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Questionnaire for Member State Authorities

Questionnaire for Member State authorities

A consortium comprising RPA Risk & Policy Analysts (United Kingdom), FoBiG Forschungs- und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe (Germany), COWI (Denmark), and EPRD Office for Economic Policy and Regional Development (Poland) has been contracted by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) to carry out a study to support a possible amendment of Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (hereinafter the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive or CMD).  

The objectives of the study are:

  1.        to assess the impacts of establishing Occupational Exposure Limit Values (OELs) and, where relevant, other potential measures such as Short-term Exposure Limits (STELs) for the following chemical agents[1]:
    •    cadmium and its inorganic compounds*;
    •    beryllium and its inorganic compounds*;
    •    inorganic arsenic compounds including arsenic acid and its salts*;
    •    formaldehyde; and
    •    4,4'-Methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) (includes the consideration of a skin notation).

*As far as under the scope of the CMD

For each agent, a range of potential limit values is being assessed reaching from the lowest to the highest values resulting from SCOEL recommendations, RAC opinions and OELs established in EU Member States.

  1.       to describe and assess the OEL-deriving systems in EU Member States and selected competitor countries.

The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect data and information that will underpin the assessment.  This questionnaire is intended for Member State authorities that are responsible for setting and/or enforcing national OELs and/or would be able to provide any information, views, and data on the likely impacts of new OELs, STELs and skin notations under the CMD.

The questionnaire consists of six parts:

  • Part A:  National systems for setting OELs, STELs and skin notations.
  • Part B:  Enforcement of existing OELs and STELs
  • Part C:  Current OELs, STELs and skin notations for the five chemical agents
  • Part D:  The impacts of potential new OELs for the five chemical agents (and STELs for Be and formaldehyde and skin notation for MOCA)
  • Part E:  Cr(VI) from welding, plasma cutting, and similar work processes that generate fumes
  • Part F:  Further communication

The deadline for completion of the questionnaire is 3 November 2017. 

If you have any questions about this study, please contact Daniel Vencovsky (daniel.vencovsky@rpaltd.co.uk or +44 (0)1508 528 465).
 

Definitions and acronyms

CMD

Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 2004/37/EC

MOCA

4,4'-Methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline)

OEL

The term Occupational Exposure Limit Value (OEL) refers to the limit of the time-weighted average (TWA) of the concentration in the air within the breathing zone of a worker, measured or calculated in relation to a reference period of eight hours.

RAC

The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) is a scientific committee of ECHA that prepares the opinions related to the risks of substances to human health and the environment.  It also assisted DG Employment with the evaluation of MOCA and inorganic arsenic compounds.

RMM

Risk Management Measure

SCOEL

The Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) assists the Commission, in particular, in evaluating scientific data and recommending OELs.

Skin notation

An indication that the dermal route of exposure is scientifically considered to be relevant (in addition to the inhalation route)

STEL

A Short-term Exposure Limit (STEL) is a limit of the concentration in the air within the breathing zone of a worker, measured or calculated in relation to a reference period of fifteen minutes.

TWA

Time-weighted average

 
 

[1]     The study is also assessing the impacts of an OEL of 5 µg/m3 for ‘chromium (VI) compounds in welding or plasma cutting processes or similar work processes that generate fume’ which will enter into force 5 years after the transposition date of the compromise recently reached by Council and the European Parliament on the Commission proposal COM(2016)248 final.

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