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

Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139) - Syrian Arab Republic (Ratification: 1979)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that Ministerial Order No. 269 of 1977 was amended by Ministerial Order No. 28 of 2010 relating to occupational safety and health (OSH). It notes that pursuant to section 1 of Order No. 28, the implementing instructions relating to OSH and the working environment were adopted by virtue of section 237 of the Labour Code. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the specific provisions of the above-mentioned implementing instructions, which give effect to the Articles of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide information on legislative measures undertaken with regard to the application of the Convention.

Article 5 of the Convention. Medical examinations of workers. The Committee takes note of the Social Security Act No. 92 of 1959 provided by the Government. The Committee notes that the Act provides for medical examination of workers in general and that, as regards occupational cancer, the only specific provision is section 48 of the Act, as amended, which provides the right of workers to file a claim for such an occurrence within five years of the cessation of assignment. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the measures taken to ensure that workers which are or have been exposed to carcinogenic substances or agents are provided with the necessary medical examinations or biological or other tests or investigations during the period of employment and also after this period, as the latent period between exposure to the risk and the appearance of a clinically detectable form of cancer can be very long.

Application in practice. The Committee notes that, contrary to the Government’s indication, the Annual Statistical Bulletin of the Authority for Social Security was not submitted with its report. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide a copy of the up-to-date Annual Statistical Bulletin of the Authority for Social Security. It also requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in the country, including the number and nature of contraventions reported and the measures taken to remedy them.