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The Committee takes note of the Government’s report for the 2006–07 period. As labour inspection covers all areas of the economy, the Committee requests the Government to refer to its request under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), as regards the subjects common to both Conventions and draws its attention to the following points regarding labour inspection activities in agriculture.

Articles 8, paragraph 2, and 13 of the Convention. Involvement and collaboration of employers, workers and their organizations in inspection activities. The Committee notes with interest the implementation by the Government of collaboration between labour inspectors and employers’ and workers’ organizations under agreements concluded between the inspectorate and a number of occupational organizations in 2002 and 2003, namely the National Confederation of Employers, the “Solidarity” Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the Confederation of Trade Unions. This collaboration takes the form of consultations on the observance of labour legislation, exchanges of information, the joint examination of workers’ complaints by an inspector and a trade union leader, joint investigations of occupational accidents and also joint inspections. The Committee requests the Government to supply as detailed information as possible on the specific activities undertaken during the reporting period in relation to agricultural undertakings (for example, consultations, joint inspections, investigations) and their results.

Article 9, paragraph 3. Adequate training for labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee notes the Government’s information to the effect that labour inspectors follow various courses and seminars in the context of programmes approved by the Labour Inspector-General and that agricultural engineers and persons holding higher qualifications in technical areas may become labour inspectors. However, it notes that the Government does not state whether, among inspectors currently in service, some possess such qualifications, and notes that it is unclear from the programmes of further training seminars in the first and third quarters of 2006 communicated by the Government whether the training given to inspectors in this context is specifically geared to the exercise of their functions in agriculture. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the need to give specific training to labour inspectors working in agriculture, whether upon their entry into service or in the course of their employment, in order to improve the particular skills necessary for the inspection of conditions of work in agriculture relating to the specific hazards to which workers and their family members and also the environment are exposed, in particular those connected with the use of machinery and certain toxic products and substances. The Committee therefore requests the Government once again to ensure that labour inspectors performing their duties in agriculture are given initial and further training enabling them to fully discharge their responsibility to afford protection to agricultural workers and their family members who live on agricultural undertakings. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would keep the Office informed of measures taken to this end and supply information on the content and frequency of the training in question.

Articles 19 and 27. Notification of cases of occupational disease. Content of the annual report on the work of the inspection services in agriculture. With reference also to its request on this subject under Convention No. 81 and underlining the specific risks inherent in agricultural work, the Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure that the labour inspectorate is informed of cases of occupational disease occurring in agriculture (Article 19(1)) and that, as far as possible, inspectors are associated with any inquiry into the causes of occupational diseases which affect a number of workers or have fatal consequences (Article 19(2)). It also requests the Government to ensure that statistics of occupational diseases in agriculture and their causes are included in the annual report published by the central authority.