Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Mauritius (Ratification: 1969)

Articles 7, 8 and 10 of the Convention. Composition of the inspection staff and recruitment of inspectors. The Committee notes with interest in response to its previous comments that in July and August 2008, nine trainee labour and industrial relations officers were enlisted and that they will benefit from on the job training and, in December 2009, a certificate course in industrial relations. It also notes the information that although funds were available for seven OSH posts in 2007–08, due to the lack of suitable candidates, only one assumed duty in July 2008. Noting the recommended readvertisement by the Public Service Commission of the OSH posts which could not be filled, the Committee asks the Government to indicate the developments occurred as regards recruitment to fill the posts budgeted in 2007–08 and to report any obstacles encountered in the recruitment and training process. Also noting that out of the ten new inspectors eight are men, the Committee encourages the Government to pay more attention to gender balance among labour inspectors by attracting more women and to keep the ILO informed about any development in this regard.

Article 14. Reporting of occupational accidents and cases of occupational disease. The Committee notes that under sections 85 and 86 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005, employers and medical practitioners are required to notify the Director of Occupational Safety and Health of occupational accidents and cases of occupational disease. It notes a considerable decrease in reported industrial injuries between 2007 (2,659 cases) and 2008 (1,694 cases) and the discrepancy with the information as regards industrial accidents (163 between 2008 and 2009) contained in the Government’s website (www.labour.gov.mu). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would explain these figures and also provide the ILO with the reasons of the considerable decrease in reported occupational diseases (1,019 cases in 2004 and 544 cases in 2008) published in the abovementioned web site, and with further details on the procedure followed to put into practice the abovementioned law (regulations, instructions, etc.).

Articles 20 and 21. Publication of an annual report. The Committee notes that the Ministry has already set up, with the assistance of the Central Statistics Office (CSO), a Statistical Unit which will allow the compilation of all data necessary for the publication of an annual report by the Ministry. It notes that most of this information is now available on the web site of the Ministry and that the statistics requested under Article 21(b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of the Convention were also attached to the Government’s report. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would soon be able to ensure that such a report is published, and that it would also contain statistics on cases of occupational disease (point (g)).