Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Lesotho (Ratification: 2001)

Articles 13 and 19(f) of the Convention. Protection of workers removed from imminent and serious danger. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the adoption of the new Occupational Safety and Health Act No. 4 of 2024 (OSH Act 2024). It notes with satisfaction that section 10(1) of the OSH Act 2024 gives workers a right to cease or refuse to carry out work if circumstances arise which appear, with reasonable justification, to pose a serious and imminent risk to their safety or health. At the same time, section 11 provides that an employer shall not alter the worker’s position to the detriment of the worker for the reason that they removed themselves from imminent and serious danger. The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.

Article 17. Collaboration between two or more undertakings engaged in activities simultaneously at the same workplace. Following its previous request on this issue, the Committee notes with interest that section 55(1) of the OSH Act 2024 provides that where two or more employers within the same workplace engage at the same time in different work activities, each employer shall retain responsibility for discharging all the duties of an individual employer in relation to the workplace or the relevant part of that workplace and where necessary, collaborate for purposes of complying with this Act. The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.

In addition, the Committee recalls the pending comment regarding the ratified technical OSH Convention (the Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167)), adopted by the Committee in 2021, for which the Government will be requested to reply in 2027 in accordance with the reporting cycle.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.