Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932 (No. 32) - Bulgaria (Ratification: 1949)

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

Previous comment

Article 17 of the Convention and Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the detailed statistical information provided by the Government according to which, from May 2019 to May 2023 the General Labour Inspectorate Executive Agency carried out 80 inspections with 46 port operators and detected 130 violations of labour legislation related to occupational health and safety. During the same period, investigations were conducted on 11 occupational accidents, two of which were fatal. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the manner in which the Convention is applied, including reports on the number, nature and causes of reported accidents, and on infringements reported and sanctions imposed.

Prospects for ratification of the most up-to-date Convention. The Committee reiterates its encouragement to the Government to review the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 328th Session (October–November 2016) approving the recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group, and to consider ratifying the Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 (No. 152), which is the most up-to-date instrument in this subject area. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken in this regard.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Article 17 of the Convention and Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the detailed statistical information provided by the Government according to which: (i) during the 2014–16 period, the National Social Security Institute noted 72 occupational accidents including 16 that were directly related to loading and unloading, two of which were fatal; (ii) during the 2012–16 period, the general labour inspectorate conducted 136 inspections in 35 port operators, identifying 523 violations of labour legislation including 282 violations in the area of occupational safety and health; it issued 499 binding recommendations, and shut down four machines and workplaces for safety reasons. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the manner in which the Convention is applied, particularly labour inspection services’ reports on ports on the number, nature and causes of reported accidents, and on infringements reported and the sanctions imposed, and indicate, where applicable, any measures taken to reduce the number of accidents.

Prospects for ratification of the most up-to-date Convention. The Committee takes this opportunity to encourage the Government to follow up the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 328th Session (October–November 2016) approving the recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group, and to consider the possibility of ratifying the Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 (No. 152), which is the most up-to-date instrument in this field. The Committee requests the Government to report any measures taken in this regard.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Article 17 of the Convention and Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the information from the Government’s report that 12 fatal employment injuries occurred between 2007 and 2011. It particularly notes that two fatal employment injuries occurred in the Port of Varna, one occurred in the Port of Lom and one in the Port of Burgas. The Government also indicates that between 2007 and 2011, the labour inspectorate carried out 743 inspections in 403 companies, including 17 checks for investigating employment injuries and 68 checks in companies engaged in port operations. It further indicates that during the checks, 3,185 violations were established, of which 1,725 were on safe and healthy working conditions, including 32 for not providing personal protective equipment and ten violations in the manual handling of loads, and that the controlling bodies of the General Labour Inspectorate Executive Agency applied 3,138 administrative measures for removal of violations. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to address accidents and indicating their impact on the application of the Convention. It also requests the Government to continue to provide information on labour inspection in ports, including extracts from inspectors’ reports, information on the number, nature and causes of accidents reported, as well as on the violations noted and sanctions imposed with regard to issues covered by the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Repetition

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report and the attached legislation, including, in particular, Ordinance No. 53 of 2 July 2004 on Labour Conditions and Security in Ports and Ordinance No. 12 of 30 December 2005 on Safe and Healthy Working Conditions in the context of loading and unloading activities which provide for a continued application of the Convention.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government regarding labour accidents that occurred during cargo treatment in 2005 and that one labour accident resulted in death; two accidents resulted in permanent incapacity for work; and 52 accidents resulted in a temporary incapacity for work. The Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to address the accidents recorded and to provide statistical information covering longer periods of time, for example five years, to enable it better to assess the development of the application of the Convention in practice.

The Committee also takes this opportunity to recall that the Governing Body of the ILO has invited the parties to Convention No. 32 to consider ratifying Convention No. 152, which revised Convention No. 32 (GB.268/LILS/5 (Rev.1), paragraphs 99–101). Such ratification would automatically entail an immediate denunciation of Convention No. 32. The Committee also wishes to bring to the Government’s attention the ILO code of practice in this area, Safety and health in ports, Geneva, 2005. This code of practice is available, inter alia, through the ILO’s website by following the link, www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cops/english/index.htm. The Government is requested to keep the Office informed of any developments in this respect.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

The Committee notes with interest the information contained in the Government’s report and the attached legislation, including, in particular, Ordinance No. 53 of 2 July 2004 on Labour Conditions and Security in Ports and Ordinance No. 12 of 30 December 2005 on Safe and Healthy Working Conditions in the context of loading and unloading activities which provide for a continued application of the Convention.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government regarding labour accidents that occurred during cargo treatment in 2005 and that one labour accident resulted in death; two accidents resulted in permanent incapacity for work; and 52 accidents resulted in a temporary incapacity for work. The Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to address the accidents recorded and to provide statistical information covering longer periods of time, for example five years, to enable it better to assess the development of the application of the Convention in practice.

The Committee also takes this opportunity to recall that the Governing Body of the ILO has invited the parties to Convention No. 32 to consider ratifying Convention No. 152, which revised Convention No. 32 (GB.268/LILS/5 (Rev.1), paragraphs 99–101). Such ratification would automatically entail an immediate denunciation of Convention No. 32. The Committee also wishes to bring to the Government’s attention the ILO code of practice in this area, Safety and health in ports, Geneva, 2005. This code of practice is available, inter alia, through the ILO’s web site by following the link, www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cops/english/index.htm. The Government is requested to keep the Office informed of any developments in this respect.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the Government’s brief report. It would be grateful if the Government would provide indications on the general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in the country, including, for instance, extracts from inspectors’ reports, and, if such statistics are available, information regarding: the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation; the number and nature of the contraventions reported; the number, nature and causes of accidents reported, etc.