Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Finland (Ratification: 1929)

The Committee notes the information and new legislation provided which gives further effect to the Convention. The Committee also notes, in particular, the adoption of the REACH regulations (EC 1907/2006) (Registrations, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances) on chemicals and their safety, prohibiting the importation and marketing of white lead. The Committee further notes the observations from the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) included in the Government’s report.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes the SAK’s concerns that problems may arise in the paint manufacturing process and in relation to dust emanating from dry pigments during the mixing process and that, according to a survey conducted between 2002–03 by the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Pirkanmaa, significant lead concentrations, exceeding the limit value of hazardous waste, are still found on the walls of wooden houses painted using old oil-based paints; that workers may be exposed to lead from the old paints in connection with sanding the walls or other work process, and that no information is available on the number of exposed workers or possible protective measures. The Committee further notes the statistics provided by the Government regarding the number of inspections carried out in the country. Accordingly, and while both the number of inspections carried out and the number of inspected workplaces increased between 2005–08, both the number of inspections carried out decreased from 20,477 in 2008 to 19,916 in 2009 and the number of inspected workplaces decreased from 14,717 in 2008 to 14,618 in 2009. In addition, the average time used for each inspection decreasing from 2.6 hours to 2 hours over the past four years. The Committee requests the Government to indicate measures taken to address the comments raised by the SAK and to provide further statistical information on not only on the number of inspections carried out but also on the outcome of these inspections.