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

Convention (n° 187) sur le cadre promotionnel pour la sécurité et la santé au travail, 2006 - Ouzbékistan (Ratification: 2021)

The Committee notes the Government’s first report.

Article 2(2) of the Convention. Account taken of the principles set out in instruments of the ILO relevant to the promotional framework for occupational safety and health (OSH). The Committee notes that the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 553 of 3 July 2019 establishes a National Tripartite Commission on Social and Labour Issues, which is tasked, among others, with the setting of an effective management system for OSH, and is authorized to create permanent working groups, including on OSH. The Committee notes the implementation of the ILO project “Improving labour inspection and OSH systems in Uzbekistan” (January 2024 – December 2025), within the framework of the Safety + Health for All Flagship Programme, which aims to align national legislation and practices with the international labour standards on OSH, to foster the development of a national preventative OSH culture and the formulation and implementation of a sound policy, system and programme for OSH. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the manner in which it takes into account the principles set out in the instruments of the ILO relevant to the promotional framework for occupational safety and health, including through the National Tripartite Commission on Social and Labour Issues and the implementation of projects on OSH.

Article 2(3). Measures that could be taken, in consultation with social partners, to ratify relevant OSH Conventions of the ILO. The Committee notes the ratification of the Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167) in 2022 and the Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977 (No. 148) in 2023. The Government states that these Conventions were ratified following tripartite consultations. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication about preliminary work towards the ratification of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), and the submission of the relevant draft law to the Ministry of Justice in this respect. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the consideration given to measures that could be taken to ratify relevant OSH Conventions, including progress made towards the ratification of Convention No. 155. The Committee requests information on the tripartite consultations held in that respect, including in the National Tripartite Commission on Social and Labour Issues.

Article 3. Formulation of a national policy. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Act on Occupational Safety and Health No. ZRU-410 (Act on OSH) defines the main areas of state policy on occupational safety, which include prioritizing the life and health of employees; developing and implementing state programmes in the field of occupational safety; coordinating the activities of state and economic administrative bodies, and local authorities in the field of occupational safety; establishing occupational safety requirements for all organizations; state monitoring and inspection of compliance with occupational safety requirements; incentivizing the development and introduction of safe equipment, technology and protective gear for workers; using scientific and technological developments, and advanced domestic and overseas best practice in occupational safety; social protection of workers who have been the victims of industrial accidents or who suffer from occupational diseases; and international cooperation (section 5 of the Act). The Committee requests the Government to provide additional information on the formulation, implementation and periodic review of the national policy on occupational safety and health, in consultation with social partners. It also requests the Government to provide further information on the measures taken, both in law and practice, to develop a national preventative safety and health culture.

Article 4(2)(c). Mechanisms for ensuring compliance. System of inspection. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in 2023, the State Labour Inspectorate conducted inspections in approximately 14,500 enterprises and identified almost 30,000 violations, including 20,900 related to the occupational safety and health requirements. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number of OSH inspections undertaken, the number of violations detected, the number and nature of penalties imposed and the orders to suspend operations. With regard to the operation of the labour inspectorate, the Committee refers to its comments concerning the application of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) and the Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129).

Article 4(2)(d). Arrangements to promote, at the level of the undertaking, cooperation between management, workers and their representatives. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Labour Code and the Act on OSH require the employer to provide trade unions with the information and materials necessary to oversee, supervise and monitor the state of occupational safety, and inform employees in a timely manner about working conditions, including the risk of occupational and other diseases and the state of occupational safety at specific workplaces and production facilities The Committee also notes that section 49 of the Labour Code provides for establishment of a commission on social and labour issues at the primary (workplace) level. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the cooperation mechanisms in place at the workplace level between management, workers and their representatives as an essential element of workplace-related prevention measures, including on the activities of workplace commissions on social and labour issues related to OSH.

Article 4(3)(a). National tripartite advisory body. The Committee notes the Government’s indications regarding the activities of the National Tripartite Commission on Social and Labour Issues include initiating the development of a draft programme on the elimination of injuries at construction sites which has been submitted to Cabinet for approval. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the OSH-related activities and issues addressed within the National Tripartite Commission on Social and Labour Issues, as well as the frequency of the meetings held.

Article 4(3)(b). Information and advisory services and provision of OSH training. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in accordance with the Regulations on the State Labour Inspectorate, approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 1066 of 31 December 2018, one of the main tasks of the State Labour Inspectorate is to provide advisory and methodological on the application of occupational safety legislation. It further states that, in 2023, the Inspectorate held more than 8,400 awareness-raising activities, attended by over 136,300 employees, with a view to preventing violations of labour legislation and improve occupational safety and health. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to ensure the provision of information and advisory services on occupational safety and health, including OSH-related activities of the State Labour Inspectorate.

Article 4(3)(d). Occupational health services. The Committee notes that section 24 of the Labour Code requires the employer to organise compulsory preliminary periodic medical examinations. The Committee requests the Government to provide additional information on the provision of occupational health services in law and practice at the workplace level.

Article 4(3)(f). Mechanisms for the collection and analysis of data on occupational injuries and diseases. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the interagency hardware and software platform “the Unified National Labour System” was launched in January 2020, which provides, among others, the results of ongoing inspections on labour relations and occupational safety. The Government further states that the system integrates the collection and analysis of data on workplace injuries and occupational diseases. Currently the information is collected for the construction industry and will be expanded to all sectors of the economy in the future. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the operation of the “the Unified National Labour System” for the collection and analysis of data on occupational injuries and diseases, and to provide the relevant statistical information, and indicate the progress achieved in expanding the system to all sectors of the economy.

Article 4(3)(h). Support mechanisms for the progressive improvement of OSH conditions in microenterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in the informal economy. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the implementation in practice of support mechanisms for the progressive improvement of OSH conditions in micro-enterprises, SMEs and the informal economy.

Article 5. National programme on OSH. The Committee notes that section 5 of the Act on OSH provides that one of the main directions of public policy in the field of occupational safety is the development and implementation of state programmes in occupational safety and that the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 153 of 20 July 2010 on Further Improvement of the Regulatory and Legal Framework for Occupational Safety adopted and implemented a programme for the revision, development and introduction of rules and regulations on occupational safety. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, following the implementation of the draft programme on the elimination of injuries at construction sites, referenced above, there are plans to develop a National Programme on Occupational Safety and Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan in consultation with social partners. The Committee requests the Government to pursue its efforts to formulate, implement, monitor, evaluate and periodically review a national programme on occupational safety and health, in accordance with the requirements of Article 5(1) and (2) of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the employers’ and workers’ organizations consulted in this respect, and the outcome of these consultations. The Committee further requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the Government ensures that the programme will be widely publicised, in accordance with Article 5(3) of the Convention.