Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139) - Hungary (Ratification: 1975)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in reply to its previous direct request. In particular as concerns the application of Article 1, paragraphs 1 and 3, of the Convention, the Committee notes with interest the adoption of Decree No. 26/1985 on the procedure related to toxic substances, Decree No. 16/1988 (XII.22), and Standard No. MSZ 21461/1-1988 (which includes a list of substances classified into categories by the WHO and IARC).

Article 5. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted the Government's indication that Decree No. 4/1981/III.31/EUM of the Ministry of Health was being revised and would include provisions to ensure that the health of workers exposed to carcinogenic substances is monitored even after leaving work involving such exposure. The Government has provided in its latest report information concerning the difficulty of evaluating possible tumorous diseases in workers exposed to carcinogenic substances in the working environment and the problems arising with respect to their compensation. The Committee would recall that Article 5 of the Convention calls for workers to be provided with such medical examinations or biological or other tests or investigations after employment as are necessary to evaluate their exposure and supervise their state of health in relation to the occupational hazards. It would point out that there is a serious risk of a cancer being undetected if the worker who has been exposed to carcinogenic substances does not undergo certain medical examinations or tests after employment. The Government is requested to indicate whether it is still planning to revise Decree No. 4/1981/III.31/EUM as indicated in its previous report and, if not, to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that workers receive medical examinations or other tests, as necessary, after leaving work involving exposure to carcinogenic substances.