Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on occupational safety and health (OSH), the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 13 (white lead), 127 (maximum weight), and 136 (benzene) together.

Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that European Directive (EU) 2022/431 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 9, 2022, amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers against the risks related to exposure to carcinogenic or mutagenic agents at work, sets the minimum exposure value for benzene at 0.2 ppm (0.66 mg/m3), with the following transition limit values of 1 ppm (3.25 mg/m3) until 5 April 2024; and of 0.5 ppm (1.65 mg/m3) from 5 April 2024, to 5 April 2026. In this regard, the Government indicates that the Directive is being transposed into national legislation, with a deadline of April 2024. The Committee further notes that Directive 2022/431/EU introduced a binding biological limit for lead as well as the exposure values that make health surveillance mandatory. It also notes that Directive (EU) 2024/869 lowered the binding biological limit for lead and introduced more restrictive health surveillance with regard to female workers of childbearing age. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on legislative developments related to the application of ratified OSH Conventions, including in respect of the measures to transpose these Directives into the national legislation.

Application of Conventions Nos 13, 127 and 136 in practice. The Committee notes the indication of the Government, in its report in reply to the Committee’s previous request under Convention No. 13, that as part of the European Campaign for Safe and Healthy Workplaces 2018-2019 on the management of hazardous substances, the Labour Inspectorate carried out information and control actions to verify the respect of minimum requirements for safety and health concerning the use of dangerous chemical substances in technological processes. The Government indicates that the controls carried out did not reveal any cases of non-conformity regarding the restrictions provided by the legislation for the use of pencils made of basic lead carbonate. In this respect, the Committee notes the information in the Annual Report on Labour Inspection Activities that controls regarding requirements to ensure the protection of workers against risks related to exposure to dangerous chemical agents at the workplace were included in the Framework Programme of actions of the Labour Inspection for the year 2023. As a result, 327 employers were controlled; 612 deficiencies were identified; and 545 contraventions were issued (530 warnings and 15 fines). The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the application in practice of the ratified OSH Conventions, including the number, nature and cause of occupational accidents and diseases reported, as well as information on inspection activities conducted, violations detected, and sanctions imposed related to white lead paint, benzene and the manual handling of loads.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 7 of the Convention. Statistics on lead poisoning among working painters. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted that between 2004 and 2008, three cases of lead poisoning among glass and ceramic painters caused by long-term exposure were recorded. According to the information contained in the Government’s latest report, between 2009 and 2013, a total of 43 cases of lead poisoning caused by long-term exposure were recorded, including 14 cases in 2009 and six cases in 2013. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the causes of this big increase in the number of cases of lead poisoning have been identified and, if so, to supply information on this matter. It also requests the Government to send information on the measures taken to reduce the number of these cases in the future and to continue to supply statistics on lead poisoning among working painters.

Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, which answers the points raised in its previous direct request and has no further matters to raise in this regard.

Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, which answers the points raised in its previous direct request and has no further matters to raise in this regard.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Article 7 of the Convention. Statistics on lead poisoning among working painters. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee previously noted that between 2004 and 2008, three cases of lead poisoning among glass and ceramic painters caused by long-term exposure were recorded. According to the information contained in the Government’s latest report, between 2009 and 2013, a total of 43 cases of lead poisoning caused by long-term exposure were recorded, including 14 cases in 2009 and six cases in 2013. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the causes of this big increase in the number of cases of lead poisoning have been identified and, if so, to supply information on this matter. It also requests the Government to send information on the measures taken to reduce the number of these cases in the future and to continue to supply statistics on lead poisoning among working painters.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

The Committee notes that the labour protection legislation adopted recently continues to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee notes the statistical information that in the period 2004–08 three cases of lead poisoning caused by long-term exposure were recorded for glass and ceramic painters. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide such statistical information, including information on the outcome of the abovementioned cases and any further information on measures taken to ensure a full application of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

The Committee notes that the labour protection legislation adopted recently continues to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee notes with interest the comprehensive statistical information included in the Government’s most recent report concerning, inter alia, the national outcome of the European Campaign on Manual Handling of Loads coordinated by the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC). It notes that the information provided includes details regarding the inspection results of the transport, care and agricultural sectors for 2007 and of the construction and commerce sectors for 2008 and that there were relatively few cases requiring sanctions. The Committee notes that there seemed to have been more causes for sanctions in the agricultural sector and related services than in the other areas covered, although the statistical data appeared to cover occupational safety and health matters more generally and were not limited to the subject matters covered by the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide relevant statistical information regarding the application of the Convention, including information over additional periods of time to enable the Committee to assess the developments in this respect.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

The Committee notes that the labour protection legislation adopted recently continues to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee notes that according to the statistical information provided for 1997–2007 the number of cases of recorded occupational diseases caused by benzene varies from year to year with a peak in 2002 (16) and half that number in 2007 (eight). Over the period the number of workers exposed to benzene appears to be decreasing from 114,141 in 1997 to 9,755 in 2007. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide such statistical information, including information on the outcome of these cases and any further information on measures taken to ensure a full application of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

The Committee notes that the labour protection legislation adopted recently continues to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. It draws the Government’s attention to the following point.

Article 7 of the Convention. Statistics on lead poisoning among working painters. The Committee notes the adoption of Order No. 188 of the Minister of Health (OMS), of 23 February 2004, establishing the National Operational Scheme for Occupational Diseases and the National Centre for Methodological Coordination and Information on Occupational Diseases. It notes that under section 4(1) of the Order, the responsibility for compiling statistical information on occupational diseases is vested with the National Centre for Methodological Coordination and Information. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether, in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention, the Centre has already established statistics on cases of morbidity and mortality resulting from lead poisoning among working painters and, if so, it requests to provide them. It hopes that the next report will contain the statistics required under Article 7 of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

The Committee notes the statistical data supplied by the Government regarding morbidity due to lead and its components and that a large number of workers have been poisoned by these substances. It requests the Government to specify whether the cases included in the statistics were caused solely by lead components, and especially white lead in paint, and, if so, it requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to avoid the danger arising from the handling and application of paint containing lead pigment or components.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

The Committee notes from the Government's report that there has been no change in the legislation giving full effect to the Convention. It notes, however, that the Government has not supplied any statistics concerning lead poisoning among working painters, as requested in the report form under Article 7 of the Convention. The Government is, therefore, requested to provide statistics on morbidity and mortality due to lead poisoning in its next report.