Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 2:HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTFOR “GRASSROOTS” MEMBERSNationalHS&ElegislationInternationalLabourOrganisationConventionNo. 184 onSafety andHealth inAgricultureGovernment legislation should provide workers with minimum standards ofhealth, safety and environmental protection. These minimum standardsnormally form part of the criminal legal system. If the laws are notcomplied with, it may result in the punishment of employers and otheroffenders through the courts.Historically, many trade unions have been successful in pressuringgovernments to enact and enforce HS&E protective legislation. Today it isstill important for unions to organise for protective HS&E legislation at thenational or provincial levels. But HS&E legislation is only effective whensupported by government enforcement. Without adequate legalenforcement, some employers do not feel motivated to take it seriously.Currently, many governments do not have enough adequately trainedGovernment inspectors to inspect every workplace regularly, Therefore it isup to workers and unions to be the “watchdogs” and make sure employersare complying with existing laws and standards.You have the right to see the HS&E legislation that applies to you becauseit is a public document. Your health and safety educator/facilitator willhave provided you with a short summary of your country’s HS&E laws forthe purposes of the above activity.International labour standards of the International Labour Organisationtake the form of Conventions and Recommendations. They are adopted bythe tripartite International Labour Conference, which meets every year inGeneva, Switzerland. Conventions are open to ratification by memberStates of the ILO. They are international treaties which are binding on thecountries which ratify them and turn them into national law.Recommendations are not international treaties but give more details onhow the provisions in the Convention can be applied.Important articles taken from ILO Convention No. 184 on Safety andHealth in Agriculture are reproduced on the next page.47 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers