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

Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139) - Denmark (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee notes the information provided in the Government's latest report, in particular as concerns a proposal for new orders concerning carcinogenic substances which have been the subject of consultations with the social partners. It notes the Government's indication that these orders are close to being finalised. The Committee hopes that these orders will provide for the reduction in the number of persons working with carcinogenic substances, as well as in the duration of exposure (Article 2, paragraph 2, of the Convention) which had been the subject of its previous comments and requests the Government to communicate a copy of these orders once they are adopted.

Article 3. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted the Government's indication that the product register set up under Order No. 466 of 14 September 1981 did not contain data on the number of workers exposed to carcinogenic substances or agents. In its latest report, the Government has indicated that there are no plans to set up a register to record data on occupationally exposed persons, the results of technical monitoring, and special medical examinations and laboratory tests performed on these workers. The Government has further indicated that there is presently a register (ATABAS) of most of the industrial hygiene measurements taken by the National Labour Inspection Service, as well as a product register concerning consumer patterns for all dangerous chemicals. The Committee would note, however, that, as indicated in the ILO: Occupational Safety and Health Series, No. 39 ("Occupational Cancer: Prevention and Control", p. 49), the purpose of a register containing the names of exposed persons, the results of technical monitoring, special medical examinations and laboratory tests performed on these workers is to permit the competent authority "to keep a close watch on the magnitude of the problem of occupational cancer in the country, the level of risk involved in the various types of exposure, the dose-response relationship and the effectiveness of preventive action. In this way, increased knowledge of the various aspects of occupational cancer epidemiology can be gained." The Government is, therefore, requested to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to establish an appropriate system of records in order to accurately evaluate epidemiological aspects of occupational cancer.

Article 5. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning research which has been undertaken to develop methods in the field of biological monitoring as concerns carcinogenic substances. The Committee would recall that this Article of the Convention provides that all workers exposed to all types of carcinogenic substances or agents shall be provided with such medical examinations or biological or other tests or investigations during the period of employment and thereafter as are necessary to evaluate their exposure and supervise their state of health in relation to occupational hazards. The Government is requested to provide information in its next report on the progress made in this regard. (In this connection, see ILO: Occupational Safety and Health Series, No. 39, pp. 39-40 and 45-48.)

Point IV of the report form. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that estimates will be made of the impact of the new Order on different trades and the number of employees covered and that cases of and suspected cases of occupational cancer shall be notified to the competent authority. The Committee further notes the Government's indication that there are deficiencies in reporting cases of or suspected cases of occupational cancer and that efforts are being made to stress the duty of general practitioners and others to notify such cases. The Government is requested to provide, in its next report, any relevant data collected for the study carried out by the National Labour Inspection and the Danish Cancer Society, statistics collected for the new Order, as well as any other statistics available, concerning the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation, the number and nature of infractions reported and the number, nature and cause of cases of disease.