This directive lays down minimum requirements for the protection of workers exposed to carcinogens and mutagens. In order to reduce the risks to the health and safety of workers associated with such an exposure, it sets out exposure limit values as well as preventive measures.

Cette directive fait partie d’un « paquet » de quatre directives relatives à l’exposition des travailleurs aux risques dus aux agents physiques: bruits, vibrations, champs électromagnétiques et rayonnements optiques.

The development of a European schedule of occupational diseases has three main aims: to improve knowledge of the subject at European level (collection and comparability of data); to step up prevention: the Member States are asked to define quantified objectives with a view to reducing the rate of these diseases; to provide assistance to the workers concerned to enable them more easily to prove the link between their occupational activities and their disease and apply for compensation.

La directive traite des vibrations transmises d’une part au système main-bras, qui peuvent entraîner notamment des troubles vasculaires, neurologiques ou musculaires et des lésions ostéo-articulaires, d’autre part à l’ensemble du corps, qui sont une des causes des lombalgies et des traumatismes de la colonne vertébrale. La directive fixe des valeurs limites d’exposition journalière normalisées à une période de référence de 8 heures : 5m/s2 pour les vibrations main-bras et 1,15m/s2 pour les vibrations à l’ensemble du corps. Elle fixe également des valeurs d’exposition journalière déclenchant l’action, valeurs au-delà desquelles des mesures spécifiques de prévention doivent être prises : choix d’un équipement de travail produisant moins de vibrations, droit pour les travailleurs concernés de faire l’objet d’une surveillance médicale appropriée… Ces valeurs sont de 2,5m/s2 pour les vibrations transmises aux mains et aux bras et de 0,5m/s2 pour celles transmises à l’ensemble du corps. Un article de la directive est consacré à la surveillance de la santé des travailleurs exposés. Cette surveillance vise à prévenir et à diagnostiquer rapidement toute affection liée à l’exposition aux vibrations mécaniques.

The directive sets out the minimum safety and health requirements concerning the use of work equipment for carrying out temporary work at a height such as scaffoldings, ladders and ropes which are the equipment most commonly used to perform this type of work. EUROGIP took part in the elaboration of a guide for the European Commission.

In the case of any activity likely to involve a risk of exposure to biological agents, the nature, degree and duration of workers’ exposure must be determined in order to make it possible to assess any risk to the workers’ health or safety and to lay down the measures to be taken. The employer shall avoid the use of a harmful biological agent if the nature of the activity so permits, by replacing it with a biological agent which, under its conditions of use, is not dangerous or is less dangerous to workers’ health in the present state of knowledge. Where the results of the assessment carried out reveal a risk to workers’ health or safety, workers’ exposure must be prevented. Where this is not technically practicable, having regard to the activity, the risk of exposure must be reduced to as low a level as necessary in order to protect adequately the health and safety of the workers concerned. The directive lists different ways to achieve this target: keeping as low as possible the number of workers exposed; collective and/or individual protection measures; means for safe collection of waste by workers, etc. Where the results of the assessment carried out reveal risk to workers’ health or safety, the employer shall, when requested, make available to the competent authorities appropriate information for example on: the limitation on the number of workers exposed; the collective and/or individual protection measures; the means making it possible for the workers to collect waste safely, etc. Workers must be provided with appropriate protection clothing as well as washing and toilet facilities. Health surveillance carried out in accordance with national practice shall be made available to exposed workers. Lastly, a model of biohazard sign is planned.

Le chef d’entreprise doit notamment prendre les mesures propres à prévenir la formation d’atmosphères explosives, éviter l’inflammation de celles-ci et, en dernier recours, atténuer les  effets nuisibles d’une explosion. Ce qui implique d’évaluer les risques d’explosion, de surveiller les milieux de travail où des atmosphères explosives peuvent se former et de coordonner les  mesures de sécurité à mettre en oeuvre en cas de présence de travailleurs appartenant à plusieurs entreprises sur un même lieu de travail. Un document particulier relatif à la protection contre les explosions doit être établi et tenu à jour. Les emplacements à risques d’explosion doivent être classés par degré de risque, en fonction  de la fréquence et de la durée d’une atmosphère explosive. Un balisage approprié doit être mis  en place pour ces zones.

To lay down minimum requirements for the protection of workers from risks to their safety and health arising, or likely to arise, from the effects of chemical agents that are present at the workplace or as a result of any work activity involving chemical agents.

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (89/391/EEC)