Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977 (No. 148) - Norway (Ratification: 1979)

Legislation. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report that Regulation No. 398 on noise and Regulation No. 582 on the exposure of workers to risks from physical agents (vibration) are now covered by the following regulations: Regulation of 6 December 2011 No. 1355, concerning organization, management and employee participation; Regulation 6 December 2011 No. 1356, concerning workplaces; Regulation of 6 December 2011 No. 1357, concerning performance of work; and Regulation 6 December 2011 No. 1358, concerning action levels and absolute limits for physical and chemical factors in the working environment. Noting the Government’s indication that these regulatory changes are only structural and entail no substantive changes, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the specific provisions of these regulations which give effect to the Convention, and requests that a translation of these provisions be provided, if possible in one of the working languages of the ILO.

Article 8 of the Convention. Exposure limits. The Committee notes the information that the list of advisory limits of administrative standards for pollution in the work atmosphere has been replaced, as of 1 January 2013, by the list of administrative standards for pollution in the work atmosphere, as regulated by Regulation of 6 December 2011 No. 1358, concerning action levels and absolute limits for physical and chemical factors in the working environment, and that the limits are now absolute.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the labour inspectorate supervises compliance with regulation and procedures mainly though inspections. It further notes the statistical information on orders and the number of which have led to coercive fines for the period covering 2010–13. The Committee notes that there were a total of 245 orders in 2010, leading to 12 decisions of coercive fines; 640 orders in 2011, leading to 87 decisions of coercive fines; 152 orders in 2012, leading to three decisions of coercive fines; and 1378 orders in 2013, leading to 101 decisions of coercive fines. No decisions to halt activities were registered during this period. Noting the important increase of orders and fines in 2013, the Committee would welcome information on the reasons of such a rise and the nature of these orders. It requests the Government to continue to provide information regarding the application of the Convention in practice.