Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

1. Article 11, paragraph 7, of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government's reply to its previous comments. In particular it notes that the vessels calling at Chilean ports are general cargo ships, bulk carriers and container ships that have hatches that are of large dimensions that permit safe movement of goods during loading and unloading operations. Actually goods are currently handled not manually in individual packages or bundles such as bales of cotton, barrels, sacks or bags etc., but mechanically in unitized forms, on pallets or in containers. This has considerably reduced not only accidents but also thefts and cargo deterioration. The Government therefore considers it unnecessary to provide for this type of operation that does not exist in its ports.

2. Point V of the report form. The Committee notes the Government's reply to its previous request for information concerning the practical application of the Convention, such as summaries of inspection reports, data on the number of workers covered by the legislation, etc. It notes the statement that due to the same reasons provided in answer to the points raised under Article 11, paragraph 7, of the Convention above, no relevant statistics have been collected, and there is no inspection on the use of such equipment and on the exposure of dockworkers to such risks.

3. The Committee takes note of this situation and would like to refer the Government to the Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 (No. 152) which revises Convention No. 32 of 1932 and thus may be more adapted to the current state of work in Chilean ports. It wishes to draw the Government's attention to the ILO's Governing Body's invitation to States parties to Convention No. 32 to contemplate ratifying Convention No. 152, the ratification of which, ipso jure, will involve the immediate denunciation of Convention No. 32 (document GB.268/8/2).