The role of the labour inspectorate

• Author: International Labour Organization
• Pages: 59-59

MELIF05-2005-01-0394-1-En.doc/v2

59

Annex 7

The role of the labour inspectorate

The Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129), and also the Labour Inspection

Convention, 1947 (No. 81), set out the authority of the labour inspectorate:

1. The scope of the inspection system extends to all “agricultural under takings … including … forestry,

horticulture, the primary processing of agricultural products …”.

2. The functions of the system of labour inspection in agriculture in cluding forestry are:

– to secure the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of

workers and ensure the compliance with legal provisions;

– to supply technical information and advice to employers and workers;

– to bring to the notice of the competent authority defects or abuses to remedy defects observed in

plant layouts or working methods which cause a threat to the health and safety of workers.

3. In order to ensure the provisions of legal requirements the inspectorate:

– is an independent public authority, exer cising state functions;

– shall not be gradually replaced by private monitoring “initiatives”;

– shall not exclude any agricultur al or forestry undertaking from the national labour inspection system;

– shal l be empowered to enter freely and without previous notice at any hour of the day or night any

workplace liable to inspection;

– shall ensure the competence, qualif ication and training of its staff;

– make best use of already exist ing, or promote the use of, management systems.