Observación (CEACR) - Adopción: 2017, Publicación: 107ª reunión CIT (2018)

Suriname

Convenio sobre la indemnización por accidentes del trabajo, 1925 (núm. 17) (Ratificación : 1976)
Convenio sobre las enfermedades profesionales (revisado), 1934 (núm. 42) (Ratificación : 1976)

Article 2 of Convention No. 42. List of occupational diseases. For many years, the Committee has been requesting the Government to include the “loading and unloading or transport of merchandise” among the activities likely to cause anthrax infection in the list of occupational diseases established by section 25 of the Industrial Accidents Act (IAA), in accordance with Convention No. 42. Since 2006, the Government has been indicating that the IAA and other national Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)-related laws are under revision. The Committee notes that, in its report, the Government indicates that a new commission has been put in place to examine the said revision, including the inclusion of anthrax infections due to loading and unloading of transport and merchandise. The commission was expected to produce a first draft of the new legislation by March 2017. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the said changes to the list of occupational diseases have been included in the draft provisions produced by this commission and to provide a copy of the draft. It also requests the Government to report on any new steps taken in the review process. Noting the Government’s indication that it is willing to avail itself of ILO technical assistance during the review process, the Committee firmly hopes that, with the assistance of the Office, the Government will be able to report progress made in giving effect to the Convention.

Article 7 of Convention No. 17. Additional compensation for the constant help of another person. For many years, the Committee has been pointing to the fact that no measures have been taken to include provisions on additional compensation, in cases where an accident incapacitates a worker in a way that he or she needs the constant help of another person, in line with Article 7 of Convention No. 17. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that still no concrete actions have been taken in this regard, but that the issue is being considered as part of the abovementioned ongoing review process of the OSH-related legislation. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether provisions on additional compensation for the constant help of another person have been included in the draft prepared by the new commission so as to ensure conformity with the provisions of the Convention and to provide information on any new developments in this regard.

Conclusions and recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism. The Committee notes that, at its 328th session in October 2016, the Governing Body of the ILO adopted the conclusions and recommendations formulated by the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group (SRM TWG), recalling that Conventions Nos 17 and 42 to which Suriname is party are outdated and charging the Office with follow-up work aimed at encouraging States party only to these Conventions to ratify the Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 [Schedule I amended in 1980] (No. 121), and/or the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), and accept the obligations in its Part VI, as these represent the most up-to-date instruments in this subject area. The Committee also reminds the Government of the availability of ILO technical assistance in this regard.