The General Conference of the International Labour Organisation, Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, and having met in its Forty-eighth Session on 17 June 1964, and Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to hygiene in commerce and offices, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session, and Having determined that certain of these proposals shall take the form of an international Convention, adopts this eighth day of July of the year one thousand nine hundred and sixty-four the following Convention, which may be cited as the Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964:

This Convention applies to-- 

• (a) trading establishments; 

• (b) establishments, institutions and administrative services in which the workers are mainly engaged in office work; 

• (c) in so far as they are not subject to national laws or regulations or other arrangements concerning hygiene in industry, mines, transport or agriculture, any departments of other establishments, institutions, or administrative services in which departments the workers are mainly engaged in commerce or office work.

The competent authority may, after consultation with the organisations of employers and workers directly concerned, where such exist, exclude from the application of all or any of the provisions of this Convention specified classes of the establishments, institutions or administrative services, or departments thereof, referred to in Article 1, where the circumstances and conditions of employment are such that the application to them of all or any of the said provisions would be inappropriate.

In any case in which it is doubtful whether an establishment, institution or administrative service is one to which this Convention applies, the question shall be settled either by the competent authority after consultation with the representative organisations of employers and workers concerned, where such exist, or in any other manner which is consistent with national law and practice

Each Member which ratifies this Convention undertakes that it will-- 

• (a) maintain in force laws or regulations which ensure the application of the General Principles set forth in Part II; and 

• (b) ensure that such effect as may be possible and desirable under national conditions is given to the provisions of the Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Recommendation, 1964, or to equivalent provisions.

The laws or regulations giving effect to the provisions of this Convention and any laws or regulations giving such effect as may be possible and desirable under national conditions to the provisions of the Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Recommendation, 1964, or to equivalent provisions, shall be framed after consultation with the representative organisations of employers and workers concerned, where such exist.

1. Appropriate measures shall be taken, by adequate inspection or other means, to ensure the proper application of the laws or regulations referred to in Article 5. 

2. Where it is appropriate to the manner in which effect is given to this Convention, the necessary measures in the form of penalties shall be taken to ensure the enforcement of such laws or regulations

All premises used by workers, and the equipment of such premises, shall be properly maintained and kept clean.