R144 - Benzene Recommendation, 1971 (No. 144)

• Subject Matter: Seguridad y salud en el trabajo,Occupational safety and health,Sécurité et santé au travail
• Court: International Labour Organization

Preamble

The General Conference of the International Labour Organisation,

Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, and having met in its Fifty-sixth Session on 2 June 1971, and

Having adopted the Benzene Convention, 1971, and

Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to protection against hazards arising from benzene, which is the sixth item on the agenda of the session, and

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of a Recommendation,

adopts this twenty-third day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred seventy-one, the following Recommendation, which may be cited as the Benzene Recommendation, 1971:

I. Scope

1. 1. This Recommendation applies to all activities involving exposure of workers to--
   • (a) the aromatic hydrocarbon benzene C6H6, hereinafter referred to as benzene ;,
   • (b) products the benzene content of which exceeds 1 per cent by volume, hereinafter referred to as products containing benzene ;, the benzene content should be determined by analytical methods recommended by the competent international organisations.
2. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph 1 of this Recommendation, the benzene content of products not covered by clause (b) of that Paragraph should be progressively reduced to as low as practicable where this is necessary for the protection of the health of workers.

II. Restrictions on the Use of Benzene

1. 3
   • (1) Whenever harmless or less harmful substitute products are available they should be used instead of benzene or products containing benzene.
   • (2) Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph does not apply to--
     • (a) the production of benzene;
     • (b) the use of benzene for chemical synthesis;
     • (c) the use of benzene in motor fuel;
     • (d) analytical or research work carried out in laboratories.
2. 4
   • (1) The use of benzene and of products containing benzene should be prohibited in certain work processes to be specified by national laws or regulations.
   • (2) This prohibition should at least include the use of benzene and of products containing benzene as a solvent or diluent, except where the process is carried out in an enclosed system or where there are other equally safe methods of work.
3. 5. The sale of certain industrial products containing benzene (such as paints, varnishes, mastics, glues, adhesives, inks and various solutions), to be specified by national laws or regulations, should be prohibited in cases to be determined by the competent authority.

III. Technical Measures for the Prevention of Hazards; Occupational Hygiene

1. 6
   • (1) Occupational hygiene and technical measures should be taken to ensure effective protection of workers exposed to benzene or to products containing benzene.
   • (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph 1 of this Recommendation, such measures should also be taken where...