Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No. 162) - Canada (Ratification: 1988)

The Committee notes the Government’s last report. It notes with interest the Government’s reply to its previous comment concerning the application of Articles 11 and 12 of the Convention. It also notes the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations of the different provinces, adopted in application of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1996, which, inter alia, address specifically asbestos-related issues. It further notes the various training activities for workers carried out in the provinces, the manuals issued to this effect as well as the guidelines issued to ensure the safe use of asbestos. However, the Committee notes from the statistics available that, in spite of the above measures, the overall number of workers who have contracted asbestos diseases has increased in the last decade. The Committee therefore encourages the Government to continue to take the necessary measures to improve the protection of workers exposed to asbestos in the course of their work.

Article 2 of the Convention. Definition. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes again that there is no uniform definition of the terms "asbestos", "asbestos dust", "airborne asbestos dust", "respirable asbestos fibres" and "exposure to asbestos" in the legislation of different provinces. It accordingly requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to harmonize the legislation in order to ensure uniform interpretation of these terms, in accordance with the definitions set forth in this Article of the Convention.

The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on the measures taken or envisaged at federal and provincial levels to ensure an effective application of the Convention.