Solicitud directa (CEACR) - Adopción: 1999, Publicación: 88ª reunión CIT (2000)

Convenio sobre la protección contra las radiaciones, 1960 (núm. 115) - Suecia (Ratificación : 1961)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its latest report. It notes the texts of the regulations that have been issued by the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute and published in the Code of Standards and Regulations of the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute from 1990 to 1994.

1. Article 3, paragraph 1, and Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Convention. (a) The Committee notes from the information provided in the Government's latest report that a revised regulation SSI FS ("Code of Standards and Regulations of the Swedish Protection Institute" issued by the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute) would come into force in January 1995 which applies to general work involving exposure to ionizing radiation, prescribes a limit on the effective dose equivalent to 100 mSv over five years consecutively and an additional restriction on the lifetime accumulated effective dose of 700 mSv.

(b) The Committee has also taken note of the approach that the Government has taken in respect of women engaged in radiation work. In its earlier direct request, the Committee noted paragraphs 8 and 14 of SSI FS 1989:1 which set forth that if no transfer to work where there is no ionizing radiation is made, the work must be planned in a manner to ensure that the dose equivalent to the foetus throughout the pregnancy does not exceed 5 mSv, and that it is unlikely that the dose equivalent to the foetus exceeds 0.5 mSv within any calendar month after the pregnancy has been ascertained. Referring to the Government's latest report, the Committee notes that paragraph 7 of the same regulation further provides that the working conditions for women of fertile age should ensure that the effective dose equivalent does not exceed 10 mSv for any period of two months. The Government's report indicates that, taken together, these regulations might well be considered to meet the recommendations of the ICRP in this matter. The Committee would draw the attention of the Government to paragraph 176 of the ICRP Recommendation 1990, where the ICRP noted that if a woman is, or may be, pregnant, additional controls have to be considered to protect the unborn child, considering that the conceptus is more prone than the post-natal individual to deterministic injuries caused by radiation and may be more sensitive to induction of later malignancies; and that deterministic effects in live-born child will not occur if the exposure of the mother does not exceed the dose limits now recommended for occupational exposure, regardless of the distribution of exposures in time (i.e. not to exceed 1 mSv per year and 2 mSv for the abdomen for the remainder of the pregnancy). The Committee would also mention that Directive 96/29/EURATOM, adopted in 1996, article 10, sets forth that "the conditions for the woman in the context of her employment shall [...] be such the equivalent dose to the child to be born will be as low as reasonably achievable and that it will be unlikely that this dose will exceed 1 mSv during at least the remainder of the pregnancy". In the light of these findings, the Committee requests the Government to consider an adjustment to its current regulations in this matter.

2. Article 8. The Committee notes that paragraph 16 of the SSI FS 1989:1 provides that the limit of the effective dose equivalent for the public (including non-radiation workers) is not to exceed 1 mSv per year, but may for individual years rise to 5mSv if the average throughout a lifetime is expected to be lower than 1 mSv per year. The Government indicated that in view of the small number of persons potentially affected by the regulation, the National Institute of Radiation Protection intended to await the outcome of the Basic Safety Standards of the IAEA and the EU before deciding on a revision. In view of the adoption, in 1996, of Directive 96/29/EURATOM, which sets the limits of the effective dose equivalent to members of the public at 1 mSv per year averaged over five consecutive years, with separate dose limits for the lens of the eye (15 mSv) and for the skin (50 mSv), the Committee would request the Government to indicate the steps taken or envisaged to adopt the dose limits as recommended in ICRP publication No. 60 and Directive 96/29/EURATOM.

3. Scope of emergency work. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government relating to dose limits in an emergency situation under Swedish regulation, which is five times lower than that set by the ICRP, and that the Government has not considered it important to give a further strict definition that would cover any situation of "immediate and urgent remedial work". The Committee requests the Government to indicate if current measures ensure that exceptional exposure of workers in emergency situations is strictly limited in scope and duration to what is required to meet an acute danger to life and health; preclude situations wherein workers or other volunteers may be exposed to radiation for the purpose of rescuing items of high material value during emergency situations; and to ensure the necessary investments in robotized or other techniques of intervention aimed at minimizing exceptional exposure of workers.

4. Provision of alternative employment. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that Swedish labour laws do not recognize the premature accumulation of the lifetime dose limit as a legal reason for dismissal and that it is unlikely that workers in such a situation would not be given alternative employment. The Committee also notes the information that the lifetime dose of 700 mSv remains and that it is most unlikely for workers within nuclear installations to be affected by this regulation. The Committee would, nevertheless, request the Government to indicate the measures or steps, if any, that workers can undertake to obtain suitable alternative employment in the unlikely event that they prematurely accumulate a lifetime dose of 700 mSv.