Areas of activity

Chemicals

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 98/24/EC – risks related to chemical agents at work
• Directive 91/322/EEC – indicative limit values
• Directive 2000/39/EC – a first list of indicative occupational exposure limit values
• Directive 2006/15/EC – a second list of indicative occupational exposure limit values
• Directive 2009/161/EU – a third list of indicative occupational exposure limit values
• Directive 2017/164/EU – a fourth list of indicative occupational exposure limit value
• Directive 2019/1831 - a fifth list of indicative occupational exposure limit value

Guidance

• Minimising chemical risk to workers’ health and safety through substitution (EU, 2012)
• Guidance for employers on controlling risks from chemicals - Interface between Chemicals Agents Directive and REACH at the workplace (ACSH, 2010)
• Practical guidelines of a non-binding nature on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (EU, 2007)
• Dangerous substances e-tool (EU-OSHA) – This e-tool provides employers with support and advice to effectively manage dangerous substances in the workplace.

Studies and activities

• 2018–19 Campaign: Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances (EU-OSHA) – The 2018-19 campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by dangerous substances in the workplace and to promote a culture of risk prevention.
• HazChem@Work project: Final report (EC, 2017) – This project aimed at creating a database and developing a model to estimate the occupational exposure for a list of hazardous chemicals in EU countries and in the EFTA/EEA countries.
• Health, socio-economic and environmental aspects of possible amendments to the EU Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work – Summary report (2013)
• Study to analyse and evaluate the impact of the practical implementation in the workplace of national measures implementing Directive 98/24/EC on Chemical Agents – Final report (2010)
• SHEcan project: Socioeconomic, health and environmental impact of possible amendments to the EU Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive, (2009-2011)

Other Commission services

• DG ENV – REACH Regulation (webpage)
• DG GROW – Chemicals (webpage)

Carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 2004/37/EC – exposure to carcinogens, mutagens or reprotoxic substances at work
• Directive 2017/2398 – first amendment to the carcinogens and mutagens directive
• Directive 2019/130 – second amendment to the carcinogens and mutagens directive
• Directive 2019/983 – third amendment to the carcinogens and mutagens directive

Methodologies

• Methodology establishing risk-based limit values for non-threshold carcinogens, for the purposes of Article 1 (18a) of Directive 2004/37/EC

Asbestos

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 2009/148/EC – exposure to asbestos at work

Guidance

• Practical guidelines for the information and training of workers involved with asbestos removal or maintenance work (EC, 2012) – Aims to raise awareness and encourage preventive actions from the risk posed by asbestos fibres.

Nanomaterials

Policy documents

• Communication on regulatory aspects of nanomaterials, COM(2008) 366 final
• Staff Working Document on regulatory aspects of nanomaterials, SEC(2008) 2036

Guidance

• Working safely with manufactured nanomaterials: Guidance for Workers (EC, 2014) – Provides employees working with nanomaterials with an introduction to the issues surrounding – and approaches to working safely with nanomaterials.
• Guidance on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the potential risks related to nanomaterials at work (EC, 2013) – Guidance to assist employers, health and safety practitioners and workers in fulfilling their regulatory obligations.

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 2000/54/EC – exposure to biological agents at work
• Directive 2010/32/EU – prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector
• Directive 2019/1833 – exposure to biological agents at work (technical adjustments)

Guidance

• Occupational health and safety risks in the healthcare sector – Guide to prevention and good practice (EC, 2014)

Other publications

• E-fact 53: Risk assessment for biological agents (EU-OSHA, 2010)

Other Commission services

• DG SANTE, Communicable diseases (webpage)
• DG SANTE, Cross-border threats (webpage)
• DG SANTE, Biological safety (webpage)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 2002/44/EC – risks arising from vibration
• Directive 2003/10/EC – risks arising from noise
• Directive 2006/25/EC – risks arising from artificial optical radiation
• Directive 2013/35/EU – risks arising from electromagnetic fields
• Directive 1999/92/EC – risks from explosive atmospheres

Policy documents

• Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz)

Guidelines

• Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2013/35/EU Electromagnetic Fields: Volume 1, Practical guide; Volume 2, Case Studies; Guide for SMEs (EC, 2015-2016)
• Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC on artificial optical radiation (EC, 2011)
• Non-binding guide to good practice for the application of Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the minimum safety and health requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (Noise) (EC, 2011)
• Non-binding guide to good practice with a view to implementation of directive 2002/44/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibrations)  (EC, 2009)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 90/269/EEC – manual handling of loads (back injury)
• Directive 90/270/EEC – display screen equipment
• Directive 2002/44/EC – risks arising from vibration
• Directive 89/654/EEC – workplace requirements  
• Directive 2009/104/EC – work equipment

Guidelines

• Non-binding guide to good practice with a view to implementation of directive 2002/44/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibrations)  (EC, 2009)
• Healthy workers, thriving companies - a practical guide to wellbeing at work (EU-OSHA, 2018)

Studies and activities

• OSH in figures: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the EU — Facts and Figures (EU-OSHA, 2010)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 89/391/ECC – framework directive
• Directive 90/270/EEC – display screen equipment

Guidance

• Healthy workers, thriving companies - a practical guide to wellbeing at work (EU-OSHA, 2018)
• Promoting mental health in the workplace: Guidance to implementing a comprehensive approach (EC, 2014)
• Interpretative Document of the Implementation of Council Directive 89/391/EEC in relation to Mental Health in the Workplace (EC, 2014)
• E-guide to managing stress and psychosocial risks (EU-OSHA)

Policy documents

• Evaluation of policy and practice to promote mental health in the workplace in Europe (EC, 2014) – Final Report.

Other Commission services

• DG SANTE – Mental health (webpage)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 91/383/EEC – fixed-duration or temporary employment relationship
• Directive 92/85/EEC – pregnant and breastfeeding workers
• Directive 94/33/EEC – young people at work

Guidance

• Guidelines on the assessment of the chemical, physical and biological agents and industrial processes considered hazardous for the safety or health of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding (COM(2000) 466)
• Towards age-friendly work in Europe: a life-course perspective on work and ageing from EU Agencies (EU-OSHA, 2017)
• eGuide: Healthy Workplaces for all Ages (EU-OSHA, 2017) – A multilingual e-guide on managing safety and health at work for an ageing workforce.

Studies and activities

• Project: Safer and healthier work at any age – occupational safety and health (OSH) in the context of an ageing workforce (EU-OSHA, 2016)

Other publications

• E-fact 78: Involving young workers in OSH (EU-OSHA, 2013)
• Factsheet 83: Good practice in preventing risks to young workers - A Summary (EU-OSHA, 2009)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 92/57/EEC – temporary or mobile construction sites
• Directive 92/29/EEC – medical treatment on board vessels
• Directive 93/103/EC – work on board fishing vessels
• Directive 92/104/EEC – mineral-extracting industries
• Directive 92/91/EEC – mineral-extracting industries through drilling
• Directive 2010/32/EU – prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector
• Directive 2019/1834 – medical treatment on board vessels (technical adjustments)

Guidance

• A non–binding guide to best practice with a view to improving the application of related directives on protecting health and safety of workers in agriculture, livestock farming, horticulture and forestry (EC, 2016)
• Occupational health and safety risks in the healthcare sector – Guide to prevention and good practice (EC, 2014)
• Non-binding guide to good practice for understanding and implementing Directive 92/57/EEC on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites (EC, 2011)

Studies and activities

• Study: Analysis and evaluation of the effects of the practical application of national legislation related to safety and health at work in mineral extraction through drilling – Directive 92/91/EEC (EC, 2013)

EU OSH Legislation

• Directive 89/391/ECC – framework directive

Guidance

• Health and safety at work is everybody’s business - Practical guidance for employers (EC, 2017)
• OiRA – Online interactive Risk Assessment (EU-OSHA)
• Worker participation in occupational safety and health – A practical guide (EU-OSHA, 2012)
• Management leadership in occupational safety and health – A practical guide (EU-OSHA, 2012)

Studies and activities

• Peer review: The use of web-based tools for OSH risk assessment, Ireland, October 2017