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The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, particularly with regard to the data provided by occupational physicians in the context of a survey.

Articles 3 and 7 of the Convention. The Committee notes from the information obtained from this survey of occupational physicians that heavy loads are generally only handled infrequently, except in the case of certain activities, and particularly removals and the unloading of containers loaded with imported products. Furthermore, in practice, the average weight of loads is lower than 55 kg, except in the case of the lifting of sick persons and their transport on stretchers. With regard to the criteria applied by occupational physicians to conclude that a worker is capable of the manual transport of loads over 55 kg, reference is made to Order No. 1211-T, of 19 March 1993, which gives effect to section 5 of Order No. 34/CP of 23 February 1989 respecting minimum safety and health requirements for the manual transport of loads which constitute a risk for workers, and particularly to their backs and lumbar regions. In this respect, the Committee notes that the above section 3 remains unchanged. The absolute limit is set at 105 kg and a worker may even be permitted to carry regularly loads heavier than 55 kg if he has been found fit by the occupational physicians. While noting the information provided by the above survey, the Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to ensure that workers cannot be required to engage in the manual transport of a load which is heavier than 55 kg. Once again the Committee refers to the recommendations contained in the ILO publication "Maximum weight in lifting and carrying" (Occupational Safety and Health Series, No. 59, Geneva, 1988) in which it is indicated that 55 kg is the limit recommended from the ergonomic point of view for the admissible weight of loads to be transported occasionally by a male worker between 19 and 45 years of age. Similarly, it states that 15 kg is the limit recommended from an ergonomic point of view for the load permitted to be lifted and transported occasionally by adult women. The Committee has been raising this issue for many years. It therefore hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

Articles 4 and 6. The Committee notes the technical devices (trolleys, lifts, fixed or travelling cranes) used by workers, depending on the financial means of the enterprise, to limit or facilitate the manual transport of loads. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the effect given to this Article in practice.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the information on occupational accidents. The rate of occupational accidents related to the manual handling and transport of loads has remained relatively stable since 1995. In this respect, the Committee notes that 3 per cent of occupational accidents involve absence from work for over 24 hours and that the number of days for which benefits are paid by the CAFAT for this type of occupational accident also remains stable but high, since they account for around 30 per cent of the total number of days for which benefits are paid in respect of occupational accidents. The Committee therefore requests the Government to continue providing information on the effect given in practice to the provisions respecting the maximum weight of loads which may be transported manually and, in particular, on the action taken to prevent this type of occupational accidents.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2001.]