Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) - Grenada (Ratification: 2012)

The Committee notes the observations of the Grenada Employers’ Federation (GEF) and the Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC) communicated with the Government’s report.

The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government concerning Article 14 of the Convention (inclusion of OSH and the working environment at all levels of education and training) which addresses its previous request.

Legislation. Occupational Safety and Health Bill. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indications in its report that the Occupational Safety and Health Bill is still under review and that it is scheduled for implementation in 2025. It also notes that in their observations, the GEF and the GTUC express the need for the OSH Bill to move beyond its current state and be enacted and adopted to form part of the labour legislation. Noting that the Government undertakes to ensure that the OSH Bill will be reviewed, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken for that purpose, in consultation with the representative organizations of employers and workers concerned. It requests the Government to take into account, in the context of this review, the Committee’s comments concerning Articles 5(e), 9, 11(c)–(e), 12(b) and (c), 13, 15, 17, 19(e) and 21 of the Convention. It also requests the Government to provide information on the finalization and adoption of the OSH Bill and to provide a copy of the Act once it has been adopted.

Articles 4, 7 and 8 of the Convention. National OSH policy and review of the national OSH situation. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest that a national OSH Policy was adopted in 2023, in consultation with the most representative organizations of employers and workers, and that this policy aims to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all workers, including workers in the informal economy. The National OSH Policy sets out a tripartite approach to OSH and envisages that the Government will adopt a preventive approach to occupational hazards, with particular attention to risk assessment and control. The Committee also notes that the national OSH Policy will be reviewed every five years based on changes in legislation, the emergence of new hazards, technological progress, international standards and Conventions, and any other conditions that may warrant review. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure the implementation of the national OSH Policy, in consultation with the representative organizations of employers and workers concerned. It also requests the Government to provide further information on the review of the national OSH Policy, including information on any discussions regarding OSH held at the tripartite OSH Committee, the main problems identified, the methods for addressing them and the priorities for action.

Article 5(b). Relationships between the material elements of work and the persons who carry out or supervise the work. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH Policy aims to provide workers with safe systems of work, including safe equipment and machinery, and address psychosocial risks and work-related stress. In this regard, as part of the policy: (i) the Ministry of Health shall employ OSH practitioners to provide occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, ergonomics and psychology services to identify occupational health risks and improve the capacity to diagnose occupational diseases; and (ii) employers shall adapt the working conditions and working environment to the needs of workers and monitor their health in order to improve their well-being. The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.

Article 5(e). The protection of workers and their representatives from disciplinary measures. The Committee previously noted that the OSH Bill contained provisions providing for the protection of employees from disciplinary measures in circumstances where the employee has acted in compliance with the Act, and the regulations giving effect to the provisions of the Act or any order made thereunder.

The Committee notes that the national OSH Policy commits the Government to improving the legal and regulatory framework, in consultation with the representative organizations of employers and workers, including to ensure the protection of workers and their representatives from disciplinary measures, in accordance with the Employment Act 1999, as amended.

In this respect, the Committee notes that under section 74(2) of the Employment Act, the following reasons do not constitute valid grounds for the imposition of disciplinary measures: (i) the exercise by an employee of any of the rights specified in Part V of the Labour Relations Act 1999, as amended, concerning freedom of association; (ii) the participation or proposed participation by an employee in industrial action taking place in conformity with Part IX of the Labour Relations Act relating to the right to strike; and (iii) the filing of a complaint or participation by an employee in a proceeding against an employer involving alleged violations of any law. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that workers and their representatives are protected from disciplinary measures as a result of actions properly taken in conformity with the national OSH Policy, including by incorporating provisions on the protection of workers’ representatives in the OSH Bill.

Article 9. Enforcement of laws and regulations concerning OSH through an adequate and appropriate system of inspection. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH Policy aims to improve the legal framework and enforcement capacities of the relevant institutions to ensure safe and healthy workplaces for all workers.

To this end, the Government will: (i) ensure that the Department of Labour has a sufficient number of qualified health and safety officers to conduct routine workplace inspections and required tests, as well as to provide advisory services to undertakings; (ii) provide continuous training to health and safety officers to keep them abreast of OSH requirements; (iii) improve the inspection services provided in the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique; (iv) ensure that the data obtained from the National Insurance System is used to develop OSH interventions; and (v) strengthen cooperation with other institutions engaged in similar activities, as well as with employers’ and workers’ organizations, to ensure effective implementation of the national OSH policy. With reference to its comments under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken in practice to strengthen its labour inspection system and to enforce the laws and regulations concerning occupational safety and health and the working environment.The Committee also requests the Government to provide further information on the manner in which it ensures that the penalties established for violations of OSH laws and regulations are adequate, including through the adoption of the OSH Bill.

Article 11(c). Procedures for the notification of accidents and diseases and production of annual statistics. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH Policy will be complemented with an OSH profile, which will provide a diagnosis of the existing OSH situation, including data on occupational accidents and diseases.

In this respect, the Committee notes that the Government plans to take a number of measures to improve the Management Information Systems in order to ensure that the data collected better reflects the OSH situation in the country. These measures include ensuring prompt reporting of all occupational accidents and incidents by employers, facilitating the exchange of OSH data among government agencies, and analysing occupational accidents and incidents from all sources to understand the OSH situation and identify challenges and priorities. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that the OSH data collected through the Management Information Systems are used for the production of annual statistics on occupational accidents and diseases, in accordance with Article 11(c) of the Convention.

Article 11(d). Holding of inquiries. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to give full effect to Article 11(d) of the Convention by providing for the holding of inquiries, for cases of occupational accidents, occupational diseases or any other injuries to health which appear to reflect situations which are serious, including through the incorporation of provisions in this respect in the OSH Bill.

Article 11(e). Publication of information on the implementation of the national policy. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH policy provides that the Ministry of Labour will develop a system to report, share and disseminate information on occupational accidents and diseases and to facilitate public access to OSH data. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the implementation of the national OSH policy related to the annual publication of information on the measures taken in pursuance of the policy, as well as on occupational accidents, occupational diseases and other injuries to health which arise in the course of or in connection with work.

Article 12(b) and (c). Obligations of persons who design, manufacture, import, provide or transfer machinery, equipment or substances for occupational use. Information on the correct installation and use of machinery, equipment and substances. Information on hazards related to machinery, equipment and substances and instructions on how known hazards are to be avoided. Studies and research. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on measures taken to ensure that those who design, manufacture, import, provide or transfer machinery, equipment or substances for occupational use make available information concerning the correct installation and use of all types of machinery and equipment, and to provide further information on the manner in which it ensures that those persons keep abreast of the necessary scientific and technical knowledge.

Article 13. Protection of workers from undue consequences. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH Policy provides that workers can refuse to perform work that they reasonably believe to expose them to serious and imminent danger without risk of any punitive measures being taken. With reference to the Committee’s previous comments on sections 63(2) and (3) of the OSH Bill providing for the exclusion of several categories of workers from the right to refuse to work in cases of imminent and serious danger to their life or health, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that all workers who have removed themselves from a work situation which they have reasonable justification to believe presents an imminent and serious danger to their life or health are protected from undue consequences in accordance with national conditions and practice.

Article 15. Necessary coordination between various authorities and bodies. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information contained in the national OSH policy on the arrangements established between various authorities and bodies, including the Ministry of Labour, the representative organizations of employers and workers, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the National Insurance Scheme, the Physical Development Division, the Bureau of Standards and the Fire Department. It notes that these arrangements focus on improving coordination among the various entities to ensure that their reporting and execution functions address OSH issues more effectively. The Committee also notes that, in accordance with the national OSH policy, a tripartite OSH committee will be established to: (i) facilitate communication on OSH at the national level, including the creation of a discussion forum; (ii) advise the Ministry of Labour on the implementation of the policy; (iii) promote inter-sectoral cooperation with relevant stakeholders; and (iv) review progress made in achieving the objectives of the policy. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the establishment of the tripartite OSH Committee.

Article 17. Collaboration between undertakings engaging in activities simultaneously at one workplace. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that, whenever two or more undertakings engage in activities simultaneously at one workplace, there is collaboration in applying the requirements of the Convention, in accordance with Article 17.

Article 19(e). Ability of workers and their representatives to enquire into and be consulted on all aspects of OSH associated with their work. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that technical advisers may be brought in from outside the undertaking, by mutual agreement, for the purpose of enabling workers and their representatives to inquire into, and be consulted on, OSH matters, including by incorporating provisions in this regard into the OSH Bill.

Article 21. No expenditure for workers for OSH measures. With regard to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the national OSH Policy aims to improve the legal and regulatory framework, including the establishment of standards for personal protective equipment. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that OSH measures do not involve any expenditure for workers, including for personal protective equipment, in accordance with Article 21 of the Convention.