Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1988, published 75th ILC session (1988)

Benzene Convention, 1971 (No. 136) - Colombia (Ratification: 1976)

The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in reply to its previous comments and has examined the regulations enclosed with the report.

Article 1(b) of the Convention, in conjunction with Article 4. The Committee takes note of the Government's statement to the effect that the protection measures prescribed by Resolution No. 02400 of 1979 apply to workers employed in all activities involving exposure to the risk of benzolism. It also notes that the Colombian Petroleum Enterprise (ECOPETROL), which is responsible for the production of hydrocarbons and which regulates the use of a number of chemical products, has stopped the sale of benzene since 1983 to private enterprises manufacturing glues and diluents.

The Committee also notes with interest that the Regulations (No. 1102) of the Institute for the Supervision of Technical Regulations (ICONTEC) prohibit the use of pure benzene in the manufacture of paint thinners and products for stripping, and authorise the use only of products with a benzene content of 1 per cent by weight.

However, the Committee recalls that the Convention prescribes that the benzene content of products should be determined in terms of volume and not of weight. Since this difference could to some extent restrict the application of the Convention, the Committee hopes that the Government will be able to examine the question and take appropriate steps to bring the above regulations into full conformity with the terms of the Convention on this point.

Furthermore, the Committee hopes that it will be possible to prohibit the use of benzene and products containing benzene in other work processes, and that the Government will supply information on any progress made in this connection in its next report.

Article 9, paragraph 1(b). The Committee takes note of the Government's statement to the effect that benzene is not currently used in the country except by the above-mentioned ECOPETROL enterprise whose workers regularly undergo the necessary medical examinations. The Committee requests the Government to state the frequency and scope of these examinations, and to state whether they include biological tests including a blood test, as prescribed by the Convention. The Government is also asked to state which regulations govern such examinations in the enterprise in question.