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

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Qatar (Ratification: 1976)

Follow-up to the discussions in the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 104th Session, June 2014)

The Committee notes the discussion that took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) in June 2014 concerning the application of the Convention by Qatar.

Referring to its observation, the Committee wishes to raise the following additional points.

Articles 14 and 21(g) of the Convention. Occupational diseases. The Committee previously noted that the total number of cases of occupational diseases appeared to be very low in relation to the size of the workforce in the country.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, with respect to the low number of cases of occupational diseases, there is a high rate of turnover among migrant workers. As work contracts vary in length from two to three years, fewer cases of occupational disease are detected due to a lapse between exposure to particular factors and the manifestation of a disease. However, the Government indicates that the National Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) uses statistics on cases of occupational diseases in its work to enable it to formulate OSH policies and programmes. This National Committee is also revising the schedule of occupational diseases, to bring this list into conformity with international standards. With reference to paragraph 118 of its 2006 General Survey on labour inspection, the Committee recalls the importance of providing the labour inspectorate with the data it needs to identify high-risk activities and the most vulnerable categories of workers and to carry out research into the causes of occupational accidents and diseases in establishments and enterprises liable to inspection. Noting an absence of information in this regard in the Government’s report, the Committee requests that the Government take the necessary measures to ensure that future annual reports contain statistical information on occupational diseases, in conformity with Article 21(g). It requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to improve the detection and identification of cases of occupational disease.

Article 15(c). Obligation to treat as confidential the existence of a complaint. The Committee previously noted that the national legislation requires labour inspectors to maintain confidentiality in relation to only the author of a complaint giving rise to an inspection. In this regard, the Committee recalled that Article 15(c) of the Convention not only requires labour inspectors to treat as absolutely confidential the source of any complaint bringing to their notice a defect or breach of legal provisions, but also that they should not give any intimation to the employer or his representative that a visit of inspection was made in consequence of the receipt of such a complaint. This would ensure the protection of those lodging complaints from any reprisals by the employer or his or her representative.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that it is currently examining an amendment in response to the comments of the Committee. The Committee requests that the Government pursue its efforts to ensure that where an inspection is carried out in response to a complaint, the inspector is required not to give any intimation of the existence of such a complaint. It asks the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to this end, and to provide a copy of any legislation adopted in this regard.

Articles 20 and 21. Publication and content of the annual report on the work of the labour inspectorate. The Committee notes that during the discussion at the CAS, several speakers urged the Government to take measures to ensure full compliance with the Convention with regard to the provision of comprehensive statistics on labour inspection.

In this regard, the Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report concerning the distribution of labour inspectors (by region and function), the number of workplaces liable to inspection, the number of inspections undertaken, certain information on the outcome of these inspections, and detailed information on occupational accidents resulting in injuries. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that in the future, the annual reports on labour inspection contain complete information on all the subjects listed in Article 21(a)–(g), including the number of workers employed in workplaces liable to inspection.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2015.]