Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

White Lead (Painting) Convention, 1921 (No. 13) - Côte d'Ivoire (Ratification: 1960)

Article 3(1) of the Convention. Prohibition of the employment of young men under 18 years of age and all women in industrial painting work involving the use of white lead and sulphate of lead. Technical assistance. The Committee refers to its previous comments, in which it has been asking the Government for years to take the necessary steps to ensure that young men under 18 years of age and all women are not employed in industrial painting work involving the use of white lead, sulphate of lead or all other products containing these pigments. The Committee notes that the Government refers once again in its report to section 4D-431 of Decree No. 67-321 of 21 July 1967. The Government also refers to section 12 of Order No. 009 MEMEASS/CAB of 19 January 2012 revising Order No. 2250 of 14 March 2005 determining the list of hazardous types of work prohibited for young persons under 18 years of age. The Committee recalls once again that the above section of the 1967 Decree is only concerned with painting work in buildings, whereas Article 3(1) of the Convention covers all types of industrial painting work. The Committee further notes that section 12 of Order No. 009 of 19 January 2012 prohibits the employment of children in listed workshops, which could include those using certain procedures involving the use of white lead or sulphate of lead, and particularly workshops where acid fumes or dust are emitted or where varnish is manufactured or applied. However, the Committee notes that this list is not exhaustive and does not cover all uses of white lead, sulphate of lead or all other products containing these pigments. Moreover, the Committee notes that the Government does not provide any information on the prohibition of the employment of women in the industrial painting work concerned. It further notes that the Government has requested technical assistance from the Office in order to survey the extent of the use of white lead and benzene in enterprises. The Committee urges the Government to take prompt steps, in law and in practice, to prohibit the employment of young men under 18 years of age and all women in industrial painting work involving the use of white lead, sulphate of lead or other products containing these pigments, and requests it to provide information on this matter. It also hopes that the Office will provide the technical assistance requested by the Government.