Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1987, published 74th ILC session (1987)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ratification: 1962)

The Committee has taken note, from the Government's report, of the adoption of the Ionising Radiations Regulations of 1985, S/No. 133, and the Code of Practice for the protection of persons against ionising radiation arising from any work activity, 1985.

Article 7, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee recalls that in previous direct requests it had drawn the Government's attention to the fact that no regulatory or legislative provision existed to prohibit persons under 16 years of age from being engaged in work where they would be exposed to ionising radiations. The Government's previous reports indicated that in practice no persons under 18 years of age were employed in such work and the Committee had expressed the hope that a future revision of the Code or Regulations would include an express prohibition to employ persons under 16 years of age, in compliance with this paragraph of the Convention. The Committee notes that neither the newly adopted Code nor the new Regulations prohibit persons under the age of 16 from engaging in work involving exposure to ionising radiations as required by the Convention. Please indicate any measures taken or envisaged to expressly lay down such a prohibition.