Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Workmen's Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Convention (Revised), 1934 (No. 42) - Burundi (Ratification: 1963)

Application of the Convention in practice. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to the low number of reported cases of occupational diseases and requested the Government to specify the measures envisaged with a view to improving the system for diagnosing and recognizing occupational diseases in the context of the national occupational safety and health policy. The Committee also referred to recommendations made in 2012 by the Trade Union Confederation of Burundi (COSYBU) and shared by Burundian employers’ organizations, to revise the existing list of occupational diseases to make it more relevant to current occupational risks. The Government indicates that section 24 of the Labour Code has been amended so as to prescribe a compulsory medical examination of newly hired workers, to facilitate the determination of the origin of occupational diseases. While it takes due note of this information, the Committee observes that this measure does not seem to be the most adapted to improve the manner in which occupational diseases are diagnosed and recognized. More adequate measures to this effect would have been those aimed at improving the training of vocational medicine physicians, adapting the sanctions imposed in case of violation of the national legislation on occupational diseases, adopting a proactive approach aimed at disseminating easily accessible information on procedures for the recognition of occupational diseases among the main categories of workers exposed to occupational diseases, among others. The Committee therefore requests the Government to consider taking new measures aimed at improving the functioning of the system for the recognition of occupational diseases and to report thereon. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate if any follow up was given to the recommendations made by Burundian employers’ and workers’ organizations suggesting to envisage reviewing the list of occupational diseases to adapt it to current needs.

Recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism. The Committee notes that, according to the recommendations made by the Tripartite Working Group of the Standards Review Mechanism, as approved by the ILO Governing Body, member States which have ratified the Convention are encouraged to ratify the Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 [Schedule I amended in 1980] (No. 121), and/or the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), and accept the obligations in its Part VI, as the most up-to-date instruments in this subject area (GB.328/LILS/2/1). The Committee reminds the Government of the possibility of availing itself of ILO technical assistance in this respect.