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Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161) - Burkina Faso (RATIFICATION: 1997)

1. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s reports submitted in 2007, including the reference to various legislative and regulatory texts.

2. Article 2 of the Convention. Implementation and periodical review of a coherent national policy on occupational health services. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information in the Government’s report, according to which a national occupational safety and health policy is still being prepared. This involves a framework document on national policy in this area, accompanied by a national action plan. The measures concerning the implementation and periodical review of the policy are set forth therein. The Committee hopes that this document will be adopted in the very near future and asks the Government to provide a copy thereof once it has been adopted.

3. Article 6. Provision for the establishment of occupational health services. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that some progress has been made in this respect, in that the action plan accompanying the framework document on national policy relating to occupational health services will cover not only the formal sector, but also the informal sector and the agricultural sector. The Committee notes, however, that the Government has not provided any clarification as to the points raised in its previous comments. It is therefore obliged to reiterate its request concerning the following points: Article 3, Establishment of health services; Article 5(a), Identification of risks from health hazards in the workplace; Article 5(b), Surveillance of the workplace; Article 5(c), Role of health services in the planning and organization of work; Article 5(d), Role of the health services in testing and evaluating new equipment; Article 5(e) and (i), Role of the health services in ergonomics; Article 5(h), Role of the health services in vocational rehabilitation; Article 5(j), Emergencies and first aid; Article 9, paragraph 2, Cooperation of the health services with other services in the enterprise; Article 10, Independence of health service personnel; Article 11, Qualifications of health service personnel; Article 15, Notification to health services of absences from work for health reasons. The Committee asks the Government to take these points into consideration within the context of the preparation of the new national policy, so as to give full effect to the provisions of the Convention.

4. Part VI of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, according to which 162,372 workers in the private sector and 70,308 workers in the public sector are covered by the legislation. Furthermore, the Committee invites the Government to request, at the appropriate time, ILO assistance with the view to the effective application of the Convention. The Committee hopes that such technical assistance can be carried out and asks the Government to provide information on any steps taken in this respect with the relevant ILO bodies. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information concerning the practical application of the Convention in order to follow the progress made.