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

Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120) - Tunisia (Ratification: 1970)

Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that draft amendments have been drawn up for Decree No. 75-503 concerning the use of electric current, Decree No. 68-328 concerning hygiene and the Order of 5 June 1987 concerning the prevention of mechanical risks and the protection of machinery. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether or not these legislative texts have an impact on the application of the Convention, and to continue providing information on any new legislative measures that give effect to the Convention.

Article 18 of the Convention. Protection against noise and vibrations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in June 2010, technical committee CT 48 on acoustics, vibrations and mechanical shocks adopted standard NT 48.338, based on ISO standard 9612:2009 concerning the determination of occupational noise exposure (engineering method), and that the measures relating to noise pollution in offices and commercial premises are adopted on the basis of the requirements of standard ISO/NFS 31-010 concerning the characterization and measurement of environmental noise (special methods of measurement). The Committee also notes that the Occupational Safety and Health Institute considers that noise levels in offices are not the same as those in commercial premises and therefore recommends that requirements and preventive measures relating to noise should be defined according to the type of workplace. Recalling that, according to the Government’s indications in its previous report, the adopted standards relating to acoustics are not legally binding, the Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the steps taken to ensure that these standards are actually applied.

Application in practice. In the absence of a reply from the Government to its previous comment on this point, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide detailed information on the application of the Convention in practice, including, where such information is available, the number and nature of infringements reported and the number, nature and cause of occupational accidents and diseases that have been recorded.