Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932 (No. 32) - Mauritius (Ratification: 1969)

Article 9 of the Convention. Measures taken to ensure the safe functioning of hoisting machines and all fixed gear accessory thereto. In its previous comments, the Committee had requested the Government to report on the adoption of regulations covering ship investigations and inspections under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007, to give effect to this Article of the Convention. It also previously noted the Government’s indication that the regulations on inspection and certification in merchant shipping were being finalized and would be submitted to the State Law Office. However, in its most recent report, the Government indicates that since 2019 the Maritime Division of the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, entrusts, through the signing of Memoranda of Agreements, the responsibility for the inspection and certification of lifting appliances and gear on board, to recognized Classification Societies, as authorized by the Merchant Shipping (Classification Society) Regulations 2017. It also specifies that the survey and certification of shore gears are regulated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2005. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the inspections and certifications of the hoisting machines, or gear, on board carried out by the Classification Societies, by providing samples of signed Memoranda of Agreements and available records of inspections that took place. Similarly, it requests the Government to provide any available data on inspection carried out for hoisting machines, or gear, used on shore. Additionally, the Committee requests the Government to specify whether it still intends to adopt specific regulations on inspection and certification in merchant shipping to ensure that hoisting machines or gear on shore and on board for the loading and unloading operations are used in a safe working condition.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government relating to inspections carried out between June 2017 and May 2022. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the application of the Convention, in particularinformation on the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation, the number and nature of the infringements recorded by the inspection services, and the number, nature and cause of accidents reported.

Prospects for the ratification of the most up-to-date Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a gap analysis was carried out by the Ministry of Labour, Human Resources Development and Training in 2019 and that the technical input of the Office was requested in this regard. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any developments in this regard.