Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

Prevention of Accidents (Seafarers) Convention, 1970 (No. 134) - Costa Rica (Ratification: 1979)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in response to its previous direct request.

1. The Committee notes that the regulations foreseen under article 283 of the Labour Code are still in course of preparation. It hopes that these regulations will contain specific provisions on accident prevention for seafarers which will give effect to Article 4, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention and that these will apply to all seafarers, including those working on board fishing vessels, in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention. It hopes that the Government will be able to supply the text with its next report.

2. The Government states that, given certain reorganisation measures currently in hand, mainly in the field of information systems, and the still recent setting up of bodies such as the National Council of Occupational Health, it will be some time yet before the measures needed to ensure full application of the Convention can be adopted. The Committee hopes that the next report will contain information on the progress made in the application of the following provisions of the Convention:

Article 2 (compilation of statistics on occupational accidents to seafarers and reports of inquiries into the causes and circumstances of such accidents).

Article 3 (reports of studies and research on occupational accidents of seafarers).

Article 6, paragraph 3 (training of labour inspectors visiting ships in regard to conditions of life on board and the hazards involved).

Article 7 (setting up of the joint health committees provided for by Decree No. 18379-TSS).

Article 8 (plans and programmes of the National Occupational Health Council in so far as they relate to questions covered by the Convention).