1. 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/ , EU-OSHA, Bilbao
Lothar Lieck, Senior Project Manager, Prevention and Research Unit, EU-OSHA

2. 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 Campaign

3. 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

4. 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: 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

5. EU OSH Legislation and Dangerous substances

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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 % %
36 100%
3 100% %
2 100%
61 100%
56 100%

10. 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:
2) Sixth European Working Conditions Survey, Overview Report, Eurofound, 2016, p. 43. Available at:

11. 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 indikator/?iid=69&pl=1&t=Land&l=SE

12. 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

13. 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 chemicals. Country figures are often confidential.

14. 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
EUROSTAT Structural Business Statistics provide employment figures in sectors and subsectors but not the number of workers in certain occupations (ISCO)
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?

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. HWC 18-19 Campaign - Campaign resources

21. 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
signature
Links to useful sites

22. 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
Recommendation: The asthma of Antoine the Baker

23. 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

24. 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)

25. HWC 18-19 Campaign - e-tool Dangerous substances

26. 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

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

28. Annex: Screenshot Occupational Limit Values International