Labour inspection is an essential part of the labour administration system. It has the fundamental function of labour law enforcement.

The institution of labour inspection has a twofold nature. First, it supervises the enforcement of legal provisions, particularly with regard to workers’ rights – decent working and employment conditions, occupational safety and health, social services, help for migrant workers, vocational training, social security and other matters. Second, it provides information, advice and training. This dual nature means that labour inspection systems play a key role in ensuring fairness at the workplace and good governance. They are particularly important when there is turmoil in the labour market, as in times of economic crisis.

The ITC-ILO is supporting the ILO by developing training materials for managers and labour inspectors, and by providing them with modern tools with which they can perform their functions better.

The ITC-ILO, in collaboration with the ILO’s LAB/ADMIN Programme, has developed a training package on Building modern and effective labour inspection systems. It equips labour inspectors with material they can use to develop their own curriculum, one adapted to the specific context, strategies, priorities and needs of their country.

The modules cover the following: policy and procedures, strategies of compliance, cooperation and partnership, inspection of working conditions, inspection of employment relationships, inspection of occupational safety and health, vulnerable groups, how to conduct a labour inspection, tools for the labour inspectorate, rural inspection, labour inspection and gender equality, and how to assess yourself.