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Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932 (No. 32) - Bulgaria (RATIFICATION: 1949)

Article 17 of the Convention and Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the detailed statistical information provided by the Government according to which: (i) during the 2014–16 period, the National Social Security Institute noted 72 occupational accidents including 16 that were directly related to loading and unloading, two of which were fatal; (ii) during the 2012–16 period, the general labour inspectorate conducted 136 inspections in 35 port operators, identifying 523 violations of labour legislation including 282 violations in the area of occupational safety and health; it issued 499 binding recommendations, and shut down four machines and workplaces for safety reasons. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the manner in which the Convention is applied, particularly labour inspection services’ reports on ports on the number, nature and causes of reported accidents, and on infringements reported and the sanctions imposed, and indicate, where applicable, any measures taken to reduce the number of accidents.

Prospects for ratification of the most up-to-date Convention. The Committee takes this opportunity to encourage the Government to follow up the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 328th Session (October–November 2016) approving the recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group, and to consider the possibility of ratifying the Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 (No. 152), which is the most up-to-date instrument in this field. The Committee requests the Government to report any measures taken in this regard.