10th IALI Congress & General Assembly
17 – 19 June 2002
Geneva, Switzerland
Congress Report
General Assembly Report
Many inspectorates are having to prioritize their work more carefully, targeting the more serious risks in new ways so as to reduce work accidents below current levels. One common theme was the need for inspectorates to work more in partnership with other ‘stakeholders’ (other people and organizations with an interest in reducing work place accidents and ill health).
Hence the key themes for this year IALI Congress are:
Securing basic rights at work: how can Labour Inspectorates contribute?
“New” hazards (stress, violence at work and other psychological hazards)
Challenges and expectations for Labour Inspectorates.
The themes were being presented by speakers who are from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and North America. Delegates heard 25 presentations from the speakers on how labour inspectorates are tackling these challenges. Often using innovative techniques, speakers described the different national and regional approaches to the growing demands placed on them, both to deal effectively with basic health and safety issues, and also to respond adequately to less well known risks.
The General Assembly that was held on 19 June, considered IALI’s business over recent years and plans for the future. In his last address as IALI President, Gred Albracht summarised the considerable progress that the Association had made over his nine-year tenure of office. Adrian Ellis, as Secretary-General, then presented the Forward Programme for 2002-2005, and Michel Gisler (Treasurer) presented IALI’s accounts for the last three years.
The Assembly voted on and agreed two changes to the IALI statutes, namely:
to allow the Executive Committee to decide whether to accept applications for new membership, instead of a full postal ballot of all the membership on each occasion
to increase the size of the Executive Committee from seven to nine people, in view of IALI’s increasing membership.
Applications for new membership had been received from eight countries. All applications were successful, bringing the total number of IALI members to 88, from 71 different countries. A new Executive Committee was also elected.
IALI’s Aims & Objectives: To continue to provide an international forum for developing the professionalism of IALI members and to communicate and share information on labour inspection topics of mutual interest both globally and regionally, as appropriate. To develop the three-year rolling programmes of events and activities to be communicated by the IALI website and an annual IALI Forum.
To be responsive to the needs of existing members and seek to extend membership of the Association, setting a target of 100 members by 2004.
