Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that a new schedule of occupational diseases has been determined by the Ministerial Order of 5 May 1996. It states in this respect that the list has been broadened, with the number of schedules of occupational diseases increasing from 62 to 83, and that the inter-ministerial commission entrusted with proposing the text of the list has endeavoured to take into account the comments made by the Committee of Experts.

The Committee notes this information with interest. In view of the fact that the Government has not transmitted a copy of the above Order, the Committee would be grateful if it would provide one as soon as possible. In this respect, it hopes that the new schedule of occupational diseases takes into account its previous comments concerning the schedules of occupational diseases annexed to the Order of 22 March 1968, as amended, which raised the following points:

(a)  the list of the various pathological manifestations appearing under each "disease" in the left-hand column of the schedules should be of an indicative nature;

(b)  the wording of the items concerning poisoning by arsenic (Schedules Nos. 20 and 21), manifestations caused by the halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series (Schedules Nos. 3, 11, 12, 26 and 27), poisoning by phosphorus and certain of its compounds (Schedules Nos. 5 and 34) should be replaced by wording covering in general terms all manifestations that may be caused by the above substances, in accordance with the Convention, which is worded in general terms on these points; and

(c)  the activities in which there is a risk of exposure to anthrax infection (Schedule No. 18) should include the "loading and unloading or transport of merchandise" in general.