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

Convenio sobre el benceno, 1971 (núm. 136) - Kuwait (Ratificación : 1974)

1. The Committee notes with interest the report transmitted by the Government on the inspection activities for the period 1993 to 1994 concerning the working environment carried out by the Department of the Protection of the Environment of the State of Kuwait. It also notes the results of these inspections according to which 46 industrial undertakings in different industrial sectors have been possibly polluted with benzene and, that in some of these undertakings the maximum permissible concentration of benzene vapour, fixed by the State, was exceeded. The Committee finally notes that these undertakings have been requested to take appropriate action in the application of article 4 of Ministerial Order No. 57 of 1982 and Article 8 of the Convention. The Committee accordingly would ask the Government to keep it informed on this subject.

2. The Committee notes the Government's indication to the effect that medical examinations of workers exposed to benzene or products containing benzene have been carried out only in some undertakings due to the lack of human and material resources, but that medical as well as environmental tests of the work environment will be carried out in all undertakings when human and material resources are sufficiently available. However, clinical and biological tests carried out in certain undertakings to detect serious or chronic poisoning due to benzene have shown negative results. In this respect the Committee notes with interest that the General Body for the Environment is currently examining filed tests of the work environment in order to measure the occupational exposure therein. The Committee would request the Government to transmit any results of this study as soon as they are available.