The European Parliament has given the green light this Tuesday to a strengthening of the regulations that restrict employees' exposure to hazardous substances used in sectors such as battery production, steelmaking, the chemical industry, and textiles. The reform also tightens protection obligations when it is not possible to sufficiently reduce contact with these compounds.
"Every year, around 120,000 workers in the EU are diagnosed with occupational cancer after exposure to carcinogenic agents at work. We are facing an avoidable tragedy that we cannot accept," defended the rapporteur of the text, the Member of the European Parliament from the European People's Party (EPP) Liesbet Sommen, who assured that the new rules will allow "better protection of workers' health" and reduce risks in the workplace.
The legislative change, which had already been provisionally agreed upon with the Twenty-Seven, has been supported in the plenary of the Eurochamber with 499 votes in favor, 49 against, and 104 abstentions. With this decision, the European regulation that seeks to limit occupational risks arising from agents capable of causing malignant tumors, genetic alterations, or fertility and reproduction problems is updated for the sixth time.
According to calculations by the European Commission, these new rules will prevent around 1,700 cases of lung cancer and another 19,000 diseases in the next 40 years. The regulation sets revised limit values for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, used in battery manufacturing; for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, present in processes related to steel, iron, and aluminum; and for 1,4-dioxane, used in the chemical and textile industries, as detailed by Parliament.
In addition, isoprene, used in the production of chemicals and rubber, is included, for which a maximum threshold for long-term occupational exposure is established upon meeting the classification criteria as a carcinogen. At the same time, the Commission must analyze whether it is necessary to impose additional restrictions on substances present in welding fumes.
Additional protection measures and sensitive groups
The review also includes reinforced obligations for those cases in which it is not possible to reduce the presence of these agents below the established limits. Among them are the mandatory use of personal protective equipment, such as respiratory protection devices, and the right of workers to take periodic breaks in safe areas free from contamination risk.
The text also includes specific safeguards for firefighters and other emergency service professionals, due to their possible exposure to multiple hazardous materials during interventions. Likewise, training is intensified for all individuals who may come into contact with carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic agents for reproduction.
These requirements also apply to the handling of certain hazardous medications, including those that can cause harm to healthcare personnel if not handled or administered properly.
Once the directive comes into force, member states will have a period of two years to incorporate it into their national legal systems. However, longer transitional periods are anticipated for the effective implementation of the reduction of some of the established exposure limits.