Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2024, publiée 113ème session CIT (2025)

Convention (n° 155) sur la sécurité et la santé des travailleurs, 1981 - Cameroun (Ratification: 2021)

The Committee notes the Government’s first report.

Article 1 of the Convention. Scope of application. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that no category of workers is excluded from the scope of application of the Convention. However, section 1 of the Labour Code excludes workers in certain branches of activity from its scope, including staff governed by the General Civil Service Regulations, the Judiciary Regulations and the General Military Regulations. The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure the application of the Convention to workers excluded from the scope of application of the Labour Code.

Articles 4 and 7. Coherent national policy on occupational safety and health (OSH). The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there is not yet an OSH national policy document but that elements of a policy have been implemented. In this regard the Committee notes the national legislation relating to OSH, including Order No. 039/MTPS/IMT of 26 November 1984 establishing general health and safety measures in the workplace, and the role of the authorities, such as the tripartite National Occupational Safety and Health Commission (CNSST). However, the Committee notes that, according to the Government, an OSH national policy and national programme have been drawn up, have been approved by the CNSST, and are in the process of being adopted. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that this national policy will be revised every five years. The Committee requests the Government to provide more information on progress made towards adopting the national OSH policy and programme and to provide copies of them, once they have been adopted. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing information on the activities of the CNSST in this regard and the results thereof.

Article 5(e). Protection of workers and their representatives from disciplinary measures as a result of actions properly taken by them in conformity with national policy. The Committee notes that section 130 of the Labour Code provides that any dismissal of a staff delegate, whether titular or substitute, envisaged by the employer is subject to authorization by the competent labour inspector. However, the Government has not provided any information on measures taken to protect workers and their representatives from disciplinary measures, other than referring to the dismissals of staff delegates, when they have taken proper action in accordance with national OSH policy. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide more information on the measures taken or contemplated to give effect to Article 5(e).

Article 8. OSH laws or regulations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication concerning the current revision of Order No. 015/MTPS/IMT of 11 October 1979 establishing the structure and operation of occupational medical services, in the form of an autonomous medical service, an inter-enterprise medical service and an agreement on medical visits and medical care, and Order No. 039/MTPS/IMT of 26 November 1984 issuing general health and safety measures in the workplace. The Committee requests the Government to provide more information on progress made in this regard and to provide copies of the new texts, once they have been adopted.

Articles 11(c) and 15(1). Necessary coordination between various authorities and bodies. Production of annual statistics on occupational accidents and diseases. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the responsibilities of various national authorities in the area of OSH. As regards the collection of statistical data on OSH, the Government indicates, among other things, that cases of occupational accidents and occupational diseases are reported to the labour inspectorate or to the National Social Insurance Fund (CNPS), and that there are discrepancies between the numbers of cases reported to both entities. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the mechanisms for coordination between the various ministries and authorities responsible for OSH. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on any mechanism for coordination between the labour inspectorate and the National Social Insurance Fund with regard to statistics on OSH.

Article 14. Inclusion of questions of occupational safety and health and the working environment at all levels of education and training.While noting the Government’s indication concerning the launch of OSH training in nursing schools, the Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the measures taken or envisaged to give effect to this Article.

Articles 19(b)-(e) and 20. Cooperation at the level of the undertaking. Functioning of OSH committees in practice. The Committee notes the provisions giving legislative effect to Articles 19(b)-(e) and 20 of the Convention, including section 8 of Order No. 039/MTPS/IMT of 26 November 1984, which provides that occupational safety and hygiene committees must be set up in workplaces, depending on the numbers of workers employed and the workplace risk classification. However, the Committee notes that, according to the Government, an evaluation conducted in 2020 of the operation of 80 occupational safety and hygiene committees in practice revealed that 20 of them were non-existent and only eight were functional. The Committee requests the Government to indicate all the measures taken or envisaged to strengthen the capacities of occupational safety and hygiene committees and to improve their functioning in practice. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on any evaluations conducted in this regard.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government, including on the number of occupational accidents reported to the labour inspectorate, namely 1,627 in 2019, 889 in 2020 and 877 in 2021. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the application in practice of the Convention, including the number of occupational accidents and cases of occupational disease recorded, the number and types of violations detected by the labour inspectorate, and the remedial action taken.