Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2014, publiée 104ème session CIT (2015)

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

The Committee notes the joint observations made by the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO), the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) and the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO), received on 10 November 2014. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

Legislation. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the entry into force of numerous regulations of the Swedish Work Environment Authority, namely on asbestos (AFS 2014:27), medical surveillance in working life (AFS 2014:23) and on occupational exposure limit values (AFS 2011:18). It also notes the information provided on the effect given to Article 11(1)–(2) of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on legislative measures undertaken with regard to the application of the Convention.

Article 11(3) and (4) of the Convention. Efforts to provide the worker with suitable alternative employment or to maintain his income. Rights under social security or social insurance. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that under the Regulation on job adaptation and rehabilitation (AFS 1994:1), a worker must be offered job adaptation when it is not medically appropriate for them to continue work involving exposure to air pollution, noise or vibrations. Specifically, section 8 provides that job adaptation and rehabilitation must be carried out in cooperation with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, and other affected agencies, while section 12 states that the working situation of the worker must be adapted by the employer on the basis of their capacity to perform their tasks at work. However, the Committee notes, once again, that the Government has not provided information on the measures taken to ensure that the rights of transferred workers under social security and social insurance legislation are not adversely affected, in accordance with Article 11(4) of the Convention. Therefore, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken, in law and practice, to give effect to this provision of the Convention.

Application of the Convention in practice. In response to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the outcome of the 2005 Work Environment Authority noise campaign and on the 2006 follow-up. It notes in particular that by 2006, 90 per cent of the workplaces had complied with the stipulations imposed by inspectors during the 2005 campaign. It also notes that noise and vibration campaigns were carried out in 2010 and 2012 and that an inspection initiative focused on the education sector was launched in 2013 and is set to end in 2016. Furthermore, the Committee notes that national measurement projects on hand-held vibrating machinery were carried out in 2012 and 2013, with 18 stipulations imposed on a total of 53 workplaces and 180 machines inspected in 2012, and 50 workplaces and 100 machines inspected in 2013. The Committee also notes the Government’s indications on the number of workers affected by noise and vibration legislation, disaggregated by gender. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the noise and vibration campaigns, and on the outcome of these campaigns. It 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 and the number and nature of contraventions reported.