Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2004, publiée 93ème session CIT (2005)

Convention (n° 13) sur la céruse (peinture), 1921 - Fédération de Russie (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s report. It notes the adoption of the new Labour Code of 30 December 2001, (No. 197-FZ), as well as of the Act on the Fundamental Principles of the Labour Protection of 17 July 1999 (No. 181-FZ), which determine, among others, the state policy in the field of the occupational safety and health.

The Committee also notes the adoption of the "inter-sectoral regulations on the labour protection in the course of painting works" (POT R M-017-2001) approved by Decision No. 37 of the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation of 10 May 2001, and of the "regulations of security of the industrial using of varnish and colour" (PB 09-567-03) approved by Decision No. 42 of the State Technical Supervision Inspectorate of 27 May 2003. The Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of the abovementioned texts with its next report.

1. Article 3, paragraph 1 of the Convention. Prohibition of the employment of females in any painting work of an industrial character involving the use of white lead. The Committee takes note of the Government’s reference to hygienic standards (GN 2.2.5.1313-03), "accessible limits of harmful agents’ concentration of in the air of the working zone", approved by Decision of the Ministry of Health of 30 April 2003 which contains, among others, the prohibition of employing women in any painting work involving the use of white lead or other products containing these pigments. The Committee requests the Government to supply, with its next report, the provisions of the standards that give effect to this Article of the Convention.

2. The Committee notes that the Government does not reply to its following previous comments:

The Committee notes that section 7 of the Decision of the People’s Commissariat for Labour of 16 August 1929 "on manufacture, sale and use of white lead", prohibits the use of white lead in the internal painting of buildings. The Committee recalls that under Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention, in the internal painting of buildings, not only the use of white lead, but also the use of sulphate of lead and that of all products containing this and white lead pigments (with the exceptions that the Convention establishes), are prohibited. The Committee notes that in the legal instruments provided by the Government in its last reports there does not exist any provision concerning these two last mentioned prohibitions. Therefore, the Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the provisions that give effect to the aforementioned prohibitions. The Committee also recalls that under the same provision of the Convention, the Government is obligated to consult with the employers’ and workers’ organizations concerned, when establishing the cases in which the use of white lead and sulphate of lead and of all products containing these pigments will be considered necessary for the painting of railway stations or industrial establishments. The Committee notes that in the legal instruments provided by the Government in its last reports, no provision exists either, concerning this point. The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the provisions that give effect to the aforementioned obligation.

The Committee recalls that under Article 7 of the Convention, statistics with regard to lead poisoning among working painters, particularly on: (a) the morbidity - by notification and certification of all cases of lead poisoning; and (b) the mortality - by a method approved by the official statistical authority in the country, shall be obtained. The Committee recalls that in one of the last Government’s reports it was established that no statistical reporting of cases of lead poisoning among painters was carried out and that none of the subsequent reports has provided either information on this point or statistics with regard to it. The Committee requests the Government to inform if any measures has been taken to carry out the aforementioned statistics and to provide a copy of them, the latter in conformity with the report form.