The Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (Inspection du travail et des mines) is dedicated to overseeing:

• working relationship and conditions;
• health and safety of workers at work.

The Inspectorate of Labour and Mines is mainly responsible for:

• ensuring that legal, regulatory, administrative and contractual provisions related to working conditions and the protection of workers in their professional environment are applied (provisions related to the duration of work, wages, safety, hygiene and well-being, as well as the employment of children and adolescents, equality between men and women, protection against sexual harrassment in the working environment, and other related matters);

• providing information and technical advice to employers and workers on how to comply with legal, regulatory, administrative and contractual provisions in the most efficient way;

• notifying the Government of any deficiencies or abuses which are not specifically covered by existing legal, regulatory or administrative provisions;

• ensuring mining legislation is applied;

• helping draw up the conditions to authorise premises classified as dangerous, insalubrious or problematic, in the framework of the laws and regulations in force, and controlling the application thereof;

• guaranteeing the application of the legislation related to the protection of workers against ionising radiation, as well as the surveillance of premises where workers are exposed to the risk of irradiation.

The Inspectorate of Labour and Mines is responsible for preventing and solving conflicts in the workplace which are not under the responsibility of the National Conciliation Service (Office national de conciliation - ONC).

The labour inspectorate system applies, without exception, to all employers, businesses or establishments employing paid staff subject to legal, regulatory, administrative or contractual provisions related to working conditions and the protection of workers in the working environment, the sole exception being public-sector workers.