CMNT_TITLE

1.  The Committee notes the abundant documentation sent by the Government with its report, and the adoption of Decree No. 3048 of 6 May 1996 to which a new schedule of occupational diseases is appended.

2.  The Committee notes with interest that the new schedule of occupational diseases is very exhaustive and includes more occupational diseases than the one previously in force. It nonetheless notes that, in respect of anthrax infection, the column setting out the etiological agents or risk factors of an occupational nature (list B, point II) omits, as did the previous list, the loading, unloading or transport of merchandise, as required by the Convention. The Committee recalls in this connection that the purpose of the Convention is to protect workers who have to handle such a variety of merchandise that it would be difficult if not impossible for them to prove that they have been in contact with infected merchandise. In these circumstances the Committee asks the Government to state how, in practice, the presumption of the occupational nature of anthrax infection is guaranteed without the worker having to prove that the merchandise handled has been contaminated by infected animals or animal carcasses.

3.  The Committee again asks the Government to indicate whether the list of activities comprising a risk (right-hand column, Annex 2 of Decree No. 3048 of 1999) is indicative or limitative in respect of the following: poisoning by phosphorous, poisoning by arsenic, poisoning by benzene, poisoning by the halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series and pathological disorders due to ionizing radiation.