It recommends that Members should take as their objective the progressive raising to 16 years of the minimum age for admission to employment or work specified under the Convention, in all sectors of economic activity. Countries where the minimum age for admission to dangerous work is still below 18 years should take immediate steps to raise it to that level. Determination of types of dangerous work should be carried out taking fully into account relevant international labour standards, and re-examined periodically in light of scientific and technological developments.
31.
2. Protection of children at work
While promoting the prohibition of child labour as a long-term goal, the International Labour Organisation has also pursued a policy of setting standards to protect working children from exploitative conditions of work. A number of Conventions and Recommendations have therefore been adopted since 1919 prohibiting the employment of young persons and/or children in certain types of work and regulating their working conditions. These fall into the following main categories:
(a) instruments prohibiting night work for children and young persons; 9/
(b) instruments prohibiting employment of children and young persons in
specified categories of hazardous and dangerous work; 10/
(c) instruments requiring medical certification of fitness on entry to employment and periodical medical examinations for children and young persons; 11/
2/
10/
11/
Night Work of Young Persons (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No. 6); Night Work of Children and Young Persons (Agriculture) Recommendation, 1921 (No. 14);
Night Work of Young Persons (Non-Industrial Occupations) Convention, 1946 (No. 79);
Night Work of Young Persons (Non-Industrial Occupations) Recommendation, 1946 (No. 80);
Night Work of Young Persons (Industry) Convention (Revised), 1948 (No. 90); Wages, Hours of Work and Manning (Sea) Convention (Revised), 1958 (No. 109). Lead Poisoning (Women and Children) Recommendation, 1919 (No. 4);
- White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13);
Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115);
- Conditions of Employment of Young Persons (Underground Work)
Recommendation, 1965. (No. 125);
Maximum Weight Convention, 1967 (No. 127);
Benzene Convention, 1971 (No. 136).
Medical Examination of Young Persons (Sea) Convention, 1921 (No. 16);
- Medical Examination of Young Persons (Industry) Convention, 1946 (No. 77);
- Medical Examination of Young Persons (Non-Industrial Occupations)
Convention, 1946 (No. 78);
- Medical Examination of Young Persons Recommendation, 1946 (No. 79);
- Medical Examination (Fishermen) Convention, 1959 (No. 113);
- Medical Examination of Young Persons (Underground Work) Convention, 1965
(No. 124);