Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Belize (Ratification: 1983)

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Articles 3(1) and (2), 6 and 8 of the Convention. Effective protection of workers against ionizing radiation.Data collection. Determination and review of maximum permissible doses. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that no regulation has been adopted concerning protection measures pursuant to section 94 of the Labour Act. Nevertheless, the Government indicates that a strategic plan for the implementation of the Radiation Safety and Security Act is being developed by the Department of Environment (DOE), with a primary focus on the establishment of the “Office of Radiation of Safety and Security” and the development of regulations related to facilities, setting standards for occupational safety, import and export. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure effective protection of workers, as it relates to their health and safety, against ionizing radiations, and to ensure that data essential for effective protection are made available in accordance with Article 3(1) and (2) of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to adopt the necessary measures in order to ensure that the maximum permissible doses or amounts are determined without delay. It also once again requests the Government to provide information on any mechanism ensuring the review of such dose limits.

Article 9. Warning of the presence of hazards from ionizing radiations and instructions for workers directly engaged in radiation work. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that section 42(2)(b) of the Radiation Safety and Security Act requires the licensee to take measures to provide for the safety of workers. The Act further provides that the Office of Radiation Safety and Security shall prescribe the required qualification and training for users of ionizing radiation in medical practices (section 45(a)). The Government also indicates that the application for a license (to use radiation sources for industrial, research and medical purposes) requires the submission of a radiation safety programme. This programme outlines responsibilities for workers’ safety and includes a consent form for users to acknowledging the associated risks. However, the Committee also notes that the Act does not provide for the need of appropriate warnings to indicate the presence of hazards from ionizing radiations, as well as the need to provide adequate instructions to all workers directly engaged in radiation before and during such employment, and it observes an absence of information on what information or training is mandatory prior to the submission of a consent form. The Committee requests the Government to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that (i) appropriate warnings are used to indicate the presence of hazards from ionizing radiations; and (ii) adequate instructions are provided to all workers directly engaged in radiation work before and during such employment.

Article 12. Medical examination. The Committee notes the Government’s information that there has been no change with respect to matters covered by Article 12 since its previous report. Therefore,the Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures in order to ensure medical examinations prescribed and provided in practice to workers directly engaged in radiation work, including examinations prior to or shortly after taking up such work, and their subsequent examinations at appropriate intervals.

Article 13. Measures in case of irradiation or radioactive contamination. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that section 48 of Part VII of the Radiation Safety and Security Act requires establishments that apply for a license under section 42 to have and implement an emergency response plan as a condition for the granting of a license. However, the Committee also notes that the mentioned Act does not establish specific protection to workers directly engaged in radiation work. The Committee once again requests the Government to adopt the necessary measures for the protection of workers in case of exposure to ionizing radiations, as required by the Convention, including appropriate medical examination of affected workers, examination of the conditions in which workers’ duties are performed and any necessary remedial action.

Article 14. Employment involving exposure to ionizing radiation contrary to medical advice. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the only occupation in the country that exposes workers to ionizing radiation is the one of X-ray technician. In this respect, the Committee wishes to draw the Government’s attention in particular to paragraph 40 of the 2015 general observation on this Convention, which indicates that every effort should be made to provide the workers concerned (those whose continued employment in a particular job is inadvisable for health reasons) with suitable alternative employment, where continued assignment to work involving exposure is found to be medically inadvisable. The Committee requests the Government to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that workers are not employed or engaged in work liable to expose them to ionizing radiations contrary to qualified medical advice, including measures for the provision of alternative employment.