Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2002, publiée 91ème session CIT (2003)

The Committee notes the Government’s report. It notes the Government’s indication that the draft Decree on benzene designed to give effect to the provisions of the Convention is still under examination by the competent authorities. In this respect, the Committee states that the Government had already indicated in its report for 1992 that the draft Decree, reflecting the Committee’s comments, had been prepared by the Ministry of Labour to supplement the legislation concerning occupational exposure to benzene. This draft Decree had been finally submitted for comments to the organizations of employers and workers concerned, after the Conference Committee had discussed the case in 1993 already for the second time. The Committee thus notes with deep concern that the adoption of the above draft Decree is pending for almost ten years. The Committee is therefore bound to urge the Government once again to take the necessary action to adopt the above Decree in the near future and, that it will give full effect to the Convention and particularly will meet the requirements set forth in Article 8, paragraph 1, of the Convention to ensure effective protection through the provision of adequate means of personal protection against the risk of absorbing benzene through the skin for workers who may have skin contact with liquid benzene or liquid products containing benzene. It further hopes that the Decree provides for the consultation of the most representative organizations of employers and workers with regard to the granting of temporary exemptions by the Labour Inspector under section 502 of the draft Decree, in conformity with Article 3 of the Convention. The Committee trusts that the Government will do its utmost to this end and that it will inform the Committee, in its next report, on the progress achieved in this regard.

(The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2003.)