What is the Agency doing on Dangerous Substances?

1. What is the Agency doing on Dangerous Substances? Elke Schneider Project Manager Risk Observatory Unit

2. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work - established 1996 Byla odstraněna grafika pro zmenšení rozsahu prezentace, původní velikost prezentace byla 9 MB.

3. Key Areas of Activity • Network development – building the links • Information services - communicating knowledge • Information projects – developing knowledge

4. Information Network Community Partners Other EU Partners European Agency Non-EU Partners Expert Groups National Focal Points Topic Centres National Networks

5. EU Focal Points CC Focal Points EEA EFTA Focal Points

6. Dangerous Substances Situation in the EU • 16% of EU workers report handling dangerous substances, 22% being exposed to toxic vapours • Skin diseases and asthma top occupational diseases in EU Member States • Infectious diseases lead to long workplace absences • 16 Mio registered chemical substances 100000 marketed, 30000 commonly used • for estimated about 20000 substances used in the workplace additional toxicological data are needed

7. Dangerous substances - Activities • Website information online - good practice • Occupational exposure limits • Frequently asked questions • Good practice examples • Links to Member state information • Research activities • Risk observatory • European Week 2003 activities and products

8. EW 2003 Campaign model • October 2003 - Decentralised European campaign • Partnership approach - Agency, Focal Points, Social Partners, EU institutions, EU presidency • EU, EFTA & Candidate Countries • Agency Funding • European Good Practice Award • Closing Event

9. Forum 12, Eur. Agency for afety and Security at Work - Byla odstraněna grafika pro zmenšení rozsahu prezentace, původní velikost prezentace byla 9 MB.

10. Keymessages • Most workplaces are concerned • Don’t forget the substances produced during work (dusts, fumes, mists, microorganisms)! • Substitution is possible • Risk assessment is essential • Information has to be brought to workplaces • Information has to be translated for workers and employers into practical guidance • Hints and links to guidance and practical solutions

11. EW 2003 Campaign material (1) • Press material • Six Fact sheets • Introduction to DS in the Workplace • Elimination and Substitution of DS • Communication of information about dangerous substances • Respiratory sensitisers • Skin sensitisers • Biological agents

12. Factsheets 33/35: IntroductionInformation about DS • A strong EU legislative framework • Employers have to assess risks • Hierarchy of control measures with substitution as a priority • Include substances generated during work • OEL laid down in EU and Member States • Checklist for information to workers • Checklist for good communication between employer and workers • Labels and Safety data sheets

13. Factsheet 34: Substitution • Substitution top priority EU strategy • Where to start • Guides for substitution • Benefits from substitution • A practical example: The Danish MAL-KODE for paints

14. Factsheets on respiratory and skin sensitisers • What causes respiratory/skin problems • What are allergic respiratory/skin diseases? • What are respiratory/skin sensitisers • Examples of potential sensitisers from natural origin / related occupations • Preventing exposure • Good Practice examples

16. EW2003 Campaign material (2) • A Report: Case studies of successful communication measures for the transmission of information relating to DS • LAB-link (Denmark) • Chemical and biological agents programme (Spain) • Safety and health strategy against biohazards (Austria) • Magazine • Website: dedicated multilingual information resource for the Week and in the future http://ew2003.osha.eu.int

18. Byla odstraněna grafika pro zmenšení rozsahu prezentace, původní velikost prezentace byla 9 MB.

19. Website Information on Good Practice - Dangerous Substances • Information on OEL • Case studies • By industry/sector • A-Z-list • Risk assessment • Health effects • Policy • Training • FAQ • Includes biological agents

22. Good Practice Information for sectors • Agriculturehttp://osha.eu.int/good_practice/sector/agriculture • Construction http://osha.eu.int/good_practice/sector/construction/ • Educationhttp://osha.eu.int/good_practice/education/ • Fisherieshttp://osha.eu.int/good_practice/sector/fisheries/ • Health Carehttp://osha.eu.int/good_practice/sector/healthcare/

24. Good Practice OEL Activities • FAQs on OEL in Occupational Safety and Health Systems • FAQs on types of OEL • Summary of MS information incl. Internet links to Organizations • Non-MS information • Preparation of EU Indicative limit values • Non Internet Sources Reference Information

26. Challenge: Anticipating risks • Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002–2006 • Emphasises the need to build “a genuine culture of risk prevention, (…) to anticipate risks and bring them under control” • Requires the Agency to “act as a driving force in matters concerning awareness-building and risk anticipation” • Asks the Agency to create a Risk Observatory (RO), to provide forward-looking information for policy-makers • In response, 2 activities within the RO: • Identification of emerging risks • Identification of OSH priorities

27. RISK OBSERVATORY- Objectives • Provide an overview of OSH in Europe (no benchmarking or country comparisons) • Highlight trends on OSH outcomes and risk factors • Provide early identification of newly emerging risks in the workplace • Identify areas/issues where more information needed

28. 3 FUNCTIONS • Monitoring (identify trends, changes and risk factors, based on data collecting and analysis)  Quantitative data • Early warning (identify new issues through networks such as expert groups, labour inspection, company surveys.)  Qualitative data, research • Clearing house (provide input for tools, based on good practice, for preventive action) • Good practice examples

29. Identification of emerging OSH risks What are “emerging risks”? An emerging risk is both new and increasing. “New” means either that: • the risk was previously non-existent; or • a long-standing issue is now considered to be a risk due to: • a change in social or public perceptions; or • new scientific knowledge. The risk is “increasing” if: • the number of hazards leading to the risk is growing; • the likelihood of exposure to the hazard leading to the risk is increasing; • the effect of the hazard on workers’ health is getting worse.

31. Delphi studies • Definition “emerging risks” • Questionnaire for chemical and biological agents • Risks-substances-products-procedures • Health effects-diseases • Supporting references • Part of an overall assessment incl. also • Physical and mechanical • Human, social and organisational

33. Emerging chemical OSH risks • Expert forecast: • Invited = 152 / Responses 1st round = 54 / 3rd round = 49 • Exposure to nanoparticles and ultrafine particles (MV=4,60)Nanoscale materials are increasingly being used in many contexts, but their risks are not fully understood • Validation and improvement of models of assessment for worker exposure to chemicals • Difficulties in assessing the exposure especially in PMEs (MV=4,39) and for outsourced activities (MV=4,34) • Skin exposure (MV=4,11): • Measuring, modelling and risk assessment • Exposure in waste treatment activities (MV=4,11) • Lack of information on effects of reprotoxicants (MV=3,85)

34. OSH research priorities the EU • At the Commission’s request, in 2004 the Agency prepared a short report on OSH priorities as input into the 7th FP • The report focused on 4 areas: • Psychosocial work environment • Musculoskeletal disorders • Dangerous substances • OSH management • Seeking consensus on research priorities • Necessary basis to co-ordinate research programmes and to argue for increased funding and visibility

35. Risk observatory activities 2006-7 • Report on biological agents – pandemics • Report on emerging risks – chemical • Report on emerging risks – biological • Includes literature surveys related to nanotechnologies, chemicals management, etc. • Data collection on skin problems and respiratory diseases • Cooperation with SLIC on asbestos – current risks

36. Visit our Webpages • http://osha.eu.int/good_practice/risks/dangerous_substances • http://osha.eu.int/good_practice/risks/ds/oel/ • http://ew2003.osha.eu.int/ • http://osha.eu.int/research/rtopics/rds/ • http://riskobservatory.osha.eu.int/ • http://riskobservatory.osha.eu.int/risks/chemical

37. Thankyou for your attention! Byla odstraněna grafika pro zmenšení rozsahu prezentace, původní velikost prezentace byla 9 MB.