CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report.

1. Article 3, paragraph 1, Article 6, paragraph 2, and Article 8 of the Convention. With reference to its previous direct request and its 1992 General Observation under the Convention, the Committee notes with interest that the Government is preparing national standards on radiation protection that provide for an annual dose limit of 20 mSv for workers directly engaged in radiation work and 1 mSv for those who are not, and that under current health legislation there exists specific dose limits for women of child-bearing age (40 years of age or younger) who may also not be engaged in emergency work. The Committee also notes that a draft Nuclear Energy Use and Radiation Safety Act is currently being considered by Parliament. The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to supply information on the provisions adopted and that these will be consistent with the 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiation Protection and the 1994 International Basic Safety Standards.

2. Emergency exposure situations. In its previous direct request, the Committee referred to the questions raised in paragraph 35(c) of its 1992 General Observation under the Convention and requested information on the measures taken in abnormal situations and in particular the measures taken for the protection against ionizing radiations for the 6,000 workers involved in the Chernobyl clean-up and the 4,500 workers at the Chernobyl atomic power plant. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government in its report regarding the limits on increased exposure of workers to ionizing radiations in emergency situations. It would once again draw the attention of the Government to paragraph 35(c) of its General Observation as well as paragraphs 233 and 236 of the International Basic Safety Standards, and requests the Government to indicate the steps taken in relation to the strict definition of circumstances in which exceptional exposure might be tolerated, the optimization of protection during accidents and emergency work through the design and protective features of the workplace and emergency planning for intervention relying on such techniques as robotized equipment.

3. Provision of alternative employment. With reference to its previous direct request, and paragraphs 28 to 34 and 35(d) of its 1992 general observation under the Convention and the principles reflected in paragraphs 96 and 238 of the International Basic Safety Standards, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on measures taken or contemplated to ensure effective protection of workers who may have accumulated exposure beyond which an unacceptable risk of detriment is to occur, and who may be faced with the dilemma that protecting their health means losing their employment. The Committee again requests the Government in this connection to indicate whether alternative employment is provided to the workers involved in the clean-up of the Chernobyl atomic plant accident who have been exposed to excessive levels of radiation.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 1997.]