Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Chad (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, in reply to its previous request concerning the effect given to Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention, on the prohibition relating to the use of white lead and sulphate of lead and of all products containing these pigments.

The Committee notes the observations of the National Council of Chadian Employers (CNPT) and the Free Confederation of Workers of Chad (CLTT), which were submitted with the Government’s report. In its observations, the CNPT indicates that member enterprises of more than 50 employees have set up safety and health committees for protecting workers against risks arising from the use of products containing pigments in certain kinds of work, such as painting. The CNPT recommends the adoption of the Decree provided for in section 224 of the Labour Code, according to which occupational safety and health conditions are defined by a decree adopted in the Council of Ministers at the proposal of the Minister of Labour, further to the opinion of the Occupational Safety and Health Technical Advisory Committee. The CNPT also recommends taking the necessary steps to make the Technical Advisory Committee operational. The CLTT alleges that protective measures taken by employers to preserve the health of their workers exposed to white lead are non-existent or inadequate and recommends that the Technical Advisory Committee should consider the issue with a view to taking better account of the particular features of white lead and evaluating its impact on workers’ health. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments on the observations of the CLTT.

Article 7. Statistical information. In reply to the Committee’s previous request, the Government indicates that it does not have any statistics relating to morbidity and mortality among working painters resulting from lead poisoning. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to undertake the collection of data required by Article 7 of the Convention, in the meantime, it requests the Government to provide all available information on lead-related diseases, and any other information relating to the application of the Convention in practice.