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Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Israel (RATIFICATION: 1955)

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Article 3(1)(b) and 14 of the Convention. Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health. Construction sector. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the inspection activities carried out by the occupational safety and health (OSH) Administration in the construction sector. It notes in particular that according to the Government, in 2020 there has been an increase of 47 per cent in the number of inspection visits covering the construction industry. The Committee also notes that in the same year, the number of safety orders issued increased from 2,501 to 5,532 and that of these, 2,977 mandated the closure of the site or the suspension of activities for 48 hours or more. In addition, the Government reports that more than 25 targeted enforcement operations were carried out in 2020, most of them in the construction industry. The Committee also notes that OSH Administration joined efforts with other enforcement and regulatory bodies in order to reduce work-related accidents in the construction sector. According to the Government, many accidents in this industry occur because of falls from heights. It indicates that one of the causes contributing to this phenomenon is the lack of knowledge of the safety requirements established in the Work Safety Regulations (Work at Height) among the supervisors in charge of the wellbeing of workers at the construction sites. The Committee further notes the Government’s indication that the OSH Administration has been taking action for the enforcement of the safety requirements in all matters pertaining to mechanical cranes, turrets and scaffolding installed at construction sites, as well as in relation to the operators of cranes. The Government reports that in 2020 there has been a decrease of 20 per cent in the fatal accidents at work in the construction industry, adding that existing construction sites continued to operate in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts to ensure that the construction sector is a focus of rigorous inspection. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken particularly concerning the enforcement of safety regulation for works at height. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing data on inspection visits in the construction industry, on targeted enforcement operations in construction and other industries, and on the number of accidents, fatalities and cases of occupational disease.
Article 4. Labour inspection system. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that in 2011 the Employment Control Division changed its name to the Health and Safety in Employment Administration under the Ministry of Economy. The Committee also notes that according to the Government this development was not marked by a statutory or legal change. In addition, the Committee notes the fact that matters pertaining to conditions of employment such as wages, leave and employment of children and young persons do not fall within the area of responsibility of the OSH Administration and are handled by the Enforcement and Regulation Administration under the Ministry of Economy. The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.
Articles 5(a), 17 and 18. Cooperation with the justice system, legal proceedings and adequate penalties. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the cooperation between the OSH Administration and other entities such as the Legal Departments of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Economy and the State Attorneys’ Office. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government regarding collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in operating a simpler and more effective procedure in the imposition of administrative fines in the sphere of health and safety at work, which is expected to lead to an intensification of enforcement in these areas. The Committee also notes the Government’s statement that the intensification of enforcement law does not apply to the statutory provisions in the fields of safety and health in employment. It also notes that the Government provided statistics regarding the number of prosecution cases opened by the labour inspectors, charges and convictions for the period between 2010 and 2014. However, the Committee notes that the last report did not contain information on the number of legal proceedings and penalties, and no statistics on prosecutions and sanctions have been provided for the years since 2016. The Committee requests the Government to provide data on the outcome of reported offences (including the number of such offences that resulted in prosecution, the number of convictions in relation to the offences reported, the nature of fines or other sanctions imposed, and the proportion of monetary sanctions that are paid in practice) with regards to hours, wages, safety, health and welfare, the employment of children and young persons, and other connected matters. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the Law for Increased Enforcement of Labour Laws on the work of the Enforcement and Regulation Administration. It requests the Government to provide relevant statistics on the application of this Law in practice, including the number of financial sanctions imposed and administrative warnings issued concerning the enforcement of provisions on conditions of employment such as wages, leave and employment of children and young persons.
Articles 20 and 21. Publication of an annual labour inspection report. The Committee notes that the Government report indicates that in the period 2019–20, an additional 60 safety inspectors were recruited. The Committee also notes that Government report contains data concerning the number of inspections performed, including the break down for the construction industry, the number of safety and improvement orders in the construction industry and statistics on fatalities. However, the Committee notes that the Office has not received an annual labour inspection report since 2014. The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that annual labour inspection reports are regularly published and communicated to the ILO (Article 20 of the Convention), and that they contain information on all the subjects covered by Article 21(a)–(g).

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Referring to its observation, the Committee wishes to raise the following additional points.
Article 4 of the Convention. Labour inspection system. The Committee notes the indication in the report on the activities of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Administration of 2011 (submitted with the Government’s report) that the OSH Administration was formerly the Department of Labour Inspection. The Committee requests that the Government provide a copy of any legislative text on the establishment of the OSH Administration, and provide information on its organization and functioning, including an organizational chart. Noting that all inspection visits of the OSH Administration focus on occupational safety and health related topics, the Committee also requests that the Government provide information on the competent authority responsible for inspections concerning other conditions of work, such as hours, wages and the employment of children and young persons.
Articles 3(1)(b) and 14. Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). Construction sector. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the construction sector has been identified as the most dangerous one and that the OSH Administration has carried out focused inspection operations in this sector, as well as joint enforcement measures with both inspectors and investigators from the unit for investigating work accidents and occupational diseases. Additional measures taken include a media campaign aimed at preventing falling accidents, the development of standards related to training for construction managers, the introduction of regulations requiring a workplace safety management plan and enhanced enforcement through an increase in the application of monetary fines and sanctions. The Committee also notes the information in the reports of the OSH Administration, provided by the Government, that the number of fatal accidents increased (from 42 in 2009, to 52 in 2010 and 64 in 2011), with more than half of these accidents taking place in the construction sector. The Committee accordingly urges the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that the construction sector is inspected effectively, and to continue to provide information on the measures taken in this regard. It requests that the Government provide statistical data on inspection visits in the construction and the outcomes of these inspections, as well as industrial accidents in this sector.
Articles 5(a), 17 and 18. Cooperation with the justice system, legal proceedings and adequate penalties. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that out of 110 reported offences in 2009, five indictments were submitted, nine fines were imposed and four convictions were secured. In addition, the Government indicates that the OSH Administration carries out occasional meetings with criminal attorneys to promote cooperation, it maintains full cooperation with the prosecution department of the Ministry of the Economy and it has also held seminars on work safety legislation for attorneys and judges. The Government states that the OSH Administration is aware of the need to strengthen its relationship with these bodies. The Committee also notes from the Government’s report submitted under the Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150), that the Law for Increased Enforcement of Labour Laws, adopted in 2011, introduces an administrative procedure that allows for the issuing of administrative warnings or the imposition of financial sanctions on employers. The intention of this Law is to make it possible to focus criminal enforcement on the most severe violations and breaches of labour legislation, alongside rapid and effective handling of less serious breaches by means of the new administrative enforcement tools. The Committee requests that the Government provide further information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote effective cooperation between the OSH Administration and the justice system, and to continue to provide information on the outcome of reported offences (number of convictions in relation to the infringements reported and nature of sanctions applied). It also requests that the Government provide information on the impact of the Law for Increased Enforcement of Labour Laws, as well as relevant statistics on the application of this Law in practice, including the number of financial sanctions imposed and administrative warnings issued.
Articles 20 and 21. Publication of an annual labour inspection report. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that it has created a mechanism for the publication of the annual labour inspection report and that it publishes the annual report of the OSH Administration on its website. The reports of the years 2010 and 2011, submitted with the Government’s report, contain statistical information on the OSH Administration’s staff, the number of inspection visits, the number of accidents by branch and the value of the fines imposed. The Government indicates that the reports for 2012 and 2013 are under preparation. The Committee encourages the Government to take measures to ensure that the annual reports of the OSH Administration are published within the time limits prescribed by Article 20 of the Convention. It also requests the Government to ensure that such reports contain complete information on all the subjects listed in Article 21(a)–(g), including the number of workers employed in workplaces liable to inspection, as well as data on the violations detected and the number and nature of the penalties imposed.

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Articles 3(1)(b) and 14. Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health. Construction sector. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the construction sector has been identified as the most dangerous one and that the occupational safety and health (OSH) Administration has carried out focused inspection operations in this sector, as well as joint enforcement measures with both inspectors and investigators from the unit for investigating work accidents and occupational diseases. Additional measures taken include a media campaign aimed at preventing falling accidents, the development of standards related to training for construction managers, the introduction of regulations requiring a workplace safety management plan and enhanced enforcement through an increase in the application of monetary fines and sanctions. The Committee also notes the information in the reports of the OSH Administration, provided by the Government, that the number of fatal accidents increased (from 42 in 2009, to 52 in 2010 and 64 in 2011), with more than half of these accidents taking place in the construction sector. The Committee accordingly urges the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that the construction sector is inspected effectively, and to continue to provide information on the measures taken in this regard. It requests that the Government provide statistical data on inspection visits in the construction sector and the outcomes of these inspections, as well as industrial accidents in this sector.
The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.

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With reference to its observation, the Committee wishes to raise the following points.
Articles 3, 10 and 16 of the Convention. Functions and number of labour inspectors and frequency of labour inspection visits in establishments. The Committee notes that according to the Government a sharp decline of inspection visits (from 50,426 to 21,216) which was noted in the Committee’s previous comments with regard to the year 2006, was due to a change in the method of counting visits which was introduced that year. Since then, visits have been counted on a per enterprise, instead of a per workplace, basis.
Noting that according to the Government, the total number of workplaces in 2009 was 52,909, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the ratio of workplaces covered by inspection visits in relation to the number of workplaces liable to inspection and provide a detailed breakdown of inspection visits and their results by area of legal provisions covered (for example, occupational safety and health, child labour, etc.).
Articles 3(1)(b) and 14. Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the text of the Labour Inspection Organization (Preventive Action) Regulations, 5761-2001 communicated by the Government. The Regulations entrust the Chief Labour Inspector with responsibility for preventive action at the workplace (section 3) which includes any action intended to prevent, directly or indirectly, work accidents and occupational diseases, especially research, experimental projects, the establishment of databases and professional training, instruction and public information in the field of occupational safety, health and hygiene (section 2). The Regulation also establishes a tripartite Advisory Committee and provides for the elaboration of an Annual Programme of Work for preventive action.
The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government on fatal work accidents in 2009 and the relevant trends in the 2000–09 decade. It notes that there is a constant overall trend of decrease in fatal accidents. However, the trend is increasing in the industry sector at an average of about 2 per cent per year. Moreover, the construction sector remains the most hazardous with the highest number of fatal accidents every year (even though there is a trend of a constant decrease in accidents in this sector).
The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged for the implementation of the Labour Inspection Organization (Preventive Action) Regulations and the impact of these measures on the prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases, in the sectors of construction and industry in particular. It also requests the Government to communicate the text of the Annual Programme of Work for preventive action elaborated under the Regulations.
With reference to its observation, the Committee requests the Government to indicate any conclusions drawn and follow-up action taken in relation to the findings of the study on the evolution of work accidents over the last decade.
The Committee would also be grateful if the Government would indicate the procedure in place for the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases and describe the role of the inspection services in this framework. It draws the Government’s attention in this respect to the Code of Conduct on recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases which is available at the following website: www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/normativeinstrument/wcms_ 107800.pdf.
The Committee finally notes that according to the Government, two pilot Codes of Practice were drafted in 2009 in the areas of professional diving and post-mortem operating theatres and that future activity will focus on the implementation of the Codes in a number of workplaces. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged in order to examine the possibility of establishing and assimilating a code of practice system in the overall legal system as part of the safety and health legislation, as previously indicated in the Government’s report.
Article 5(a). Cooperation with other governmental bodies and institutions. Cooperation with the justice system. The Government indicates that at the present time, an investigation unit is being established and will be charged with responsibility in the field of Criminal Law. An appropriate structure is being established, a training programme put together and initial personnel trained for the job. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the number of personnel entrusted with investigations or criminal matters in relation to subjects covered by the Convention and specify their status, the activities they carry out and their impact, and the manner in which the personnel cooperates with the Labour Inspection Division.
The Committee once again requests the Government to provide particulars illustrating the manner in which the labour inspection services, on the one hand, and public prosecutors and courts, on the other hand, are encouraged to cooperate (meetings and seminars or courses aimed at mutual sensitization on the common objectives, exchange of information, number of cases referred to justice, number and type of judicial penalties imposed, delay in the treatment and execution of decisions, etc.).
Articles 17 and 18. Legal proceedings. The Committee notes that according to the Government, 2,013 Safety and Improvement Orders were issued in 2009, apparently in the framework of the 15,371 inspection visits carried out that year. With reference to its previous comments on this subject, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would complement this information by indicating the number of indictments filed by the Prosecution Department at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour, and the number of convictions and administrative fines imposed as well as the ratio of convictions compared to the number of infringements reported by labour inspectors.

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Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention. Publication of an annual labour inspection report. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that according to the Government, the Labour Inspection Division communicates to the ILO every two years a report on its activities, and publishes this information at a later date in the form of a “summary report” in Hebrew, in the framework of the general publications of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour as required by the Freedom of Information Act. The Committee takes note of the latest summary report published in 2009 with regard to the activities of the Labour Inspection Division in the year 2006 as well as the information provided by the Government on the activities of the Labour Inspection Division in 2009. The Committee notes that these reports consist of a list of the basic laws and regulations which apply in this area, as well as seven statistical tables on the total number of labour inspection staff, employed persons by sector of activity, inspection visits, tests made by the National Laboratory, fines imposed, injuries registered, and fatal accidents notified, broken down by sector of activity.
The Committee notes with interest the communication of an exhaustive and in-depth analysis of the evolution and causes of deadly accidents at work in the most hazardous sectors over a period of ten years. It also notes that despite the reduction in the number of labour inspectors and inspection visits, most of the 37 newly created posts have been earmarked for intensification of controls in the area of occupational safety and health.
The Committee emphasizes, as it did in its general observation of 2010, the essential importance it attaches to the publication and communication to the ILO within the prescribed time limits, of an annual labour inspection report as this tool offers an indispensable basis for the evaluation of the results of the activities of the labour inspection services and, subsequently, the determination of the budgetary and other means necessary to improve their effectiveness. It emphasizes that according to Article 20 of the Convention, the report has to be published within a reasonable time after the end of the year to which it relates and in any case within 12 months and has to be communicated to the ILO within a reasonable period after their publication and in any case within three months. Moreover, according to Article 21, the annual report should contain, at the very least, up-to-date information on the following subjects: the field of the legal and material competence of the labour inspection services (legal provisions defining their organization and powers); the human resources and institutional logistical and material means available to the institution; its field of personal competence (enterprises, establishments and other workplaces liable to inspection, as well as the workers occupied therein); its means of operation (inspections, notifications of violations or non-compliance, technical advice and information, observations, warnings, the initiation or recommendation of prosecutions, the imposition of penalties); finally, occupational risks (through data on industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases). The Committee recalls that extremely valuable guidance on the presentation and analysis of this information is provided in the Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81). The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the labour inspection authority publishes an annual report within the time limits prescribed by Article 20 of the Convention and containing detailed and up-to-date information on the subjects reflected in Article 21. The Committee would also be grateful if the Government would communicate the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act which relate to the publication of an annual labour inspection report.
The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.

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The Committee notes the Government’s report covering the period ending in September 2006, and received on 16 September 2008. It would like to stress that reports due under article 22 of the Constitution of the ILO should cover the immediate previous two-year period.

The Committee also notes the “report form for the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81)” for 2006 and the email sent on 27 November 2008 by the Government containing corrections to the statistics on inspection visits. The Committee would like to draw the Government’s attention to the obligation contained in Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention to ensure that an annual report on the work of the labour inspection services is published and a copy thereof communicated to the ILO and asks the Government to take the necessary measures to give full effect to these provisions. It would also like to refer the Government to Paragraph 9(e) of Recommendation No. 81 for an appropriate breakdown of such information.

Article 3, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention. Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s information regarding different activities and projects of the labour inspection division in order to prevent future accidents, such as investigations and analyses of accidents and, concerning the field of research, the conduct of a feasibility study of the codes of practice system in the field of safety and health at work (a comparative legal analysis of the codes of practice in several leading countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Common European Market) in order to examine the possibility of establishing and assimilating a code of practice system in the overall system of laws, ordinances and as part of the safety and health legislation in Israel. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would keep the ILO informed of the follow-up of the investigations and analyses of accidents, in practice, as well as of the feasibility study of the code of practice system.

Article 3, paragraph 1(c). Participation of the labour inspectorate in the improvement in labour legislation. According to the Government, the labour inspection division is constantly involved in updating, correcting and legislating laws, ordinances and procedures in the field of safety and health. It indicates a number of legal provisions that have been amended as a result of such involvement (provisions in relation to escalators, working conditions at heights; conditions when working with hazardous chemical substances in general as well as in medical, chemical and biological laboratories; conditions when working in a noisy environment and with ionizing radiation; conditions in construction work, and when using mechanized scaffoldings and tower cranes) as well as inspection organization ordinances (provisions concerning environmental monitoring and biological monitoring of employees using damaging materials and a safety plan). The Committee notes however that the laws and regulations referred to in the labour inspection report for 2006 have all been adopted or issued between 1945 and 1999. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would give details on the content of the amendments to the labour legislation adopted in 2006 and referred to in its report, and send copy of the consolidated texts in force.

Article 5(a). Cooperation with other governmental bodies and institutions. Cooperation with the justice system. The Committee notes that the information communicated by the Government in reply to its 2007 general observation calling for effective cooperation between the labour inspection services and the justice system rather reflects the structure and work of the labour inspectorate in the area of enforcement of law. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide particulars illustrating the manner in which the labour inspection services, on the one hand, and public prosecutors and courts, on the other hand, are encouraged to cooperate with a view to strengthening the credibility of labour inspectors among the employers and workers (meetings and seminars or courses aimed at mutual sensitizing for the common objectives, exchange of information, number of cases referred to justice, number and type of judicial penalties imposed, delay in the treatment and execution of decisions, etc.).

Cooperation with the legal department personnel of the Ministry of labour. The Committee notes with interest that legal consultants at the Ministry accompany the labour inspection division in its current activities and provide consultancy on administrative and criminal aspects for the purpose of securing the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to the protection of the health and safety of workers while engaged in their work and of investigating the effects of processes, materials and methods of work on the health and safety of workers. It holds the view that these consultants could indeed contribute to a better understanding and efficiency in the discharge of functions of the labour inspectorate (they could for instance analyse relevant judicial decisions in cases where they are published and consequently advise labour inspectors in assessing the extent to which the relevant legal provisions are applied in workplaces liable to inspection). The Committee would be grateful, if the Government would indicate the number of legal consultants at the Ministry and describe their function in the consultation of the labour inspection division as well as the content, frequency and extent of these consultations.

Also noting that, according to the Government, the legal department staff is always welcome to take part in conferences and seminars organized by the labour inspection and preventive action division, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide details on the manner, frequency and content as well as on the participants of conferences and seminars organized by the labour inspection division.

Article 16. Frequency of labour inspection visits in establishments. The Committee notes that in 2006 labour inspectors conducted 21,216 workplace inspections which represent an average of 342 visits per inspector. The Committee would be grateful, if the Government would indicate the reason for the decrease in the number of inspection visits compared to 2003 and 2004 and provide explanations for the discrepancy between the total number of inspection visits (50,426) mentioned in the report form for 2006 and the number of mere inspection visits indicated by electronic mail (21,216).

It again requests the Government to provide a detailed breakdown by type of workplace and by legislative field covered (for example, occupational safety and health, child labour, etc.) and indicate the ratio of workplaces covered in relation to the number of workplaces liable to inspection.

Articles 17 and 18. Legal proceedings and incentives aimed at ensuring observance of the legal provisions on occupational safety and health. Incentive measures. The Committee notes with interest that a “friendly enforcement”, based on an award system as opposed to an approach of heavy punishment has been launched and has shown a significant improvement in employee safety behaviour. The Government indicates that, for instance, the use of protective gear has increased and management of all factories has expressed great satisfaction as regards the project. The employee reward system was defined so that each employee receives good points. Any safety error committed by the employee will cause a deduction of a point. At the end of a defined period, a graph is composed, containing those employees who are still left with points, whereas any employee that loses points reduces his chances of winning. The shift manager who receives the least amount of remarks from the project management will receive a prize. A shift manager with many remarks will be documented and a report submitted to the factory management.

Legal proceedings. The Committee notes the information in reply to its direct request supplied by the Government according to which the prosecution department at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour filed 18 indictments against occupational safety and health lawbreakers, and is involved in 21 criminal suits still in advanced legal processing. In relation to the number of convictions, it indicates that 13 administrative fines were issued, which amount in total to 330,000 new Israeli shekels (ILS) (US$88,880). In addition, it results from the annual inspection report form for 2006 that fines imposed by labour inspectors, amount to ILS31,400.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would complement such information by also indicating the number of convictions and the ratio of convictions compared to the number of infringements reported by labour inspectors.

Referring to the abovementioned “friendly enforcement” system as an alternative to deterrent punishment of workers, the Committee asks the Government to indicate whether the expression “lawbreakers” used in its report is only aimed at employers or if also workers can be held accountable for not complying with safety and health provisions at the workplace and to provide related detailed statistics in this regard. It would be grateful, if the Government would also indicate the number and types of enterprises which have been taken part in the “friendly enforcement” project as well as the type of rewards offered to “good employees” in this context.

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The Committee notes the Government’s report and the communication of annual inspection reports for 2003 and 2004.

Article 16 of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest that in 2004 labour inspectors conducted 36,631 workplace inspections, which represents, according to the inspection report supplied, the considerable average of 564 visits per inspector. It would be grateful if the Government would provide a detailed breakdown in its next report of the inspections by type of workplace and by legislative field covered (for example, occupational safety and health, child labour, etc.) and indicate ratio of workplaces covered in relation to the number of workplaces liable to inspection.

Article 21. Content of reports. While noting the annual reports on labour inspection activities for 2003 and 2004, the Committee notices that they do not contain any information on the laws and regulations applicable in the context of labour inspection, or any statistics on contraventions, industrial accidents or occupational diseases. With regard to industrial accidents, the Committee notes, however, that statistics are available on the web site of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. Reminding the Government that annual reports should contain information on each of the subjects covered by Article 21, clauses (a)–(g), of the Convention, and drawing its attention to the useful guidance provided in Paragraph 9 of the Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81), as regards the desirable level of detail in such information, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would take the necessary steps soon to ensure that this  information is included in annual inspection reports in the future.

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The Committee notes the information sent by the Government which partly answers its previous comments. While noting the information and statistics in the Government’s report concerning the numbers and activities of the labour inspectorate for the period 1995-2000, the Committee points out that, according to Article 20, the central inspection authority should publish and communicate to the ILO within the prescribed period a general annual report on the work of the inspection services under its control, and that the report should contain information on each of the items set out in Article 21(a) to (g). Noting that no report has been received since the one covering the year 1992, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the paragraphs (272 et seq.) that it devoted to this matter in its 1985 General Survey on labour inspection and requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure that the annual report referred to in the abovementioned provisions of the Convention is published in the near future and communicated to the ILO within the prescribed time limit.

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The Committee notes the Government's report and the information provided in reply to its previous comments. The Committee requests the Government to supply further information on the following points.

Articles 6 and 7 of the Convention. The Committee notes that labour inspectors are hired on the basis of a university qualification, chiefly in the scientific disciplines, and that after recruitment they follow intensive training. It also notes that there is an encouraging reduction in the number of fatal accidents in the construction industry thanks in particular to the employment on special contract of so-called assistant inspectors. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on the content of the post-recruitment training given to labour inspectors having the status of public employees as well as the qualifications and exact role of the assistant inspectors.

Articles 12 and 16. The Committee notes with interest the information concerning the frequency of inspections at places covered by the law as well as the adoption of a standard for health and safety management based on the British and New Zealand standards cited by the Government from which it appears that there is a transfer to internal inspection by firms to ensure that the legal provisions are being applied in their establishments. Noting that in 1998 the number of inspections decreased considerably in the construction industry and drastically in ports, whereas the nature of activities performed there implies numerous and frequent risks to health and safety, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply further information on the content and scope of the new measures based on the British and New Zealand standards regarding inspection activities carried out by labour inspectors in accordance with the provisions of Article 12.

Articles 20 and 21. The Committee has noted the statistical data on the activities of the labour inspectorate for 1997, 1998 and to mid-1999. This information does not, however, enable it to appreciate the volume of inspection activities in comparison with the number of establishments covered. It reminds the Government that statistical data on each of the subjects listed under Article 21(b) to (g) must be given in an annual report on the activities of the labour inspectorate, in accordance with the publication and communication provisions, to the ILO set out in Article 20. The Government is therefore requested to carry out the necessary measures for preparation and publication, by the competent central authority and within the time limits laid down, of annual inspection reports and to communicate copies regularly to the ILO.

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Articles 10, 16 and 21 of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government's report for the years 1995-96 and the supplementary report containing statistical information on work accidents and inspection activities. As the two reports contain different statistics of work accidents and investigations carried out by labour inspectors, the Committee asks the Government to clarify this difference in its next report and hopes that such statistics will be included in future annual reports as provided for in Article 21 of the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government's statement that a new approach to inspection techniques is being developed to cope with the current inability to supervise all workplaces given the limited staff available. It also notes the increase of fatal injuries in the building industry. It hopes the Government will supply a full report indicating how effect is given to the requirement of Article 16 of the Convention that workplaces should be inspected as often and as thoroughly as is necessary to ensure the effective application of legal provisions taking into account the increase of fatal injuries in the building industry. The Committee hopes that inspection services will be adequately staffed for this purpose.

The Committee notes with interest the Government's statement in its report that future arrangements concerning recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases will be based on the ILO publication "Recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases" (ILO, 1996). The Committee wishes to be informed of any progress made.

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Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention. The Committee notes from the Government's report that the annual reports on the activities of the inspection services for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 had not yet been published due to some technical difficulties. The Committee wishes to underline the importance it attaches to the publication of such reports within the time-limits set by Article 20.

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