Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1934)

In comments it has been formulating for several years, the Committee has noted that the Government has not supplied any statistics concerning lead poisoning among working painters, as requested in the report form under Article 7 of the Convention. In its latest report, the Government has indicated that the General Directorate for Safety and Health has found it impossible to establish the relevant statistics as the enterprises have not provided the necessary information. The Government adds that the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health are trying to establish measures to ensure that the enterprises report this type of information.

The Committee has noted that section 7 of the Regulations of 1966 concerning the use of white lead and other pigments in painting work provides that cases of lead poisoning and of suspected lead poisoning shall be notified to the Ministry of Public Health, in accordance with Article 5.III.(a) of the Convention. It would recall that, under Article 6 of the Convention, the competent authority is to take such steps as it considers necessary to ensure the observance of the regulations prescribed in pursuance of the Convention. The Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position, in the near future, to ensure that enterprises report cases of lead poisoning and suspected lead poisoning, in accordance with the regulations prescribed in pursuance of the Convention, so that the Government will be able to establish the statistics concerning lead poisoning among working painters called for under Article 7 of the Convention. The Government is requested to indicate, in its next report, the progress made in this regard.