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

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Colombia (Ratification: 1976)

The Committee notes the Government’s partial reply to its previous comments. It draws the Government’s attention to the following points.

1. Security of labour inspectors. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, labour inspectors can get the police authorities to accompany them in order to guarantee their security and allow the accomplishment of their duties. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether this possibility is provided for on a legal basis, communicate a copy of any relevant provision and give practical details on its implementation, in particular in cases of obstruction to the performance of an inspection task.

2. Article 9, paragraph 3, of the Convention.  Training of labour inspectors. The Government had indicated in its previous report that a series of training seminars was planned for labour inspectors. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether those training seminars have been achieved and to supply detailed information on their contents, their duration and the number and status of the participants.

3. Articles 14 and 15. Means of action of labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee notes that the Ministry of Social Protection allocates an annual budget to the territorial departments. It requests the Government to indicate the part allocated to labour inspection in agriculture, comparatively.

4. Article 6, paragraph 2. Advisory and enforcement functions concerning the conditions of life of workers and their families. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether it is planned to entrust labour inspectors in agriculture with advisory or enforcement functions relating to conditions of life of workers and their families.

5. Article 17. Association of labour inspectors in preventive control of agricultural undertakings. The Committee notes the information concerning joint occupational health committees. It would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether those joint occupational health committees are also set up in agricultural undertakings and to communicate, where appropriate, any relevant provisions governing their establishment, competences and functioning. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate whether labour inspectors are consulted (including via joint occupational health committees) on the putting into operation of new plants, materials or substances and methods of handling or processing products which appear likely to constitute a threat to health or safety, as well as on the plans of any plant in which dangerous machines or unhealthy or dangerous work processes are to be used, in agricultural undertakings, as advocated by Paragraph 11 of Recommendation No. 133.

6. Article 19. Notification of industrial accidents to labour inspectors. The Committee notes that the General Directorate for the Planning and the Analysis of Policies develops an information system enabling the data processing and the continuous updating of the information of the general health system, which includes the hazards register, and that the administrative departments of occupational hazards transmit monthly statistics relating to industrial accidents and occupational diseases to this end. The Committee requests once again the Government to indicate the manner in which it is ensured that labour inspectors are notified of industrial accidents and cases of occupational disease occurring in the agricultural sector, and whether inspectors are associated with any inquiry on the spot into the causes of the most serious industrial accidents or occupational diseases, particularly those which affect a number of workers or have fatal consequences.

7. Articles 25, 26 and 27. Annual inspection report. The Committee notes that no annual report has been communicated to the ILO. It requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the central authority publishes, on the basis of the periodical reports stipulated by Article 25, an annual report and to communicate it to the ILO, in accordance with the arrangements of Articles 26 and 27 of the Convention.