Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

The Committee notes the report sent by the Government and the adoption, during the period covered by the report, of Order No. 919-99 of 23 December 1999, which amends and completes Order No. 100-68 of 20 May 1967 establishing the list of occupational diseases recognized in the country. While the number of diseases of recognized occupational origin exceeds the number of those established under the Convention, the Committee notes that the list of pathological symptoms caused by poisoning by lead, mercury, phosphorous, arsenic, benzene, or the alloys, amalgams, compounds or homologues of these substances, and poisoning by the halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series, appears to be, as opposed to the list previously in effect, of a restrictive nature. The Committee wishes to recall that in this respect the Convention does not contain a restrictive list of symptoms likely to be caused by these types of poisoning, but one that is, on the contrary, drawn up in very general terms, namely: “poisoning by lead, its alloys or compounds and their sequelae”; “poisoning by mercury, its amalgams and compounds and their sequelae”; “phosphorous poisoning by phosphorous or its compounds, and its sequelae”; “arsenic poisoning by arsenic or its compounds, and its sequelae”; “poisoning by benzene or its homologues, their nitro- and amido-derivatives, and its sequelae”; and “poisoning by the halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series”. In this way, the Convention covers all possible pathological symptoms, including those which are atypical or new and which may appear following poisoning or the action of one of the abovementioned agents. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide detailed information on this matter in its next report.