Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Latvia (Ratification: 1994)

The Committee notes with satisfaction the manner in which effect is given to the provisions of the Convention by numerous laws and regulations adopted in recent years, including the Law of 22 September 2000 on the public service, the Laws of 20 June 2001 on labour protection and on labour, Regulation No. 293 of 9 July 2002 implementing section 13 respecting investigation procedures and the recording of accidents at work, of 9 July 2002, the Law of 28 December 2001 on state labour inspection and its implementing Regulation No. 158 of 16 April 2002 determining certain powers of labour inspectors. These instruments contain provisions on each of the matters covered by the Convention: the structure of the labour inspection system; the functions of the labour inspectorate; cooperation and collaboration between inspection services and other interested parties, such as institutions engaged in similar activities and organizations of employers and workers; the status, conditions of service, powers and duties of inspection staff; and the resources made available to them for the discharge of their functions. Furthermore, the Committee welcomes the quality and detailed nature of the information contained in the Government’s reports and in the annual inspection reports for 2001, 2002 and 2003. It further notes with interest that the results of inspection activities are examined by the central authority with a view to their analysis and the identification of solutions to improve the inspection system for better enforcement of the legislation. In the view of the Government, even though efforts still have to be made, particularly in relation to the supervision of occupational safety and health conditions in a climate dominated by a high level of economic competitiveness, the updating of the census of workplaces has made it possible to extend the supervision of the labour inspectorate to many activities which fell outside such supervision up to the present. The Committee considers that the achievement of the objectives set out in the labour inspection instruments necessarily involves exhaustive knowledge of workplaces, which in turn involves the regular updating of their registration. It hopes that the publication of the annual report will not fail to give rise to reactions by the representative organizations of employers and workers and that any points of view expressed by them can be brought to the knowledge of the Office in accordance with the relevant procedures.