Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Belgium (Ratification: 1965)

I. The Committee notes with interest section 20.4 and 20.5 of the Decree of 16 January 1987, amending the Decree concerning general regulations for the protection of the public and of workers against the dangers of ionising radiations, which sets forth the measures to be taken with regard to emergency and accidental exposure of workers or planned special exposures, including the fixing of maximum dose limits for such exposure, and the consultation with, provision of information concerning risks and preventive measures to, and the voluntary nature of, the workers concerned. The Committee would call the Government's attention to paragraphs 16 to 27 of its General Observation under this Convention concerning occupational exposure during and after an emergency and requests the Government to indicate the steps taken or being considered in relation to the matters raised in its conclusions, particularly under paragraph 35(c).

II. The Committee has noted that section 1 of the Decree of 1987 concerning protection against ionising radiations excludes from the scope of application all military machines and installations and the transport of any machines or substances capable of emitting ioinising radiations which have been ordered by the Minister of Defense. The Committee would recall that, under Article 2, paragraph 1, this Convention applies to all activities involving exposure of workers to ionising radiations. The Government is requested to indicate, in its next report, the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the provisions of this Convention apply also to those activities excluded from the scope of the Decree.

III. The Committee would call the Government's attention to its General Observation under this Convention which sets forth, inter alia, the revised exposure limits adopted on the basis of new physiological findings by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in its 1990 Recommendations (Publication No. 60). The Committee would recall that, under Article 3, paragraph 1 and Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Convention, all appropriate steps shall be taken to ensure effective protection of workers against ionising radiations and to review maximum permissible doses of ionising radiations in the light of current knowledge. The Government is requested to indicate the steps taken or being considered in relation to the matters raised in the conclusions to the General Observation.