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Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139) - Syrian Arab Republic (RATIFICATION: 1979)

1. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s reports and the attached documentation.

2. Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the proposed amendment to Order No. 504 of 1989 to include other substances classified as carcinogenic in the list of poisonous and dangerous chemical substances has still not been adopted. It also notes the Government’s statement that consultations are currently being undertaken to amend Ministerial Order No. 269 of 1977 with respect to the scope of application of the legislation and the monitoring of the environment. The Committee hopes that these amendments will be adopted in the near future and requests the Government to provide copies of them once they are adopted.

3. Article 5. Medical examination of workers. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s statement that section 47 of the Social Security Law of 1959 (Act No. 92 of 1959) concerning periodical examination of workers exposed to carcinogenic substances has been amended and that the General Authority for Social Security continues to be responsible for periodic medical examinations of workers for five years after the cessation of their assignment. The Committee also notes that the Government refers to section 41(19) of Order No. 2907 of 2003 of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with respect to employers’ obligation for medical examinations before and during employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of Order No. 2907 of 2003 with its next report and to continue to provide information on measures taken or envisaged with respect to medical examinations before and during employment and to provide information on the nature and the frequency of the medical examinations carried out and the tests prescribed for workers exposed to carcinogenic substances.

4. Part IV of the report form. Labour inspection and statistical information. The Committee has previously noted under its comments under Convention No. 136 (CEACR 2000/71st Session) that the labour inspectors and social security inspectors, governed by the Vocational Safety and Health Department within the General Authority for Social Security, hold the status equivalent to the status of judicial police officers when they undertake their inspection visits. The Committee requests the Government to provide with its next report extracts from inspection reports and, if available, information on the number of workers covered by the legislation disaggregated by sex, if possible, the number and nature of contraventions reported and the measures taken to remedy them.