Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Belize (Ratification: 1983)

The Committee notes the information provided that the issues raised by the Committee would be addressed in a new National Occupational Safety and Health Act. This act was not, however, attached to the report and according to available information it has not yet been adopted. The Committee requests the Government to submit a copy of this new legislation as soon as it has been adopted. In the meantime, the Committee must repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

Repetition

Articles 3(1) and 6(2) of the Convention. Maximum permissible doses of ionizing radiation. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s response indicating that on 13 March 2009, the Labour Advisory Board was re-activated and that its main duty is the revision of national labour legislation. The Committee notes that the Ministry is currently in the process of identifying a consultant that will work with the Labour Advisory Board to conduct the revision of the legislation, and that comments made by the Committee will be submitted to the Board. The Committee hopes that in the course of the ongoing revision of national labour legislation due account will be taken on the exposure limits adopted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in its 1990 Recommendations, to which the Committee referred to in its 1992 general observation under the Convention, in order to ensure the effective protection of workers exposed to ionizing radiation in the course of their work.

Article 14. Provision of alternative employment. The Committee notes the Government’s response indicating that there is no provision in the Labour Act for the transfer of pregnant women from their work involving exposure to ionizing radiation to another job. The Committee notes, however, the Government’s statement that that the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy, adopted by Cabinet on 9 November 2004, can provide a suitable framework for drafting legislation that could make provision for such transfer and that legislation is drafted in consultation with the Labour Advisory Board. The Committee hopes that in the course of the ongoing revision of the national labour legislation due account will be taken of the need to ensure that suitable alternative employment opportunities, not involving exposure to ionizing radiations, be provided for workers having accumulated an effective dose beyond which detriment to their health considered unacceptable is to arise, as well as for pregnant women, who may be faced with the dilemma that protecting their health means losing their employment.

Occupational exposure during an emergency. The Committee notes that there is currently no provision within the Labour Act laying out the circumstances in which exceptional exposure is authorized. With reference to paragraphs 16–27 and 35(c) of its 1992 general observation under the Convention, and paragraphs V.27 and V.30 of the International Basic Safety Standards issued in 1994, the Committee requests the Government, in the course of the ongoing revision of the national labour legislation, to take due account of the need to determine circumstances in which exceptional exposure is authorized, and to make protection as effective as possible against accidents and during emergency operations, in particular with regard to the design and protective features of the workplace and the equipment, and the development of emergency intervention techniques, the use of which in emergency situations would enable the exposure of individuals to ionizing radiations to be avoided.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2013.]