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The Committee notes the Government’s report, the replies to its previous comments and the documents attached. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government concerning the matters raised in the observation made by the Federation of Progressive Unions. It requests the Government to provide additional information on the following points.

1. Material conditions of work of inspectors. The Committee notes that, in reply to the statements by the Federation of Progressive Unions that safety and hygiene inspectors are not provided with protective equipment against the risks inherent in certain hazardous substances at the workplace which are liable to their supervision, the Government enumerates the equipment which is normally provided to them. The Committee would be grateful if it would provide a copy of any text setting out the obligation to provide such equipment, any document demonstrating the purchase by the inspection services of such equipment and any instructions for their utilization.

With regard to the inadequacy, from the point of view of the Federation of Progressive Unions, of the remuneration of labour inspectors, the Committee considers that its comparison with the remuneration received by newly recruited persons leaving secondary education without qualifications is not pertinent. It would be grateful if the Government would provide documents enabling it to make a comparison between the remuneration of labour inspectors and that received by other state employees possessing comparable skills and with comparable levels of responsibility.

2. Occupational safety and health. With regard to the allegations made by the Federation of Progressive Unions concerning the deterioration in occupational safety and health conditions due to the lack of commitment by the public authorities to the supervision of the relevant legislation, particularly on asbestos, benzene and other hazardous substances, the Committee notes with interest that the numbers of labour inspectors have been increased by the recruitment of 11 new inspectors and that an Act on the protection of consumers, adopted in 1999, prohibits the use of blue asbestos. The Committee also notes that the Government has requested the technical assistance of the ILO for the development of regulations with a view to the implementation of a programme to control and eliminate the use of asbestos. The Government is requested to continue providing information on any progress achieved by the labour inspection system with a view to improving the protection in law and practice of workers exposed to occupational hazards related to hazardous substances.

Finally, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in the process of revising the 1998 Act respecting occupational safety, health and welfare, as well as the draft regulations respecting electricity, safety warnings and occupational noise.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other points.