The Committee hopes that the Government’s next report will contain information on the adoption of the necessary laws and/or administrative regulations to give effect to the above provisions of the Convention. It requests the Government to indicate any progress achieved in this respect.

3. Article 6. Supervision by inspection services to ensure the proper application of the laws or regulations adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. The Committee notes the changes made to the labour inspection and industrial safety services, which have been merged into a single inspection system, thereby permitting greater specialization of the officials responsible for the enforcement of industrial safety provisions. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the consequences of this change for the application of the Convention.