Chemical Handling Directive aims to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals
The new ‘Chemical Handling Directive’ 2014/27/EU proposes to better protect workers from risks linked to exposure to chemicals at the workplace.
- This Directive amends five existing EU health and safety Directives on protection of workers from exposure to harmful chemicals to align them with the latest rules on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (Regulation (EC) 1272/2008).
- The five Occupational Safety and Health Directives that would be amended by this proposal (92/58/EEC, 92/85/EEC, 94/33/EC, 98/24/EC and 2004/37/EC) all currently refer to existing EU chemical classification and labelling legislation that will be repealed on 1 June 2015 in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1272/2008.
- The classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures regulation, Regulation (EC) 1272/2008, implements the United Nations Globally Harmonised System for the harmonised classification of hazardous chemicals and entered into force in January 2009.
The Directive will ensure that manufacturers and suppliers of chemical substances and mixtures would have to provide harmonised labeling information on hazard classification, alerting the user to the presence of hazardous chemicals, the need to avoid exposure and the associated risks.
- This allows employers to put in place appropriate risk management measures to protect workers’ health and safety, such as process enclosure, ventilation systems and the use of personal protective equipment.
- The Directive will be transposed in Ireland by 1st June 2015 in time for the deadline for the classification, packaging and labeling of mixtures in accordance with the CLP criteria.
EU-OSHA & Commission have published information, posters, video’s guidance and leaflets to explain how CLP will affect worker legislation.
Source: HSA Newsletter