Ss06-03 Ratification of Ilo Fundamental Osh Conventions in Latin American and the Caribbean Region: State of the Art and Current Challenges for Oh Services

Abstract Introduction In 2022, the ILO introduced the right to a safe and healthy work environment as a fundamental principle and right at work, and established Conventions 155 and 187 as fundamental conventions to facilitate nations to comply with this commitment. In this regard, although 33 out 34 countries from the Latin American and the Caribbean region have OSH regulations, only 12 and 6 countries have ratified ILO Conventions 155 and 187, respectively. Therefore, this study aims to identify the gaps national instruments of the Latin American and the Caribbean region exhibit regarding complying with OSH fundamental conventions and its implication for OH services. Methods Fifty national OSH instruments from the Latin American and the Caribbean region are analysed through the checklist for applying ILO Conventions 155 and 187. Results Initial findings indicate that although most of the countries of this region have not formally ratified OSH fundamental conventions, still their OSH regulatory frameworks are aligned with relevant aspects of ILO Convention 155 (e.g., having in place national OSH laws, regulations, OH services and inspection systems to enforce their implementation). On the other hand, the main challenge in the region relates to adjusting countries’ national framework with Convention 187 (i.e., developing OSH national system and programmes). Conclusions The current study highlights the adoption of OSH laws and regulations as an important threshold for countries complying with the international commitment of promoting safe and healthy workplaces and provision of OH services. However, such initiatives should consider mobilising social and organisational stakeholders into a management system approach.