Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161) - Uruguay (Ratification: 1988)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s reports.

1. Article 2 of the Convention. Formulation, implementation and periodic review of a coherent national policy on occupational health services. The Committee notes the adoption of Decree No. 83/996 establishing the National Occupational Safety and Health Council and that one of the functions of the Council is to formulate and propose plans and programmes on safety, health and the improvement of working conditions. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on such plans and programmes in relation to the formulation, implementation and periodic review of the coherent national policy on occupational health services.

2. Article 3, paragraph 1. Establishment of health services for all workers. In accordance with the Convention, occupational health services have to cover all workers, including those in the public sector, in all branches of economic activity and all enterprises. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the provisions under which health services are established for all workers and to indicate the plans drawn up, in accordance with the Convention, for the gradual establishment of occupational health services in all enterprises.

3. With reference to its previous comments, including the 1993 direct request, the Committee notes that the reports do not contain information on the application of several provisions of the Convention, for which reason part of the requests are reiterated:

Article 5(c) and (d). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the authorities which have been assigned advisory functions on the planning and organization of work and the development of programmes for the improvement of working practices;

Article 8. The Committee requests the Government to indicate how the cooperation and participation of employers and workers is secured, in practice, in the implementation of measures for the organization of occupational health services, as set out in the Convention;

Article 9. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that occupational health services are of a multidisciplinary nature, in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article;

Article 12. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures which guarantee that the surveillance of workers’ health involves no loss of earnings for them, that it is free of charge and takes place during working hours, as set out in this provision;

Article 13. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which all workers are informed of the health hazards involved in their work, in accordance with this Article of the Convention;

Article 14. The Government is requested to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that occupational health services are informed of any factors which may affect workers’ health; and

Article 15. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that personnel providing occupational health services cannot be required by the employer to verify the reasons for absence from work that have come to their notice.

4. Part VI of the report form. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee requests the Government to provide a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied, such as summaries of inspection reports and statistical information, including data on the number of workers covered, disaggregated by gender, if possible, and the number and nature of contraventions reported.