Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Latvia (Ratification: 1994)

With reference to its comments under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), the Committee would like to draw the Government’s attention to the following points.

Articles 6(1)(b) and 13 of the Convention and Paragraphs 2 and 14 of the Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Recommendation, 1969 (No. 133). Preventive activities in the field of occupational safety and health in agriculture. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s reference to several preventive activities in the field of agriculture in 2011 with a view to reducing the number of fatal accidents, including preventive inspection visits in agriculture aimed at raising awareness (through training on labour protection, risk assessment, mandatory health examinations, safe working methods and the use of personal protective equipment, etc.); a seminar on occupational safety in agriculture aimed at the prevention and reduction of specific risks organized in cooperation with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA); cooperation with the “Farmers’ Parliament” (FI) which is according to the Government the most influential organization of agricultural producers; and the preparation of information materials on the most essential issues relating to labour protection in agriculture, which will be distributed to the members of the FI. The Committee asks the Government to report in further detail on the preventive activities in agriculture, for example, the number of training courses provided by labour inspectors during inspection visits and the number of workers covered; any seminars held in the field of occupational safety and health in agriculture and their duration and the number of participants; as well as information on any collaboration with organizations representing workers in the agricultural sector, and their impact on the number of fatal and serious work accidents.

Articles 9(3) and 15. Specific training in agriculture for labour inspectors. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that no specific training exists for labour inspectors in the area of agriculture, but that the training system of the State Labour Inspectorate ensures the competence of inspectors to perform inspections of undertakings in all sectors and that individual inspectors have relevant education and previous experience in the field of agriculture. The Committee recalls once again that the specific characteristics of work in the agricultural sector involve specific risks for workers, for example, risks related to the handling and use of dangerous chemicals and pesticides as well as agricultural machinery and therefore require that inspectors keep abreast of developments in this field through continuous and adequate training. The Committee therefore asks the Government to provide further information on how it is ensured that the training provided for labour inspectors enables them to acquire and maintain the technical knowledge necessary to perform their duties adequately in the agricultural sector (training provided in relation to agricultural subjects, and its proportion in the new training system referred to in the Government’s report under Convention No. 81). The Committee would also like to draw the Government’s attention to Paragraphs 4–7 of Recommendation No. 133 on the minimum qualifications needed by labour inspectors called upon to work in the agricultural sector.

Articles 15(b) and 21. Transport facilities for labour inspectors in agriculture and inspection visits. The Committee’s previous comments concerned the need to enable labour inspectors to carry out inspections of agricultural undertakings in accordance with Article 21 as often and as thoroughly as is necessary notably through sufficient transport facilities and the refunding of transport costs. The Committee notes in this regard that the number of inspection visits in agriculture seems to have increased (308 visits in 2006 against 384 visits in 2010), while the number of workers in agricultural undertakings seems to have decreased (88,400 in 2006 against 82,500 in 2010). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the availability of transport and other facilities at the labour inspection services that take account of the distant and remote nature of agricultural undertakings, as well as any equipment for measurement and analysis at the disposal of labour inspectors.

Articles 26 and 27. Annual report on labour inspection in agriculture. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, while it has not yet been technically possible to include separate information by sector in annual labour inspection reports, the information on labour inspection activities in agriculture required under Article 27 of the Convention will be included separately in the labour inspection report for 2011. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s indication that the implementation of an electronic database at the State Labour Inspectorate, as of 2012, also mentioned under Convention No. 81, will provide the technical possibility to acquire most of the data requested under the Convention. It also notes the indication that information on the number of workplaces in agriculture and the workers employed therein is currently available from the Central Statistics Bureau (CSB). The Committee requests the Government to keep the ILO informed of the progress made in the introduction of this system and its impact on the elaboration and publication of an annual report on labour inspection activities in agriculture.