Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 2015)

Article 12(2) of the Convention. Obligation of the employer to take immediate steps to stop the operation and evacuate workers as appropriate. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that, as on previous occasions, none of the specific information requested by the Committee in its earlier comment relating to this Article of the Convention is provided. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the provisions of national legislation providing for the obligation of the employer to take immediate steps to stop the operation and evacuate workers as appropriate, and specify what measures have been adopted or has been envisaged to ensure that employers are obliged to take immediate steps to stop operations and evacuate workers as appropriate, where there is an imminent and serious danger to the safety of workers.

Article 22(1). Erection of structural frames and formwork under the supervision of a competent person. With regard to its earlier comments, the Committee notes that the Government again refers to Presidential Decree No. 2936, which is the implementing regulation of Act No. 545 ratifying the Convention, and to Technical Safety Standard (NTS) 009/18, which are standards that contain no provisions specifically giving effect to Article 22(1) of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to adopt concrete measures without delay to ensure that the erection of structural frames and formwork are carried out only under the supervision of a competent person.

Article 23. Work over water. The Committee notes that in reply to its earlier comment, the Government again refers to NTS 009/18, for the Presentation and Approval of Occupational Safety and Health Programmes, which contains no specific provisions giving effect to Article 23 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to take measures without delay to ensure that when work is done over or in close proximity to water that there shall be adequate provision for the protection of workers including: (a) preventing workers from falling into water; (b) the rescue of workers in danger of drowning; and (c) safe and sufficient transport.

Article 27(b). Storing, transporting, handling and use of explosives by a competent person. With reference to its earlier comments, the Committee notes that the Government, as previously, provides information on Presidential Decree No. 2936 but fails to reply to the Committee’s request in its earlier comment regarding Article 27(b) of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to specify whether it has adopted or envisages concrete measures to ensure that explosives are only stored, transported, handled or used by competent persons.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2022.]