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

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Ethiopia (Ratification: 1991)

Articles 13 and 19(f) of the Convention. Protection of workers who have removed themselves from a situation presenting an imminent and serious danger. The Committee previously noted that section 93 of the Labour Proclamation provided an obligation for workers to report to the employer any situation which they have reason to believe could present a hazard, but that the legislation did not refer to the protection of workers who had removed themselves from such danger.

The Committee welcomes the Government’s indication, in response to the Committee’s request, that it will examine section 93 in the future with a view to its amendment. Noting the ongoing process to revise the national OSH legislative framework, the Committee urgesthe Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that workers who remove themselves from a work situation which they have reasonable justification to believe presents an imminent and serious danger to their life or health, are protected from undue consequences and cannot be required to return to a work situation where there is a continuing imminent and serious danger to life or health.

Article 17. Collaboration between two or more employers at the same workplace.The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in reply to its previous request concerning the absence of legislative provisions giving effect to Article 17 of the Convention, that collaboration between two employers at the same workplace is not prescribed by the Labour Proclamation. The Government indicates that two or more undertakings working in the same workplace usually have a subcontracting or joint work agreement between them, including safety and health duties and responsibilities. The Government indicates that labour inspectors dealing with such situations will usually examine the specific circumstances and operations of the two undertakings engaged in activities at the same workplace in the course of inspections. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that whenever two or more undertakings engage in activities simultaneously at one workplace, they shall collaborate in applying OSH measures. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this respect, including any measures prescribed in the context of the ongoing process to strengthen the national OSH legislative framework.

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