Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2009, publiée 99ème session CIT (2010)

Convention (n° 148) sur le milieu de travail (pollution de l'air, bruit et vibrations), 1977 - Suède (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee notes, as indicated in the Government’s report on the Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167), the information provided on recent amendments to Chapter 3, sections 6 and 7, of the Work Environment Act, with regard to two or more employers undertaking activities simultaneously at one workplace, giving full effect to Article 6(2) of the Convention. The Committee also notes the clarification provided indicating that the Swedish Work Environment Authority is the competent authority referred to in Article 12. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on legislative measures taken for the prevention and control of, and protection against, occupational hazards in the working environment due to air pollution, noise and vibration.

Article 11, paragraphs 1 and 2. Medical examinations. The Committee notes that in accordance with sections 16–18 of the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulation on noise (AFS 2005:16), employees exposed to noise shall be offered hearing examinations if they are exposed to noise which equals or exceeds any of the lower or upper limit values, or have been exposed to the same situation as another employee who has been shown to have hearing damage from noise exposure at the workplace and that, according to sections 12 and 13 of the regulation on vibrations (AFS 2005:15), employees shall be offered a medical examination if they are exposed to vibrations exceeding the limit values; if the exposure is such that there are reasons to suspect that harmful effects on health can occur; or if they have been exposed to the same situation as another employee who has been shown to have signs of vibration injury. The Committee asks the Government to provide further information on the application of the abovementioned regulations on medical examinations in practice for exposure to noise and vibrations, i.e. the number of workers that are effectively offered medical examinations free of charge.

Article 11, paragraphs 3 and 4. Alternative employment or other measures offered for maintaining income where continued assignment to work involving exposure to air pollution, noise and vibration is medically inadvisable. The Committee notes the Government’s response indicating that, with respect to noise, an employer shall consider the possibility of assigning a worker with hearing damage, which a doctor or specialist judges likely to have resulted from noise exposure at the workplace, to alternative work where there is no risk of further exposure, and that, with respect to vibration, there is no requirement on the employer but a recommendation that it is not appropriate for an employee to continue with work entailing vibration if serious vibration damage is suspected or established. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided information on measures taken or envisaged to ensure the rights of transferred workers under social security or social insurance legislation are not adversely affected. The Committee asks the Government to provide further information on the effect given to Article 11(3) and (4) of the Convention in national law and practice with respect to air pollution, noise and vibration.

Part IV of the report form. Labour inspection. The Committee notes that in response to the Committee’s query regarding the application of the Convention in practice, the Government refers to the 2005 Swedish Work Environment Authority noise campaign, which involved the inspection – based on the new regulation on noise (AFS 2005:16) – of 1,828 enterprises, mainly within the manufacturing industry, during one week. The Committee notes that these inspections resulted in 5,824 stipulations to 1,292 enterprises. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the problems identified during this campaign focusing on noise, and measures taken to address these problems. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide information on the application of the Convention in practice, including information on the number of workers covered by the legislation disaggregated by gender, if available, and the number and nature of contraventions reported.