Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Seychelles (Ratification: 2005)

Articles 4, 5, 11 and 15 of the Convention. National policy on occupational safety and health. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policy was drafted in 2006, and discussions are still ongoing in order to finalize the policy, while ensuring that recent developments are considered. The matter has been discussed at the level of the OSH Board and the policy will be submitted for the approval of relevant authorities, namely the Minister of Labour and Human Resources Development (MLHRD) and the Cabinet of Ministers. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed on the progress regarding the adoption of the national OSH policy and requests the Government to transmit a copy of the policy document, as soon as it has been adopted.

Article 13. Protection from undue consequences. Article 17. Collaboration when there are two or more employers at the same workplace. Article 19(a)–(f). Rights and duties of workers and their representatives. Article 20. Cooperation at the level of the enterprise. The Committee notes that, in reply to its previous comments under these articles, the Government refers to the preparation of the Occupational Health and Safety Decree, Chapter 151. It indicates that it has been reviewed by the OSH Board and that a consultant has been identified by the ministry to finalize the bill. In this respect, the Committee welcomes the Government’s intention to request the ILO technical assistance to align the Occupational Health and Safety Decree, Chapter 151, with the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155). The Committee invites the Government to formally request the ILO technical assistance to provide comments on the draft legislation, in order to assist it in implementing the provisions of the Convention. It hopes that this new legislation will soon be adopted and requests the Government to transmit a copy of the relevant text once it has been adopted. In the meantime, the Committee asks the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the application of these provisions in practice and to provide information in this respect.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the statistics on the occupational accidents for 2011 and 2012 provided with the Government’s report. It welcomes the decrease in the overall number of occupational accidents. The Committee also notes that the MLHRD is exploring the possibility of requesting the technical assistance of the ILO in order to organize a workshop on OSH (occupational accidents) for dockworkers and in the construction industry in order to better sensitise and ensure OSH of workers in those sectors, as the majority of occupational accidents occur in those industries. Finally, the Committee welcomes the Government’s information that the MLHRD will consider ratification of the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187), once the applicable environment exists for the effective implementation of the Convention, notably through the adoption of the new OSH policy and OSH decree. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on efforts to address the level of occupational accidents for dockworkers and workers in the construction and to continue to communicate relevant up-to-date statistics.