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

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Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) (Ratification: 2001)
Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) (Ratification: 2021)
Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (Ratification: 2008)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on occupational safety and health (OSH) and in respect of which the Government has sent the reports requested this year, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 155 and its Protocol of 2002 (OSH) and 187 (promotional framework for OSH) together.

The Committee notes the Government’s first report concerning Convention No. 187.

Application of Conventions Nos 155 (and its Protocol of 2002) and 187 in practice. The Committee notes with interest that the information provided by the Government shows that, since 2019, the number of OSH inspections carried out by labour inspectors has continually increased and even almost tripled, rising from 801 in 2019 to 2,213 in 2022. It also notes that the number of measures taken against employers and the amount of fines imposed have also increased considerably. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number of OSH inspections carried out by labour inspectors, as well as on the number and amount of fines imposed as a result of these inspections.

Action at the national level

National policy

Articles 4 and 7 of Convention No. 155 and Article 3(2) of Convention No. 187. Periodic review of the national policy and the situation regarding OSH. Promotion of the right of workers to a safe and healthy working environment. The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s reports: (1) the Ministry of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy is in the process of setting up, in collaboration with the Labour and Mines Inspectorate (ITM) and the relevant stakeholders, a national strategy on OSH, with the aim of coordinating preventive actions and significantly reducing occupational accidents and diseases in all sectors of the economy; (2) this strategy is based on the European Union’s Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work for the period 2021–27 (Occupational safety and health in a changing world of work); (3) consultations with workers’ and employers’ organizations have not yet taken place on this subject; and (4) the last meeting of the Higher Occupational Safety and Health Council (CSSST), at which employers and workers are represented, took place in 2023 and focused on the reform of occupational medicine. The Committee also notes that, under the 2023–28 coalition agreement, the Government has committed, inter alia, to promoting a business culture of well-being at work and has indicated that it will endeavour to modernize occupational medicine and define the mandates of occupational physicians more clearly. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on:(i) the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the national policy on OSH is periodically reviewed; (ii) the activities of the CSSST, including the frequency of its meetings in practice and the OSH issues discussed therein;(iii) the outcome of consultations held with the CSSST on the draft national strategy on OSH and the state of this draft; and (iv) the implementation of the Government’s OSH commitments under the 2023–28 coalition agreement and, where appropriate, the results achieved.

National system

Article 15 of Convention No. 155. Coordination between the various competent authorities. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes that, according to the Government’s indication: (1) the coordinating committee of the national inspection system for the world of work, which is composed of, inter alia, the ITM, the Occupational Health Division, the National Service for Safety in the Public Service and the Accident Insurance Association, is responsible for overseeing collaboration between the competent administrations in the world of work, with the aim of defining a common policy on inspection, prevention and organization; and (2) there are joint prevention projects (such as the Occupational Safety and Health Forum), but they are not defined within this committee. The Committee requests the Governmentto provide further information on the functions of the coordinating committee of the national inspection system for the world of work or any other coordinating body between the authorities involved in OSH, the issues they deal with and, where appropriate, the results achieved.

Article 4(3)(e) and (h) of Convention No. 187. Research on OSH. Support mechanisms for a progressive improvement of OSH conditions in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and in the informal economy. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken to give effect to Article 4(3)(e) on research on OSH and Article 4(3)(h) on support mechanisms for a progressive improvement of OSH conditions in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and in the informal economy.

National programme

Article 5(1) and (2) of Convention No 187. National programme on OSH. The Committee notes that, with regard to Article 5, the Government refers to the development of the above-mentioned national strategy on OSH. The Committee also notes that: (1) there is a complementary national programme, the Vision Zero national charter, which was signed in March 2016 by several ministries and partners and aims to promote OSH by reducing the number and severity of occupational accidents, commuting accidents and occupational diseases; and (2) following the first phase of implementation of the charter (which covered the period 2016–21), it was decided to launch a second phase covering the period 2023–30. Referring to its comment above on the development of a national strategy on OSH and the second phase of the Vision Zero national charter, the Committee requests the Government to provide more information on the development and implementation of a national programme on OSH in accordance with Article 5 of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the identification of targets and indicators of progress; and (ii) the arrangements for periodic review of the programme, once it has been adopted.

In addition, the Committee recalls its pending comments on the ratified technical Conventions on OSH (the Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115), the Maximum Weight Convention, 1967 (No. 127), the Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977 (No. 148), the Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161), the Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No. 162), the Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167), the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention, 1993 (No. 174), the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176), and the Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001 (No. 184)) adopted by the Committee in 2021, to which the Government will be requested to respond in 2027, in accordance with the reporting cycle.