NeRSAP 7 Meeting, Feb 12/13 2018, EU-OSHA, Bilbao Dangerous substances at EU-OSHA – Research projects, plans and the Healthy Workplaces Campaign 18/19 NeRSAP 7 Meeting, Feb 12/13 2018, EU-OSHA, Bilbao Lothar Lieck, Senior Project Manager, Prevention and Research Unit, EU-OSHA

EU OSHA and Dangerous substances EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances Facts and figures New approach to quantify exposed worker populations The topic of ‘Dangerous substances’ at EU-OSHA HWC 18-19 Campaign

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances Three main EU OSH directives Directive 89/391/EEC (the OSH Framework Directive) Directive 98/24/EC (the Chemical Agents Directive, CAD) Directive 2004/37/EC (the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive, CMD) See https://osha.europa.eu/en/safety-and-health-legislation

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances National legislation existed before EU-Legislation Transposition of directives was complex for countries with existing comprehensive regulation Slightly different terminology in MS Different coverage of substances Different limit values (see GESTIS: http://limitvalue.ifa.dguv.de/, screenshot next slide) Different regulation for specific groups Widely different institutional framework and infrastructure consequently large differences in practical implementation Very diverse capacities and qualifications of OSH personal in enterprises Very diverse regulation of recognition of occupational diseases

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances (a) ‘Chemical agent’ means any chemical element or compound, on its own or admixed, as it occurs in the natural state or as produced, used or released, including release as waste, by any work activity, whether or not produced intentionally and whether or not placed on the market; (b) ‘Hazardous chemical agent’ means: (iii) any chemical agent which, whilst not meeting the criteria for classification as hazardous…… may, because of its physico-chemical, chemical or toxicological properties and the way it is used or is present in the workplace, present a risk to the safety and health of workers, including any chemical agent that is assigned an occupational exposure limit value under Article 3. ‘Activity involving chemical agents’ means any work in which chemical agents are used, or are intended to be used, in any process, including production, handling, storage, transport or disposal and treatment, or which result from such work.

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances What are dangerous substances at work places? Any substance (gas, liquid or solid) that poses a risk to workers’ safety and health: Chemicals, e.g. in paints, glues, disinfectants, cleaning products or pesticides Process-generated contaminants, e.g. welding fumes, silica dust or combustion products like from hot processes or e.g. diesel exhausts Naturally occurring materials like grain, asbestos or crude oil Degradation products

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances Dangerous substances and processes should be completely eliminated from workplaces (e.g. designing new work processes) If elimination is not possible, the risk must be managed based on a hierarchy of prevention measures — the STOP principle: Substitution (safe or less harmful alternatives) Technological measures (encasing, exhaust) Organisational measures (qualified employees for specified work) Personal protection (wearing PPE)

EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances   Respondent EU15 …..Response Greatest Significance N, % Public Administration Employers’ representatives Employees’ representatives OSH practitioners Accident Insurance Academics / researchers Other EU 15 Accession states Avoiding hazardous chemicals 15 % 19 % 36 % 5 % 6 % 0 % 27 % 16 % 13 % Substitution 2 % 9 % 3 % 4 % Technical measures 17 % 33 % 20 % Organisational measures 10 % 11 % 14 % 7 % Personal protective equipment (PPE) 57 % 52 % 55 % 74 % 61 % 67 % 100 % 59 % Other (e.g. technical innovation) Total 117, 100 31, 100 11 100 % 19 100% 36 100% 3 100% 15 100% 2 100% 61 100% 56 100%

Facts and figures Chemical or biological substances are present in 38 % of workplaces according to EU-OSHA’s workplace survey1 Large enterprises often use more than 1,000 different chemical products A single worker can come into contact with hundreds of different chemical substances 18 % of EU workers report being exposed to chemicals for at least 25 % of their working time2 New risks are emerging all the time 1) Summary — Second European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2), EU-OSHA, 2015, p. 5. Available at: https://osha.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/documents/esener-ii-summary-en.PDF 2) Sixth European Working Conditions Survey, Overview Report, Eurofound, 2016, p. 43. Available at: https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef1634en.pdf

Facts and figures Sectors with high prevalence of dangerous substances include agriculture (62 %), manufacturing (52 %) and construction (51 %) In many sectors, the use of chemicals has grown as chemical-based technologies have replaced traditional ways of working (pesticides, plastics, insulation, glueing. furniture etc.) 3.6 tons of dangerous substances (‘hälsofarliga kemiska produkter’) were used per citizen in Sweden in 2015 http://www.miljomal.se/Miljomalen/Alla-indikatorer/Indikatorsida/Dataunderlag-for- indikator/?iid=69&pl=1&t=Land&l=SE

New approach to quantify exposed worker populations EU-OSHA commissioned a study to better estimate the exposure to dangerous substances at European work places, particularly the most relevant substances, and the main sectors of occurrence Objective: to prioritise policy actions The study applied a new methodology to combine publicly available data from ECHA, SPIN, PRODCOM, EUROSTAT business statistics and the European Working Conditions Survey

New approach to quantify exposed worker populations Why a combination? ECHA has a detailed list of the uses of a substance but not of the amount per use or even the number of exposed workers ECHA has a wide range of manufactured tons PRODCOM has exact production and import/export figures but only for ca. 200 chemicals. Country figures are often confidential. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/prodcom/data/database

New approach to quantify exposed worker populations Why a combination? SPIN: Has quite detailed use figures but only for the Nordic countries. Storage or larger imports significantly influence the annual data http://spin2000.net/ EUROSTAT Structural Business Statistics provide employment figures in sectors and subsectors but not the number of workers in certain occupations (ISCO) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/structural-business-statistics EWCS has data on exposure in sectors and countries (self-assessment) Three questions: Are you exposed to breathing in smoke, fumes, powder or dust? Are you exposed to breathing in vapours? Are you exposed to chenical products or substances? https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/surveys/european-working-conditions-surveys

New approach to quantify exposed worker populations Finally an expert scoring was applied A preliminary list of 68 substances/substance groups with high relevance for work place exposures to dangerous substances was created

The topic of ‘Dangerous substances’ at EU-OSHA Website information online and paper publications Good practice examples and case studies Links to Member state information Fact sheets in many/all official languages EU Risk observatory Expert surveys on chemical and biological agents, Targeted studies, e.g. on nanoparticles and green jobs Campaigns European Week 2003 activities and products Mainstreamed into our campaigns: noise (2004), construction (2005), young workers (2006), risk assessment (2008) Support to SLIC campaigns on asbestos and workplace risk assessment of dangerous substances

The topic of ‘Dangerous substances’ at EU-OSHA Research / State-of-the-art reviews: Expert forecast on emerging chemical + biological risks Noise and ototoxic substances Skin diseases and dermal exposure Survey on Occupational Exposure Limits for CMRs in the Member States Occupational cancer and carcinogens Risks to reproductive health Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease Nanomaterials Exposure to carcinogens and work-related cancer - a review of assessment measures

The topic of ‘Dangerous substances’ at EU-OSHA 2017/18 Fumigation study Review of human health risks and prevention practices during handling of fumigated containers in ports. Feasibility Study Survey Carcinogens Feasibility study on the development of a computer-assisted telephone survey to estimate worker’s exposure to carcinogens in the EU State-of-the-art report on reproductive toxicants Summary published (60 pages) Report in production

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Key objectives Raise awareness of the risks posed by dangerous substances in the workplace Promoting risk assessment, elimination and substitution, and the hierarchy of prevention Improve understanding of the risks associated with carcinogens Target workers with specific needs and vulnerabilities Provide information on policy developments and relevant legislation

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Campaign resources

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Campaign resources Campaign guide Practical e-tool Reports Series of info sheets on priority topics Database of resources and tools Case studies and audio-visual database OSHwiki: updated section and new articles Napo films Promotion material Campaign leaflet Good Practice Awards flyer Poster Videos Online banner Email signature Links to useful sites

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Campaign resources Resource database with guidance docs and audio- visual info Ca. 700 entries from Member States, EU and international sources Case studies of good practice examples Video IKEA France – Container check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48HHnYlfDVY Recommendation: The asthma of Antoine the Baker

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Carcinogens Carcinogens cause the majority of fatal occupational diseases in the EU Every year, occupational exposure to carcinogens causes: 120,000 people to develop cancer 80,000 deaths Many cases of occupational cancer are preventable Stricter measures apply to carcinogens than to other dangerous substances The Roadmap on Carcinogens aims to address this issue

HWC 18-19 Campaign - e-tool Dangerous substances For laymen Short and long questionnaire Tailored good practice recommendations based on the responses EU-OSHA offers master version as platform Member States create their language version and adapt it to the national legislation (Next page: Screenshot)

HWC 18-19 Campaign - e-tool Dangerous substances

HWC 18-19 Campaign – Key dates Campaign launch: April 2018 Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Exchange event: 2nd quarter 2019 European Weeks for Safety and Health at Work: October 2018 and 2019 Healthy Workplaces Summit and Good Practice Awards Ceremony: November 2019

HWC 18-19 Campaign - Further information Learn more at the campaign website: www.healthy-workplaces.eu Subscribe to our campaign newsletter: https://healthy-workplaces.eu/en/healthy-workplaces-newsletter Keep up to date with activities and events through social media: Find out about events in your country from your focal point: www.healthy-workplaces.eu/fops

Annex: Screenshot Occupational Limit Values International