Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Ghana (Ratification: 1961)

Articles 6(2) and 7(2) of the Convention. Dose limits in occupational exposure and dose limits for persons between 16 and 18 years of age. Following its long-standing comments on this matter, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that there are currently no set maximum permissible doses with respect to the lens of the eye for radiation workers, but that the Ghana Standards Authority will include provisions in this regard in its 2025 guidelines. The Committee also notes that according to the 2022 annual report of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and its web page, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority is working on drafting regulations on various aspects relating to radiation work, including Basic Ionising Radiation Regulations that aim to set dose limits and address exposure to ionizing radiation arising from work activities and natural radiation. The Committee recalls paragraphs 11, 13, 32 and 34 of its 2015 general observation on Convention No. 115, in which it drew the Government’s attention to the most recent recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, indicating: (i) an equivalent dose to the lens of the eye for radiation workers of 20 mSv averaged over defined periods of five years, with no single year exceeding 50 mSv per year; and (ii) an equivalent dose to the lens of the eye of 20 mSv/year for students between the ages of 16 and 18 who use sources of radiation in the course of their studies. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to fix the maximum permissible doses with respect to the lens of the eye for radiation workers, and to revise the maximum permissible doses, in the light of current knowledge, for students between the ages of 16 and 18, in accordance with Articles 6(2) and 7 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard, including on the development of any regulations by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

Article 8. Dose limits for workers not directly engaged in radiation work. Following its previous comments, in which it noted the Government’s indication that the effective dose limit for members of the public is of 5 mSv in a year, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has notified the Ghana Standards Authority to take the necessary measures to review those limits. The Committee notes that, according to section 5(b) of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority Act (No. 895), 2015, one of the functions of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority is to regulate the introduction of radiation sources, nuclear materials, equipment or practices that expose workers, patients, the public and the environment to radiation. The Committee also recalls paragraphs 14 and 35 of its 2015 general observation, in which it drew the Government’s attention to the most recent recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, indicating that the dose limits for workers not directly engaged in radiation work are those to be applied to members of the public, particularly an annual effective dose limit of 1 mSv. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to review the maximum permissible doses for workers not directly engaged in radiation work, in the light of current knowledge, and to indicate the measures taken in this regard, including information on the development of regulations by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.