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

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Spain (Ratification: 1985)

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

Articles 4 and 16 of the Convention. Minimizing, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment. Ensuring that workplaces are safe and without risk to the safety and health of workers. The Committee notes the observations made by the Trade Union Confederation of Workers’ Committees (CCOO) on the application of the Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No. 162), which it considers to be related to the present Convention. The CCOO indicates that many workers whose work is not related in anyway with asbestos, are subject to exposure to asbestos fibres during working time and at the workplace, as workplaces are located in buildings with materials containing asbestos and the state of the buildings means that, or may lead to the supposition that, fibres escape into the working environment with a consequent risk to persons. In this regard, the CCOO refers, by way of illustration, to cases of uncontrolled educational, industrial, hospital and refuse installations. The union adds that it is essential to assess the materials of installations in order to be able to take adequate action in the very broad range of activities that are undertaken in the presence of asbestos or materials that contain asbestos (maintenance, modification, demolition, etc.), and that it is necessary to develop “maps of the asbestos present” as a requirement to guarantee human health. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments on this subject and to indicate the manner in which it is ensured that the workplaces referred to by the CCOO are safe and are without any risk to the safety and health of workers.