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

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - French Polynesia

1. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report in reply to its previous observation and it hopes that measures will be taken in the near future, pursuant to Act No. 86-845 of 17 July 1986, to ensure the effective protection of workers against internal exposure to ionising radiations, in accordance with the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would indicate in its next report the progress made in this regard.

2. The Committee notes that the Government's report does not contain any information in reply to its previous direct request. It therefore again requests the Government to provide in its next report additional information on the following points.

Article 8 of the Convention. The Committee notes that section 2 of Order No. 1238/CM provides for the classification of workers according to their annual dose levels of exposure. Please indicate whether the dose levels used to classify workers become exposure limits once the workers have been categorised. The Committee recalls that this Article requires maximum permissible dose levels to be fixed for workers not directly engaged in radiation but who remain or pass where they may be exposed to radiations.

Article 9, paragraph 1. The Committee notes that Order No. 1238/CM does not contain any provision to ensure that appropriate warnings are used to indicate the presence of hazards from ionising radiations and that such information is provided to the workers. Please indicate the measures taken or envisaged to apply this Article of the Convention.

Article 13(d). Please indicate the measures taken or envisaged to require employers to take remedial action in response to the technical or medical findings, in conformity with this provision of the Convention.

The Committee also notes that regulations are being drafted pursuant to section 23 of Order No. 1238/CM to establish detailed methods and procedures for monitoring the exposure of workers to ionising radiations. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to provide copies of the regulations adopted with its next report.

3. The Committee also draws the Government's attention to its general observation of 1987 concerning the protection of workers against ionising radiations in abnormal situations. It hopes that the next report will contain the information requested in the last paragraph of this observation on whether special provisions have been taken or are envisaged concerning the measures to be taken in abnormal situations.