Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139) - Denmark (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee notes the information provided regarding effect given to Articles 2(2), 3 and 5 of the Convention.

Articles 1 and 6(a) of the Convention. Carcinogenic substances and agents and national legislation. The Committee notes with interest the detailed information provided regarding the numerous legislative enactments and amendments giving further effect to the Convention including: Order No. 908 on substances and materials, measures for preventing the risk of cancer when working with carcinogenic substances, including more detailed regulations regarding risk assessments; Act No. 512 on a smoke-free environment; the Offshore Installations Act No. 1424 of 2005; Order No. 399 on medical control of work with ionizing radiation on offshore installations, and Order No. 398 on the use of personal protective equipment. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on legislative measures undertaken or envisaged to ensure the application of the Convention.

Part IV of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the detailed statistical information that is collected and made publicly available and the information that in the period 2003–08 there was a considerable increase in the number of reported cases of occupational cancer; that breast cancer is recognized as an occupational disease due to which an increased number of work related cancers are reported; that nasopharyngeal cancer and mesothelioma also comprise a considerable part of the occupational cancers reported; and that occupational cancer comprised about 4 per cent of the total reported cases of occupational illnesses in 2008. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on cancer-related illness, as well as any additional information on the number of workers covered by the Convention, disaggregated by gender if possible.