Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167) - Panama (Ratification: 2008)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report concerning the effect given to Articles 2(f) and 8 of the Convention.

Article 13 of the Convention. Safety of workplaces. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government on the functions of “safety and health coordinator” or “resident engineer” and “safety official”. It also notes Executive Decree No. 19 of 20 February 2014, which amends section 12 of Executive Decree No. 15 of 3 July 2007 adopting emergency measures in the construction industry with a view to reducing occupational accidents. Executive Decree No. 19 defines the concept of use of the occupational safety and health fund in the construction industry, constituted by promoters or contractors, in order to specify appropriate use aimed at optimum performance and service. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of the implementation of these measures in practice.

Application in practice. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government, including on inspections carried out and the number of labour inspectors (118) and safety officials (124). The Committee also refers to its comments on the application of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), published in 2015, in which it took note of the observations made by the National Confederation of United Independent Unions (CONUSI) and the National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO) concerning the persistence of occupational accidents in the construction industry. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on occupational accidents in the construction industry and on any steps taken to improve the situation in the construction industry, and the results thereof. The Committee also requests the Government once again to provide information on the impact of safety surveys and plans and the monitoring thereof by the labour inspectorate and safety officials, and on the activities of the Standing Tripartite Committee on improvements in occupational safety and health in the construction industry.