Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Benzene Convention, 1971 (No. 136) - Iraq (Ratification: 1972)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in reply to its previous direct request. The Committee has noted that sections 4 and 5 of the Directives concerning the protection against the risks of poisoning due to benzene, 1978, provide that, if the use of benzene or products containing benzene in industrial work processes is indispensable, the operations must take place in an enclosed system; if it is impossible to use an enclosed system, the workplace must be equipped with effective measures for clearing the benzene vapours from the air in order that the concentration of benzene in the air not exceed 25 parts per million. The Government has indicated that these sections naturally cover the use of benzene as a solvent or diluent as well.

The Committee would recall that Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Convention calls for the prohibition of the use of benzene as a solvent or diluent, except where the process is carried out in an enclosed system or where there are other equally safe methods of work. Article 6, paragraph 2 which sets a maximum concentration of benzene vapour in the air at 25 parts per million concerns benzene or products containing benzene in general. The use of benzene as a solvent or diluent is particularly dangerous and it is for this reason that, in a separate Article of the Convention, such use is to be prohibited except where the process is carried out in an enclosed system or where another method of work is used which is as safe as using an enclosed system. Section 5 of the above-mentioned Directives would, therefore, not ensure the measure of safety required by Article 4, paragraph 2.

The Committee notes with interest the Government's indication that it will take the necessary measures with a view towards amending the Directives in order to ensure a more precise formulation in conformity with Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee hopes that the Government will take the above into account when making this amendment and requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in this regard in its next report.