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

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Afghanistan (Ratification: 1939)

With reference to its observation, the Committee notes the Government's indication in its report that the regulations concerning the use of white lead in painting have been approved by the competent authorities. It requests the Government to provide further information on the following points.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee notes that regulation No. 2 prohibits the use of white lead in the internal painting of buildings, unless considered necessary by experts for use in industrial establishments. It would recall that, under Article 1 of the Convention, exceptions may be made to the prohibition of the use of white lead in the internal painting of buildings where its use is considered necessary for railway stations or industrial establishments by the competent authority, after consultation with the employers' and workers' organisations concerned. The Government is requested to indicate the manner in which employers' and workers' organisations are consulted concerning any exception granted under regulation No. 2.

2. Article 5(I)(b). The Government is requested to indicate the steps taken or envisaged to ensure that measures are taken to prevent danger arising from the application of paint (containing white lead, sulphate of lead or products containing these pigments) in the form of spray.

3. Article 5(II)(a). The Committee notes that regulation No. 3(c) provides that adequate facilities shall be provided to enable working painters to wash during and on cessation of work. The Government is requested to indicate the extent to which working painters in small establishments actually have access to such facilities, as requested in the report form under this Article.

4. Article 5(III)(a). The Committee notes that regulation No. 5 provides for cases of lead poisoning to be communicated to the concerned departments and to be verified by a scientific investigation made by a medical team. The Government is requested to indicate the department which is to be informed by virtue of this regulation and to indicate the manner in which such notification is to be made.

5. Article 5(III)(b). The Committee notes that section 119 of the Labour Code of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan provides generally that workers engaged in work carried out under conditions harmful to health must undergo medical examinations. The Government is requested to indicate whether medical examinations are required for workers involved in painting work using white lead, sulphate of lead, or products containing these pigments and, if so, to indicate the frequency of such examinations.

6. Article 6. The Government is requested to indicate the steps taken to ensure the observance of the regulations concerning the use of white lead in painting by penalties, sanctions or by other means and to indicate the manner in which employers' and workers' organisations were consulted in this regard.

7. Article 7. The Committee notes the indication in the Government's report that information concerning diseases caused by white lead would be collected. The Government is requested to provide any statistics on the morbidity and mortality due to lead poisoning among working painters in its next report and to indicate the statistical method adopted.

8. The Committee further notes that regulation No. 3(b) calls for preventive measures to be taken to prevent danger arising from dust caused by dry rubbing down and scraping without elaborating the types of measures which could be envisaged in this regard. It, therefore, requests the Government to indicate whether any further practical guidelines or instructions exist or are envisaged to assist working painters in determining the measures to be taken in this regard in order to ensure the application of Article 5(I)(c). Furthermore, the Committee notes that regulation No. 4 calls for the Sanitation Offices of the Ministry of Public Health to give necessary instructions to working painters about the adoption of precautionary measures concerning the use of white lead in painting. The Government is requested to provide further information on the types of instructions given and the manner in which working painters are informed of these precautionary measures, in accordance with Article 5(IV).

9. The Government is requested to provide information in its next report on the practical application of the Convention, including relevant extracts from inspection reports, information regarding the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation and the number and nature of contraventions reported, as requested under point V of the report form.