Members of the European Parliament (EP) from the Employment and Social Affairs Committee adopted an opinion on new provisions improving EU standards for the protection of workers from exposure to dangerous substances in Brussels on Wednesday. The TASR reporter informs about it.
- MEPs approved new standards to protect workers from hazardous substances.
- They included limit values for cobalt, aromatic hydrocarbons and 1,4-dioxane.
- They added the obligation to provide personal protective equipment at workplaces.
- They require specific protection and supervision for firefighters and rescuers.
- States must report on the impact of these measures on businesses.
Deputies from the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the sixth revision of the EU directive on carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances (CMRD) with a ratio of 45 votes in favor, zero against and ten abstentions.
Lawmakers backed new limits for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, used to make batteries, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, used in steel, iron and aluminum production, and 1,4-dioxane, used in chemical and textile production. They also supported the addition of welding fumes to the list of hazardous substances.
They also drew attention to the means
MEPs have included in the directive a long-term occupational exposure limit value for isoprene (used in the chemical and rubber industries), which they say meets the criteria for classification as carcinogenic. Exposure to isoprene can cause irritation to the nose, throat and lungs, and in the long term it can lead to liver cancer and anemia.
In order to improve the protection of workers, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs also added an obligation for employers to provide personal protective equipment, such as respiratory protection equipment, if it is not possible to reduce the residual exposure below the limit values. While wearing protective equipment, workers should have the right to regular breaks in contamination-free areas.
MEPs also demand additional protective measures for firefighters and rescue workers who are exposed to the risk of contact with various hazardous materials during their work. The committee’s report emphasizes the need for specific risk assessments, appropriate protective measures and targeted medical supervision of firefighters and emergency responders.
States will report
To support SMEs in the implementation of this directive, MEPs want Member States to monitor and report on the effects of the implementation of the legislation on this type of business, including specific measures such as financial and technical support.
As workers may be more vulnerable to different types of substances depending on their gender, the EP Committee wants the gender perspective to become an integral part of the development of all occupational health and safety policies. The mandate for negotiations with other EU institutions on the final form of the revised directive must still be approved by the European Parliament.
The sixth revision of the directive on carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances should improve the protection of workers against occupational diseases and reduce the risks to workers’ health. According to data from the European Commission, this measure will prevent approximately 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other diseases over the next 40 years.
