The Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), also referred to as ILO Convention no. 81 or C081, is a governance
convention adopted by the
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...
on July 11, 1947. It entered into force on April 7, 1950 and has been ratified by 148 of the 186 ILO member states as of 2021. The convention sets out principles concerning the organization, functions, and operation of labour inspection systems to ensure enforcement of national laws related to working conditions and worker protections in the
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services
** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money
* a dose of advertising ...
and
industrial sectors. A Protocol adopted in 1995 expands the coverage of Convention No. 81 to non-commercial or industrial sectors.
Scope
Convention No. 81 requires ratifying countries to maintain labour inspection systems for workplaces in industry and commerce. The convention's provisions apply to workplaces where legal provisions related to working conditions and worker protections are enforceable by labour inspectors.
Countries can exempt
mining
Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...
and
transport
Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...
industries or parts thereof via national laws or regulations if they wish.
The Protocol of 1995 expands the scope to cover workplaces in non-commercial services sectors not previously considered industrial or commercial. This includes sectors like
healthcare
Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
,
education
Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
,
cultural
Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
/
recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for happiness, enjoyment, amusement, ...
al services, etc. Ratifying countries can exclude categories like essential government administration, armed services, police, and prisons from the Protocol's coverage if it would cause substantial difficulties. However, they must provide justification and alternate inspection arrangements for excluded categories as far as possible.
Key Provisions
The Labour Inspection Convention outlines principles concerning:
* ''Functions'' - Enforcing legal provisions related to
working conditions
{{Short description, 1=Overview of and topical guide to working time and conditions
The following Outline (list), outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to working time and conditions:
Legislation
* See :Labour law
* Collective ...
and
worker protections (hours, wages, safety, health, child labour); providing technical guidance to employers/workers; identifying gaps or defects in laws.
* ''Organization'' - Labour inspection placed under supervision of a central authority; cooperation between inspection services and other government agencies or institutions.
* ''Labour Inspectors'' - Qualifications and training requirements; powers to freely enter workplaces, conduct examinations and interviews, require documentation; independence and security of tenure.
* ''Inspection Visits'' - Workplaces to be inspected as often as necessary; inspectors empowered to check compliance, issue remediation orders, address health/safety risks
* ''Reporting'' - Periodic reports from local offices to central authority; central authority publishes an annual inspection report.
* ''Penalties'' - Adequate penalties and legal proceedings for violations or obstruction; exceptions can be made for warnings/advice.
Protocol of 1995
The Protocol of 1995 expands Convention No. 81 to cover non-commercial services sectors not previously subject to labour inspection. Countries ratifying the Protocol must extend their labour inspection systems to sectors like healthcare, education, recreation/culture, etc.
Scope exclusions are permitted for categories like government administration, military, and prisons if it would cause major difficulties. However, the reasons must be explained and alternate inspection arrangements established where possible. The Protocol also allows adaptations to inspection procedures and labour inspectors' powers when applied to excluded categories.
Other special inspection arrangements are permitted for fire brigades, rescue services, police and corrections institutions to account for their particular work contexts. Overall the Protocol aims to ensure the non-commercial sector has equally thorough labour inspection coverage.
Ratifications
As of 2021, 148 of the 186 ILO states had ratified the convention.
The Protocol of 1995, which came into effect in 1998, was rafified by 12 countries as of 2024.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Textratifications
International Labour Organization conventions
Treaties concluded in 1947
Treaties entered into force in 1950
Treaties of Albania
Treaties of Algeria
Treaties of the People's Republic of Angola
Treaties of Antigua and Barbuda
Treaties of Argentina
Treaties of Armenia
Treaties of Australia
Treaties of Austria
Treaties of Azerbaijan
Treaties of the Bahamas
Treaties of Bahrain
Treaties of Bangladesh
Treaties of Barbados
Treaties of Belarus
Treaties of Belgium
Treaties of Belize
Treaties of Benin
Treaties of Bolivia
Treaties of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Treaties of Brazil
Treaties of Bulgaria
Treaties of Burkina Faso
Treaties of Burundi
Treaties of Cameroon
Treaties of Canada
Treaties of Cape Verde
Treaties of the Central African Republic
Treaties of Chad
Treaties of Colombia
Treaties of the Comoros
Treaties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1964–1971)
Treaties of the Republic of the Congo
Treaties of Costa Rica
Treaties of Ivory Coast
Treaties of Croatia
Treaties of Cuba
Treaties of Cyprus
Treaties of the Czech Republic
Treaties of Denmark
Treaties of Djibouti
Treaties of Dominica
Treaties of the Dominican Republic
Treaties of Ecuador
Treaties of the Republic of Egypt (1953–1958)
Treaties of El Salvador
Treaties of Estonia
Treaties of Fiji
Treaties of Finland
Treaties of the French Fourth Republic
Treaties of Gabon
Treaties of West Germany
Treaties of Ghana
Treaties of the Kingdom of Greece
Treaties of Grenada
Treaties of Guatemala
Treaties of Guinea
Treaties of Guinea-Bissau
Treaties of Haiti
Treaties of Honduras
Treaties of Hungary
Treaties of Iceland
Treaties of the Dominion of India
Treaties of Indonesia
Treaties of the Kingdom of Iraq
Treaties of Ireland
Treaties of Israel
Treaties of Italy
Treaties of Jamaica
Treaties of Japan
Treaties of Jordan
Treaties of Kazakhstan
Treaties of Kenya
Treaties of South Korea
Treaties of Kuwait
Treaties of Kyrgyzstan
Treaties of Latvia
Treaties of Lebanon
Treaties of Lesotho
Treaties of Liberia
Treaties of the Libyan Arab Republic
Treaties of Lithuania
Treaties of Luxembourg
Treaties of North Macedonia
Treaties of Madagascar
Treaties of Malawi
Treaties of Malaysia
Treaties of Mali
Treaties of Malta
Treaties of Mauritania
Treaties of Mauritius
Treaties of Mexico
Treaties of Moldova
Treaties of Montenegro
Treaties of Morocco
Treaties of the People's Republic of Mozambique
Treaties of Namibia
Treaties of the Netherlands
Treaties of New Zealand
Treaties of Niger
Treaties of Nigeria
Treaties of Norway
Treaties of the Dominion of Pakistan
Treaties of Panama
Treaties of Papua New Guinea
Treaties of Paraguay
Treaties of Peru
Treaties of Poland
Treaties of the Estado Novo (Portugal)
Treaties of Qatar
Treaties of the Socialist Republic of Romania
Treaties of Rwanda
Treaties of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Treaties of São Tomé and Príncipe
Treaties of Saudi Arabia
Treaties of Senegal
Treaties of Serbia and Montenegro
Treaties of Seychelles
Treaties of Sierra Leone
Treaties of Singapore
Treaties of Slovakia
Treaties of Slovenia
Treaties of the Solomon Islands
Treaties of South Africa
Treaties of Russia
Treaties of Francoist Spain
Treaties of the Dominion of Ceylon
Treaties of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan
Treaties of Suriname
Treaties of Eswatini
Treaties of Sweden
Treaties of Switzerland
Treaties of the United Arab Republic
Treaties of Tajikistan
Treaties of Togo
Treaties of Trinidad and Tobago
Treaties of Tunisia
Treaties of Turkey
Treaties of Uganda
Treaties of Ukraine
Treaties of the United Arab Emirates
Treaties of the United Kingdom
Treaties of Uruguay
Treaties of Uzbekistan
Treaties of Venezuela
Treaties of Vietnam
Treaties of the Yemen Arab Republic
Treaties of Yugoslavia
Treaties of Zambia
Treaties of Zimbabwe
Treaties of Tanganyika
Treaties extended to Curaçao and Dependencies
Treaties extended to Greenland
Treaties extended to the Faroe Islands
Treaties extended to French Guiana
Treaties extended to Guadeloupe
Treaties extended to Martinique
Treaties extended to Réunion
Treaties extended to Surinam (Dutch colony)
Treaties extended to the West Indies Federation
Treaties extended to British Honduras
Treaties extended to the Colony of North Borneo
Treaties extended to Brunei (protectorate)
Treaties extended to British Cyprus
Treaties extended to Gibraltar
Treaties extended to Guernsey
Treaties extended to British Guiana
Treaties extended to Jersey
Treaties extended to British Kenya
Treaties extended to the Crown Colony of Malta
Treaties extended to the Isle of Man
Treaties extended to British Mauritius
Treaties extended to the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
Treaties extended to the Colony of Sarawak
Treaties extended to the Colony of Sierra Leone
Treaties extended to the Crown Colony of Singapore
Treaties extended to the British Solomon Islands
Treaties extended to Tanganyika (territory)
Treaties extended to the Uganda Protectorate
Treaties extended to Southern Rhodesia
1947 in labor relations