Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

I. The Committee notes the information supplied in the Government's report and requests the Government to provide additional information on the following points:

Article 6 of the Convention. The Committee notes that the working group on the revision of Instruction No. 12 has recommended that the formula D = 5 (N - 18) be eliminated. Please indicate whether this recommendation has been approved.

Article 8 of the Convention. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Secretary of Health which asserts that the level of exposure for workers who are not directly engaged in radiation work, but who may be exposed to ionising radiations, is fixed at the same level as the level applicable to the general public (.5 rem). The Committee would draw the Government's attention to the ILO Code of Practice for the Radiation Protection of Workers which refers to the International Commission on Radiological Protection's (ICRP) statement of 1985. According to the ICRP statement, a subsidiary dose limit of 5 mSv (.5 rem) per year for some years is permissible, provided that the average annual dose equivalent over a lifetime does not exceed the principal limit of 1 mSv in a year. Please indicate the measures taken to ensure that the exposure to ionising radiations of workers not directly engaged in radiation work does not exceed an average annual dose of 1 mSv.

Article 9. The Committee notes that section 5 of Instruction No. 12 requires the employer to inform workers of the health risks from exposure to ionising radiations and to establish a register for information concerning exposed workers. The Committee would recall that, under this Article, workers are to be instructed in the precautions to be taken for their protection. In this regard, the Committee would draw the Government's attention to Section 2.4 of the ILO Code of Practice for the Radiation Protection of Workers which contains general principles for informing, instructing and training workers. It requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that workers are instructed in the precautions to be taken for their protection.

Article 13(c). The Committee would recall that, by virtue of this provision, circumstances are to be specified whereby persons competent in radiation protection may examine the conditions in which the workers' duties are performed. The occurrence of such inspections may vary with the nature and/or degree of the workers' exposure to ionising radiations, but it is important that these working conditions be examined by a competent person in predetermined circumstances. Please indicate the circumstances, prescribed by laws or regulations or codes of practice, in which, due to the nature and/or degree of the workers' exposure to ionising radiaitons, such inspections shall occur.

Article 13(d). The Committee would recall that, by virtue of this provision, remedial measures are to be taken by the employer because of the nature or degree of exposure in specified circumstances. It notes that section 18(d) of Instruction No. 12 contains provisions for medical examinations when exposure has been at a high level. It requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that other types of remedial action at a technical level, such as modifications in the work processes, are taken by the employer. In this regard, the Committee refers the Government to Chapter 7 of the ILO Code of Practice for the Radiation Protection of Workers.

The Committee notes the information concerning drafts of additional safety and health regulations particularly as concerns ionising radiation. It requests the Government to indicate any progress made towards the adoption of these regulations and to supply copies of the texts once adopted.

II. The Committee would like to call the Government's attention to the general observation of 1987. In this observation, the Committee had requested information concerning the existence of special measures taken for the application of Articles 6 and 13 in abnormal situations where the levels of exposure to ionising radiations are particularly high. It requests the Government to indicate if any special measures exist in this regard and, if so, to indicate the limits of exposure which have been fixed for workers called to intervene in abnormal situations.