The project comprised eleven work packages - Each is described briefly below.
WP1: Estimation of the number of people exposed to the 25 agents identified in the tender request - by industry, country and gender; taking account of the uncertainties involved
WP2: Estimation of exposure level by industry and country, taking account of the uncertainties involved
WP3: Assess the risk associated with exposures, for specific cancers taking account of the uncertainties
WP4: Socioeconomic assessment, to analyse the social and economic impacts of implementation and non-implementation of the proposed policy options. This will consider the costs and benefits of the impacts on the health of workers potentially exposed to the substances, the economic impacts on businesses implementing changes to the directive and the costs of implementation for regulatory authorities and agencies (following the EU administrative costs model). The analyses will take into consideration the current situations in different member states of the EU (as the directive sets out minimum provisions and member states may already go beyond these) as well as consider foreseeable changes in the uses of substances as a result of market changes, changes in technology and other legislation (especially REACH), as this may affect the assessment of the non-implementation scenarios
WP5: Environmental impact, to assess the potential environmental impact of the policy options on the ecosystem (it may also be important to ensure consideration of the exposure and impacts on man via the environment i.e. non-workers that are potentially exposed via use of products, air or consumption of drinking water and food). As the proposed policy options are directed at improving the protection of human health they may have unintended impacts on the environment. This will of course depend on what measures are used to implement the suggested changes, for example the consequence of compliance with an OEL may increase emissions of the substance to the environment or increase the amount of hazardous waste. As number of the substances have been subject to risk assessment (for example under the Existing Substances Regulation), this information will be helpful for this analysis.
WP6: Review the advantages and disadvantages of introducing a system for setting OELs based on quantitative risk criteria, and the possible impact at the EU level should this type of approach be introduced.
WP7: Review the requirements in the Carcinogens Directive for prevention and reduction of exposure, with the aim of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the requirements in Article 5 to minimise the exposure of workers. This evaluation will consider the suitability, comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the requirements in the Directive.
WP8: Assess the impact of introducing four additional substances onto the list contained in Annex I of the Directive: namely diesel engine exhaust, respirable crystalline silica, rubber process fume and dust, and mineral oil. The assessment will include the technical feasibility of introducing these substances to the Directive, an overview of the occupational exposures in Europe, the number of workers exposed, typical adverse effects from exposure, the benefits from introducing the substances into the scope of the Directive, possible changes in the extent of exposure and risk, issues affecting particular demographic groups, the effect on the environment and the economic impacts of the proposed changes.
WP9: Assess the impact of reducing the OELs for hardwood dust and vinyl chloride monomer, which are currently listed in Annex III of the Directive. In these assessments we will provide an overview of the occupational exposures in Europe, the number of workers exposed, typical adverse effects from exposure, the benefits from reducing the OEL, possible changes in the extent of exposure and risk as a consequence, issues affecting particular demographic groups, the effect on the environment and the economic impacts of the proposed changes. For hardwood dust we will also outline the benefits and drawbacks of basing the OEL on the inhalable dust fraction.
WP10: Assess the impact of introducing OELs for 20 substances listed in Appendix 1 of this tender document into Annex III of the Directive. For 1, 3 butadiene, chrome VI and respirable crystalline silica we will also assess the impact of three possible OEL values. We will provide an overview of the occupational exposures in Europe, the number of workers exposed, typical adverse effects from exposure, the benefits from reducing the OEL, possible changes in the extent of exposure and risk as a consequence of the proposed modifications to the Directive, issues affecting particular demographic groups, the effect on the environment and the economic impacts of the proposed changes.
WP11: Consult with key stakeholders in European industry, national health
and safety regulatory authorities and the European trade unions, and provide
Project Management. Where appropriate we will seek to obtain relevant information
from these stakeholders to help improve the reliability of our work. We will
carefully consider all comments and use this information in formulating our
conclusions, although none of the stakeholders consulted will have any direct
influence on the outcome of the project.
Note: All information presented on this website is provided by the SHEcan project team and does not constitute official information from the European Commission.