Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Maximum Weight Convention, 1967 (No. 127) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1984)

Article 3. Maximum weight of loads to be transported manually by a worker. Article 7. Employment of women and young workers in the manual transport of loads. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that, according to the report, the Government is drawing up a draft technical standard to impose controls on the lifting and handling of loads designed to establish, in accordance with national and international criteria, permissible weight limits for men, women and young persons. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the observations and recommendations of the ILO will be incorporated in the technical standard. According to the Government, the preliminary draft proposes the principle that the employer shall be duty bound to undertake a prior assessment of jobs in order to ensure that loads are mainly handled by automated and mechanical means. The Committee refers to its previous comments on the application of these Articles, in which it called for amendments to section 223 of the Regulations on occupational safety and health conditions and indicated that the maximum recommended weight to be carried by women is 15 kilos. Noting the Government’s statement that it will supply information on any progress made in this area, the Committee requests the Government to supply detailed information, including a copy of the technical standard referred to above once it has been adopted.

Article 5. Training of workers employed in the manual transport of loads, with regard to the working methods to be used. The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s report, the National Occupational Safety and Health Institute is implementing training procedures for workers and, in particular, delegates involved in risk prevention. The Committee requests the Government to supply documentation which illustrates the training for workers employed in the manual transport of loads, for example handbooks or teaching material used.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government with regard to the application of the Convention in practice, including statistics, inspection activities, penalties and job reassignments. The Committee notes that, between 2007 and the first half of 2009, a total of 79 cases were reported in which limits were fixed for the tasks concerned or workers were reassigned to other jobs. It notes that 60 per cent of the cases occurred in the manufacturing industry. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on which sector in the manufacturing industry had the highest incidence of muscular and joint ailments in connection with manual transport of loads; to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to reduce the incidence of such ailments; and to continue to supply information on the application of the Convention in practice.