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

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Russian Federation (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes with interest the Government’s detailed report concerning national legislation related to protection against radiation, permitting a better evaluation of the application of the Convention in the country. The Committee notes the detailed references to relevant laws, regulations, technical standards and other documents which allow the Committee to conclude the Convention is applied in the Russian Federation, subject to the following:

Emergency exposure situations. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the Government indicates that, in cases of emergency, exposure to “higher” doses than those fixed by law can be authorized, but only if it is indispensable in order to save lives or to limit exposure to humans. With reference to its 1992 general observation under the Convention, based on the 1994 International Basic Safety Standards, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to its paragraph 17 that the special exposure in an emergency situation “should not exceed twice the relevant annual dose limit specified for workers employed in radiation work and five times this limit over a lifetime”. The Committee requests the Government to specify the dose limits prescribed for exposure of workers in emergency situations.

Article 14 of the Convention. Alternative employment or other measures offered for maintaining income where continued assignment to work involving exposure is medically inadvisable. With reference to its previous comments related to this Article and to paragraph 32 of the 1992 general observation under the Convention, where it is indicated that every effort must be made to provide the workers concerned with suitable alternative employment, or to maintain their income through social security measures or otherwise where continued assignment to work involving exposure to ionizing radiations is found to be medically inadvisable, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide additional information on how section 224 of the Labour Code is applied in practice and hopes that the alternative employment offered is suitable for the workers concerned or that the workers concerned are otherwise able to maintain their income through social security or otherwise.

Part V of the report form. Application in practice and labour inspection. The Committee notes the information provided regarding the comprehensive system for monitoring of the application of national laws and regulations by Rostekhnadzor that has been set up including, inter alia, the monitoring of the exposure of the general public to radiation (ESKID); the system for automated monitoring of the situation related to radiation in the Russian Federation (EGASKRO) and the radiological hygiene passports for enterprises using sources emitting ionizing radiation. Based on data collected in the country, including but not limited to the data collected through the abovementioned monitoring systems, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to give a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in the country.

Part VI of the report form. Representative organizations of employers and workers to which copies of the report have been communicated. The Committee also reiterates it request to the Government to indicate the representative organizations of employers and workers to which copies of the report have been communicated, in accordance with article 23, paragraph 2, of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization.