Guarding of Machinery Convention, 1963 (No. 119) - Switzerland (Ratification: 1992)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

The Committee notes the amendments to the Federal Act respecting the safety of technical machinery and equipment (LSIT) and its Ordinance (OSIT) which came into force on 1 July 1995. It also notes the adoption of the Ordinance of 12 June 1995 on the procedures for evaluating the conformity of technical machinery and equipment. The Committee also notes the Technical Standards for machinery, individual protection equipment and gas appliances issued by the Federal Office of Industry, Industrial Arts and Crafts and Labour communicated following the Committee's previous comments in connection with Article 6 of the Convention.

Article 10, paragraph 1. Further to the previous comments on the measures that the employer must take to bring national laws or regulations on the guarding of machinery to the notice of workers, the Committee notes that no information on this matter has been supplied in the Government's reports. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that employers give effect to this provision of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

The Committee notes with interest the information supplied by the Government in its first report. It requests it to provide additional information on the following matters.

Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Convention. The Committee notes that section 24 of the Ordinance of 19 December 1983 on the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, to which the Government refers, establishes an important principle for the protection of the life and health of workers. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the texts (technical standards, directives, instructions, etc.) issued under section 4 of the LSIT by the competent authorities, specialized organizations or institutions under the above federal legislation, which enumerate the parts which are liable to present danger to any person coming into contact with them.

Article 6, paragraph 2. The Committee notes that, under the terms of section 4(1)(c) of the Federal Act of 19 March 1976 respecting the safety of technical machinery and equipment, the provisions (standards, directives and principles) of specialized organizations and institutions approved by the Federal Department of the Interior should establish requirements in respect of safety which the machinery must meet. It requests the Government to supply a copy of these texts.

Article 10, paragraph 1. The Committee notes that, in accordance with section 6 of the Ordinance of 19 December 1983, the employer has to ensure that workers are informed of the dangers to which they are exposed in their work and that they are instructed on the precautionary measures to be taken. It requests the Government to indicate the measures that the employer has to take to bring national laws or regulations relating to the guarding of machinery to the notice of workers.