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12 February, 2005After seven days of tough negotiations, a new ILO code of conduct for health and safety in the iron and steel industry was agreed.
GENEVA: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) met to devise a new code of practice for health and safety in the iron and steel industry from February 1 to 9, 2005. The previous code was produced in 1983 and a new version was long overdue.
The ILO code acts as a guide to best practice on health and safety within the sector and serves as an international instrument that trade unions can use when developing approaches to health and safety in the national arena. The meeting had participants from governments, employers and unions. The workers group comprised of IMF affiliates from the UK, Germany, South Africa, Russia, Japan, USA and Brazil.
The employers group which included representatives from Canada, Australia, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Germany and Luxembourg, took a very negative approach to the whole process.
Commenting on the negotiations IMF health and safety director Rob Johnson said that even at a time when there has been an increase in the number of fatalities within the sector the employers were refusing to accept text that was already established in previous codes of practice. "For the employers the inclusion of international agreements, employer's duties and the environment were all contentious issues," he said.
"Thanks to the hard work and expertise provided by the technical experts in the workers' group, the obstacles were overcome and on the last day a new code was agreed," said Johnson. Once available, the new code will be published on the ILO website.
The ILO code acts as a guide to best practice on health and safety within the sector and serves as an international instrument that trade unions can use when developing approaches to health and safety in the national arena. The meeting had participants from governments, employers and unions. The workers group comprised of IMF affiliates from the UK, Germany, South Africa, Russia, Japan, USA and Brazil.
The employers group which included representatives from Canada, Australia, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Germany and Luxembourg, took a very negative approach to the whole process.
Commenting on the negotiations IMF health and safety director Rob Johnson said that even at a time when there has been an increase in the number of fatalities within the sector the employers were refusing to accept text that was already established in previous codes of practice. "For the employers the inclusion of international agreements, employer's duties and the environment were all contentious issues," he said.
"Thanks to the hard work and expertise provided by the technical experts in the workers' group, the obstacles were overcome and on the last day a new code was agreed," said Johnson. Once available, the new code will be published on the ILO website.