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

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Latvia (Ratification: 1994)

Article 7 of the Convention. Review of the situation regarding occupational safety and health at appropriate intervals. The Committee notes the Government's indication that the Social Protection and Labour Market Policy Strategy 2021-2027, covering the responsibilities of the Ministry of Welfare, including occupational safety and health issues, was adopted on 1 September 2021, and that the Development Plan on Labour Protection 2024-2027 was approved on 18 June 2024, establishing short-term policy planning. Regarding the results of the Labour Protection Policy Strategy 2016-2020 and the Development Plan for 2019-2020, the Committee notes the Government's indication that the Social Protection and Labour Market Policy Strategy 2021-2027 highlights key outcomes: (i) a significant increase in public awareness of labour protection issues, particularly among young people, due to various campaigns and educational initiatives; (ii) support provided to employers, especially in small and medium-sized hazardous industries, through consultations, the provision of risk assessment tools and training; (iii) efforts to enhance the knowledge of occupational health professionals and address health promotion, psycho-emotional risks and musculoskeletal disease prevention; (iv) the strengthening of the State Labour Inspectorate's (SLI) capacity through training, optimized procedures and modernized technical support; and (v) the development of informative materials to ensure safe working environments for non-standard forms of employment and remote workers. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the periodic review of the situation regarding occupational safety and health at appropriate intervals.

Article 10. Provision of guidance. In respect to the request for information on the results of the European Social Funds (ESF) project in small and medium-sized enterprises, the Committee notes the Government’s reply indicating that ESF project “Practical Application of Regulatory Enactments Regarding Employment Relationship and Occupational Safety” made a significant contribution to improving occupational safety and health from 2016 to 2023, particularly in high-risk industries. The project provided practical support to 937 micro, small, and medium enterprises, exceeding its target by 4.11 per cent. This support included work environment risk assessments in 3,588 enterprises, access to laboratory measurements and participation in training sessions. Additionally, the project involved advisory support to enterprises on improving working conditions, research leading to proposals for regulatory improvements, enhancement of the SLI’s professional capabilities and the organization of preventive and educational initiatives. The Committee takes note of this information which responds to its previous request.

Article 12(c). Responsibilities of those who design, manufacture, import, provide or transfer machinery, equipment and substances for occupational use. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes that the Government refers to sections 31 and 37 of the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 195 of 2008 Regarding the Safety of Machinery, which refers to the responsibilities of those who manufacture, design or place on the market machinery with respect to Article 12(c) but does not cover others referenced in Article 12 (those who manufacture, design, import, provide or transfer equipment and substances for occupational use). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on measures, adopted or envisaged, to ensure that those who manufacture, design, import, provide or transfer equipment or substances for occupational use undertake studies and research or otherwise keep abreast of the scientific and technical knowledge necessary to comply with Article 12(a) and (b).

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee takes due note of the information provided by the Government indicating a decrease in the number of accidents and occupational diseases from 2021 and 2022 to 2023: 2,310 accidents were reported in 2021, 2,348 in 2022, and 2,238 in 2023. Similarly, the number of occupational diseases reported declined from 1,791 in 2021 and 1,661 in 2022 to 1,272 in 2023. The Committee welcomes the Government’s indication that among the measures adopted to achieve this reduction were thematic inspections conducted by the SLI. In this connection, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures adopted, in law and practice, to reduce the number of occupational accidents and diseases, the outcome of these measures and the statistics reported.

In addition, the Committee recalls the pending comments regarding the technical OSH Conventions ratified (the White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) , the Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115), the Guarding of Machinery Convention, 1963 (No. 119), and the Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120)), adopted by the Committee in 2021, for which the Government will be requested to reply in 2027 in accordance with the reporting cycle.