Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

The Committee notes that the information provided by the Government, in its latest and otherwise comprehensive and detailed report, contains no new information regarding the issues the Committee has raised on several occasions regarding the application of the present Convention.  The Committee hopes that the Government’s next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Article 1 of the Convention. Prohibition of the use of white lead and sulphate of lead, and of all products containing these pigments, in the internal painting of buildings. With reference to its previous comments the Committee notes that no legislative or other provision has been mentioned or supplied by the Government in its latest report as giving effect to this provision of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the absence of some indicated categories of works or undertakings for which the use of white lead is permitted. The Committee recalls that Article 1 contains the obligation to undertake the prohibition of using white lead and sulphate of lead, and of all products containing these pigments, in the internal painting of buildings. It notes that all references made by the Government in its reports concern certain indirect measures showing that de facto the white lead and sulphate of lead are not used. However, this provision of the Convention prescribes that a national legal or other text should provide expresis verbis for the prohibition of the use of these harmful substances. For this purpose, the member State is entrusted to give effect to the Convention with legislation or regulations. Therefore, the Committee invites the Government to introduce a new provision in order to give due effect to this Article of the Convention. The Government is requested to keep the Committee informed of any progress achieved and to supply a copy of the relevant provision adopted in this respect.

Article 7 in conjunction with Part V of the report form. Statistics as well as extracts from reports of inspection services with regard to results of technical control on painting works including lead poisoning among working painters. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the absence of statistical information on lead poisoning among working painters. The Government is requested to supply any available data which allow it to make a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2011.]