Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Guarding of Machinery Convention, 1963 (No. 119) - Sierra Leone (Ratification: 1964)

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Part II and Article 17 of the Convention. Prohibition of the sale, hire, transfer in any other manner and exhibition of unguarded machinery. Scope of application. For a number of years, the Committee has drawn the Government’s attention to the fact that the national legislation does not contain provisions to give effect to Part II of the Convention (prohibition of the sale, hire, transfer in any other manner and exhibition of unguarded machinery) and that it does not provide for the full application of Article 17 of the Convention (which applies to all sectors of economic activity), as national laws do not apply to certain branches of activity, such as sea, air or land transport, and mining. The Committee notes the Government’s reference in its report to the draft Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act. The Committee notes that the draft OSH Act has a general scope of application and provides for general duties of designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers with regard to any article for use at work (section 37). The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the OSH Act is adopted in the near future and that it will contain provisions giving full effect to Part II and Article 17 of the Convention. It requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.