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

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Lao People's Democratic Republic (Ratification: 1964)

1. The Committee notes the information supplied in the Government's reports. It notes the Government's indication that while national labour legislation does not provide for provisions regarding white lead in painting, more attention is paid to workers' safety and health matters. The Committee also notes that the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare has been entrusted by the Government to deal with issues related to safety and health of workers. To this effect, the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare cooperates closely with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Industry and Handicraft which deal with safety and health matters. The Committee would ask the Government to explain the manner in which the above-mentioned Ministers cooperate.

2. The Committee notes with interest the Government's intention to set up a special inspection commission to carry out safety, health and economic inspection in enterprises. It also notes that this commission will be composed of eight representative agencies concerned. The Committee would request the Government to indicate the legal basis providing for the establishment of this special inspection commission. It also would request the Government to specify the eight agencies which will be represented in this commission. Finally, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information on the organization and working methods of the inspection commission.

3. In its comment of 1994, the Committee had noted the Government's indication that many big projects were now being run by foreign investors, including construction and maintenance work. It noted that a safety and health decree would be drafted and that ILO technical assistance had been already received in this regard. The Committee notes the Government's indication that a safety and health decree will be drafted which includes regulations concerning the use of white lead. The Committee reiterates its firm hope that the safety and health decree will be drafted in the very near future and that it will contain such provisions to ensure that effect is given to the following provisions of the Convention: Article 1 (prohibition of the use of white lead and sulphate of lead in the internal painting of buildings); Article 2 (regulation of the use of white lead in artistic painting); Article 3 (prohibition of the employment of males under 18 years of age and all females in any painting work involving the use of white lead); Article 5 (regulation of the use of white lead in painting operations for which its use is not prohibited); and Article 7 (establishment of statistics of morbidity and mortality due to lead poisoning).

The Committee would request the Government to indicate, in its next report, the progress made in this regard.