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

Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932 (No. 32) - Azerbaijan (Ratification: 1992)

Previous comments

Legislation. The Committee previously requested the Government to provide a copy of relevant pieces of regulation on occupational safety and health in seaports. It notes that the Government refers to the Law on Technical Safety adopted in 1999 setting general policy instructions on safety in the workplace, which are applicable to the port sector. It also notes the Law on Seaports, adopted in 2014, establishing rules of construction, opening and closing of seaports and regulating relations arising from merchant shipping in seaports. This Law contains provisions of a general nature on safety control in the port (section 13), requirements regarding the operator of maritime terminals and infrastructure assets of the port (section 14) and requirements for the transfer of dangerous goods (section 23). The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the Law on Seaports is still in force, and whether it has been complemented by any specific regulation for the protection of workers against accidents during work performed on shore or on board ships for cargo loading and unloading. More generally, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on any rules or regulations setting safety and health directions for maritime or inland ports.

Application in practice. The Committee notes that the Government once again indicates that there is no statistical data available on the number of workers to whom the legislation applies. The Committee wishes to underline the importance of developing statistical systems and methodologies in order to obtain information on the port sector, including the number of dockworkers covered by the provisions of the Convention, the number and nature of contraventions reported and the number of occupational accidents reported. The collection of such data could assist the competent authorities in identifying occupational safety and health issues related to the specific and hazardous working environment that dock work represents. Therefore, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to take steps to compile specific information on the number of occupational accidents among workers in ports and the number of inspections carried out by the State Labour Inspection Service in the port sector. The Committee expects the Government to provide detailed information in this regard.

Prospects for the ratification of the most up-to-date Convention. The Committee takes this opportunity to encourage the Government to follow up on 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.