Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Papua New Guinea (Ratification: 2023)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

The Committee notes the Government’s first report.

Legislative reform. The Government indicates in its report that the system of labour inspection in industrial workplaces is outdated, fragmented and unable to meet the demands of the current workforce. In this respect, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that a labour reform process is currently under way and that: (i) an Occupational Safety and Health Bill (OSH Bill) was prepared in 2021, which, according to the Government, gives effect to several provisions of the Convention; (ii) the Government envisages adopting implementing OSH Regulations; and (iii) a review of the Employment Act of 1978 is also envisaged. The Committee welcomes the reform efforts and requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in adopting the OSH Bill, and in reviewing the Employment Act. It also requests the Government to indicate how these Acts, once adopted, give effect to the Convention.

Article 3 of the Convention. Functions of labour inspection. The Committee notes that labour officers, as defined under the Employment Act of 1978, ensure the enforcement of provisions relating to wages, working hours and employment conditions (section 142), while industrial safety officers, as defined under the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare Act of 1961 (section 10), are responsible for the inspection of working conditions that affect occupational safety and health. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on how both labour officers and industrial safety officers: (i) provide technical information and advice to employers and workers concerning the most effective means of complying with the legal provisions; and (ii) bring to the notice of the competent authority defects or abuses not specifically covered by existing legal provisions, as required by Article 3(1)(b) and (c) of the Convention. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of the current standard job description for labour officers and industrial safety officers.

Article 5(b). Cooperation between the labour inspection services and employers and workers or their organizations. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken, including in the context of the ongoing reform, to promote the collaboration between official of the labour inspectorate and employers and workers or their organizations.

Articles 7, 10 and 11. Recruitment, and training of labour inspectors. Human resources and material means of the labour inspectorate. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations (DLIR) is undergoing a recruitment drive to fill in its new organizational structure, including in relation to OSH positions. The Committee also notes that the Government indicates that training programmes for inspectors should be developed internally by the DLIR. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the process and conditions for the recruitment of labour inspectors, including required qualifications; (ii) the necessary training provided, including the subjects covered and the number of participants; (iii) the number of labour officers and industrial safety officers and (iv) the material means allocated for the performance of their duties.

Article 9. Association with experts and technicians. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the existing legislation and the proposed OSH Bill do not provide for the engagement of technical experts with the work of the labour inspectorate. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that duly qualified technical experts and specialists, including specialists in medicine, engineering, electricity and chemistry, are associated in the work of inspection.

Article 15(a–c). Prohibition on labour inspectors from having any direct or indirect interest in enterprises under their supervision. Professional secrecy, Confidentiality of complaints. The Committee notes that while national legislation provides for professional secrecy of labour inspectors, it does not require that this is maintained after leaving the service. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken, including in the context of the legislative reform, to ensure that labour inspectors: (i) are prohibited from having any direct or indirect interest in the undertakings under their supervision; (ii) shall be bound by professional secrecy even after they have left the service; and (iii) treat as absolutely confidential the source of any complaint as well as the fact that a visit of inspection is made in consequence of the receipt of such a complaint, in conformity with Article 15(a–c) of the Convention.

Articles 16, 17 and 18. Frequency and thoroughness of inspection visits.Effective enforcement of appropriate penalties in the event of violation of the legal provisions.The Committee requests the Government to provide information on (i) the number of labour inspections undertaken, including the number of planned inspections; (ii) the number of inspections in response to complaints or accidents; (iii) on the nature and number of violation detected; and (iv) sanctions imposed and collected.

Articles 14, 19, 20 and 21. Annual report on labour inspection activities. Notification of occupational accidents and diseases to the labour inspection services. The Committee notes that the Government has not submitted an annual labour inspection report. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that: (i) labour inspectors or local inspection offices, as the case may be, shall be required to submit to the central inspection authority periodical reports on the results of their inspection activities, in accordance with Article 19; (ii) annual labour inspection reports are published and transmitted to the ILO in accordance with Article 20, and (iii) such reports contain information on all subjects listed under Article 21(a)–(g). The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of the procedure for the notification of occupational accidents and diseases to the labour inspectorate, including the number of occupational accidents and diseases notified.