Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Benzene Convention, 1971 (No. 136) - Finland (Ratification: 1976)

1. The Committee notes the Government’s report. It also notes the observations of the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) on the application of the Convention. It notes with interest the adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), the Council of State Decree on Prevention of the Risk of Cancer in the Workplace (716/2001), the Council of State Decree on Chemical Agents in the Workplace (715/2001) and the Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Relating to Criteria for the Classification of Chemicals and Labelling (807/2001) which give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

2. Article 6, paragraph 3. Measurement of the concentration of benzene. The Committee notes the indication of the Government that there are no official guidelines for the measurement of benzene values. Recalling that Article 6, paragraph 3, of the Convention requires the competent authority to issue directions on carrying out the measurement of the concentration of benzene in the workplace, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged in this regard.

3. Article 9. Medical examination of workers. The Committee notes the indication of the Government that a new Council of State Decree on Health Examinations (1485/2001) has been adopted based on the new Occupational Health Care Act (1383/2001). It also notes the indication of the Government that the guidance notes in respect of health examinations relating to the exposure of workers to certain chemicals including benzene are in the process of being revised and will be published in the near future. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the progress made in this respect and to transmit a copy of the guidance notes, when adopted.

4. Part IV of the report form. Practical application of the Convention. The Committee notes the statistics in respect of the number of workplace inspections carried out by the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorates of the Occupational Safety Administration for the period 2002-04. The Committee requests the Government to furnish in its next report information on the number of establishments in the country where workers are exposed to benzene or products containing benzene, the number of such workers, disaggregated by sex, if this information is available, the number and nature of the contraventions detected and the measures taken in this respect.

5. Part V of the report form. Observations of SAK. The Committee takes note of SAK’s observations that the use of benzene is not under control and that this is primarily due to the fact that employers are unaware of their obligations and that the occupational health service is not competent. In addition, SAK indicates that the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorates do not have sufficient knowledge about chemical substances and are unable to monitor and give advice on related matters in the workplace. The Committee requests the Government to respond to these observations in its next report.