Progress made on protection against work-related cancer

In order to strengthen the right of workers to a high level of health at work, the Commission published an amendment to Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to carcinogens or mutagens at work in April 2018 (see article 4/2018).

This amendment proposes exposure limits for workers to five more carcinogens. These are:

1. Cadmium - 0.001 mg/m3. This value is to apply after a transitional period of seven years, in the meantime, the limit 0.004 mg/m3 shall apply.

2. Beryllium - 0.0002 mg/m3. This value is to apply after a transitional period of five years, in the meantime the limit of 0.0006 mg/m3 shall apply.

3. Arsenic acid - 0.01 mg/m3. This value is to apply to the field of copper smelting after a transitional period of two years.

4. Formaldehyde - 0.37 mg/m3 for 8-hour exposure and 0.74 mg/m3 for short-term exposure. These limits shall apply after a transitional period of three years.

5. MOCA - 0.01 mg/m3 with evidence of possible skin absorption. 

The Commission estimates that the proposal would improve working conditions for more than 1,000,000 workers in the EU and prevent more than 22,000 work-related illnesses. 

At its meeting on 6 December, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council reached an agreement on the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament. Prior to this, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament had already submitted its report.

Background

Under Principle 10 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the EU Commission wants to strengthen workers’ rights to a healthy, safe and well-adapted work environment. Protecting workers’ health by constantly reducing exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic substances in the workplace is a specific measure to implement this principle.

 

Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work includes measures to prevent or reduce exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic chemical agents. In order to maximise the protection of workers through the proposed rules, the Directive is regularly updated to the latest scientific and technical standards. 

The Commission had previously proposed two amendments to the Directive in May 2016 and in January 2017 (see articles 7/2017 and 6/2016). The first amendment was adopted as Directive (EU) 2017/2398 by the two legislative bodies at the end of 2017.

 

A compromise to the second amendment has been approved by The Permanent Representatives Committee and the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament reached in the interinstitutional negotiations. The compromise was adopted by the European Parliament on 11 December 2018. 

Infographic on dangerous substances

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work wants to raise awareness of the risks posed by hazardous substances and promote a culture of risk prevention with its 2018-2019 ‘Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances’ Campaign (see article 12/2017). To support its campaign, the Agency has published an interactive infographic about dangerous substances. The infographic containing facts and figures on the risks of hazardous substances to workers, including the hazards of carcinogens at work.