EU chemical strategy

The protection of workers from risks related to ex-posure to cancer-causing materials at work is the subject of European Union directive (1990).

Carcinogenic and mutagenic substances in the work place must be replaced as far as is technically possible. In some member states this regulation also applies to substances toxic for reproduction. Another directive restricts the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances (1976).

In November 2001, Green MP Inger Schorling proposed strong improvements to the European Commission's chemical strategy. Her suggestions came under heavy fire from the chemical industry's lobby.

She told the European Parliament that where substances are of very high concern (e.g. persistent and bio-accumulative, or carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction) "we must ensure that they no longer end up in consumer products or in the environment".

Speaking at the Women in Europe for a Common Future Conference last June Ms Schorling said, "more than 100,000 chemicals are registered. Our understanding of the potential toxic effects on wildlife and humans is limited to only a handful of these, despite the fact that most of these chemicals have been on the market for more than 20 years. Only a chemical industry that offers environmentally friendly products can offer sustainable employment in the long run.

"Each one of us carries several hundred synthetic substances in our body, chemicals that persist and bio-accumulate. They are found in breast milk and placenta.

"They are found in deep-sea living organisms and in the Arctic where they were never used. Whales that were stranded and died are so full of chemicals and heavy metals that they have to be handled as toxic waste.

"This legislation will strongly influence our lives and habitat for a long time to come."

There has been an internal conflict in the Commission between DG Environment, Margot Wallstrom, and DG Industry, Erkii Likkaneen. After long hours of lively debate the proposal was put forward for Internet consultation and comments from companies and other stakeholders interested in the future chemicals policy of the EU.

The European Parliament will vote on the EU chemicals strategy this month. Dr Arnold Cassola, secretary general of the Federation of European Greens, says that there has been too much procrastination on the implementation of the EU chemical strategy.

The Greens are concerned that en-vironmental and safety aspects should be given more priority. But the Italian EU Presidency did not show any eagerness at the Inter-Governmental Conference for the strategy to be discussed by Environment Ministers, preferring to see it handed over to Ministers of Industry.

OHSA seminar

Reducing chemical agents that pose a risk to workers was the main focus this year during European Week for Safety and Health at Work. Human costs are high and companies are facing claims by workers for diseases, including respiratory problems, dermatitis, cancers and damage to the central nervous system. Often the worker is exposed to risk without knowing what s/he is handling.

"The information must reach whoever is using it", Silvio Farrugia, manager. OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) officers manager at the Occupational Health and Safety Authority general said on dangerous substances at an OHSA seminar held last month.

The Department of Social Services sets the number of claims, for benefits following injuries resulting from contact with "poisonous or corrosive substances", at an average of nearly 200 each year.

Top of the list were complaints concerning fumes or dust generated in the work place. Spray painters are at risk from organic solvents which can cause liver and fertility problems. Carpenters breathing fine sawdust can suffer long term health complications.

Practices for the handling and storage of chemicals leave much room for improvement. The risks and solutions must be communicated more widely and the employer must take responsibility for carrying out a risk assessment. Occupational health and safety legislation is important for the control at source of risks that cannot be avoided.

Speaking on obligations under Maltese legislation, head of Technical Operations Dr Michael Asciak said that OHSA safety officers are authorised to stop work if it is dangerous, or take the employer to court with fines of up to Lm5,000. Engineers or architects risk losing their warrant if there is a serious safety breach.

"Most of the damage is done by sub-contractors when work is handed over," Dr Asciak said, adding that they had to be given the relevant health and safety information as part of the hand-over.

Certain chemical agents could cause cancer (carcinogens) or induce genetic mutation (mutagens) and workers with diabetes or asthma were at particular risk.

Inhaling cellulose thinner is dangerous for all workers, but especially for asthmatics. Worker information and training means workers can carry out self-regulation and do not have to wait for management to do something.

A list of occupational exposure limit values must be compiled. In some cases 15 minutes may be acceptable but if a worker is exposed for eight hours at a time the concentrations of the chemicals must be much lower.

Pesticides coming on the market are promoted as being "not dangerous" but even pyrethroids, the least harmful pest control chemical, can cause dermatitis, hay fever and allergies.

"There are no safe chemicals," senior engineering manager Vince Farrugia of OHSA said. In answer to a question on the Material Data Safety Sheet to be kept by companies, he said most chemicals come from Europe. This makes them more reliable, but it is not a guarantee that they are safe, he said.

"It is the obligation of management to prevent risks to workers," he said, adding that materials were best obtained direct from the producer rather than through an agent, since sometimes the labelling could be insufficient.

Some home brand household cleaning products which are mixed in Malta do not provide much information for the consumer and end user.

Regarding the labelling of household chemicals, Dr Mark Gauci, chief executive officer OHSA, said that the Malta Standards Board was responsible for seeing that chemical products for domestic use were adequately labelled, whether imported or manufactured in Malta.

Twenty-two per cent of the EU workforce inhales hazardous vapours and fumes. "It is also the obligation of the employer to investigate the causes, if there is a high number of workers suffering from asthma," Dr Gauci noted.

A clear link between productivity or service and working conditions has made managers sit up and take notice.

Need for training doctors

The European Agency for HASAW (Health and Safety at Work) was set up to "avoid making the same mistakes in 25 different countries".

Many examples of good practice cannot be easily transferred from one workplace or member state to another. Individual problems require individual solutions. Biological agents such as enzymes are on the increase with one million workers in the EU exposed.

"We want real improvements not fancy paperwork," said Dr Bertil Remaeus, president of the European Agency for HASAW, this month's board president, speaking of his hopes for the upcoming conference.

"Skin diseases and asthma are the top occupational diseases in EU member states but we need to be more aware of cancers which often go unregistered," Dr Remaeus said.

The need for training courses for Maltese doctors was identified. Training is needed for doctors to alert them to the possibilities of work-related causes of illness.

How chemicals are handled on site is important. Small enterprises need tailored information. "I don't think there are any non-hazardous chemicals, but you could substitute with a less harmful chemical," Dr Remaeus said.

"Even substitution requires a risk assessment. Better to handle an old chemical with care instead of a new one you know less about."

New chemical legislation moved by DG Environment has made the employer, the manufacturer and producer responsible for providing information. Employees in the work area will have to contribute to this.

Malta may be ahead of other candidate countries in terms of having a system in place through legislation. Dr Remaeus said that there was a debate going on in some countries over whether health and safety certification should lead to lower taxes. Current health and safety themes being investigated by the agency are construction and noise.

Major accidents

Consultant Ian Ellison, who has been helping MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority) to formulate its hazardous substances and accidents policy, outlined the COMAH (Control of Major Accidents Hazards) Directive and its effect on local operations.

A team from the UK has spent the past year providing technical advice on this "extremely complex piece of legislation" to MEPA, OHSA, the Civil Protection Department and local industry.

"The year 2003 will go down in history for the number of regulations published in the Government Gazette," Mr Ellison said.

"The clock has started ticking and they have to meet the deadlines written into the regulations", he added.

Seven "Top Tier" and six "Lower Tier" sites have been identified in Malta. By July 2004 all sites are to have developed a Major Accident Prevention Policy. This is a document to prove that there is control of the chemicals on the site.

Senior scientific officer for OHSA, Cedric Camilleri, spoke on the risks of asbestos exposure in the shipbuilding and insulation industries, auto repair and the repair of old appliances.

Crocilidite is the more dangerous type of asbestos fibre that can be inhaled or ingested. Since it is long and thin it is more likely to penetrate and lodge in the lung.

There is no cure for asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer effecting the lung membranes, chest and stomach.

Protection of workers from exposure is to be carried out through monitoring of asbestos removal activities by OHSA, an obligation laid down by Legal Notice 123, issued earlier this year.

There has been only scanty legislation on asbestos since 1994 when the importation of loose fibres asbestos became illegal. The law also makes the employer responsible for preventing or reducing worker exposure. This might include the wearing of respiratory protective equipment.

In addition to medical use, particularly at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, radio-active substances are quite extensively used in Malta. Industrial uses include the checking of welding and gauging levels or density in the beverage industry.

There are several sites in Malta where radiation is used to check electric components. Radiation is also in use at the airport to scan luggage and at the university for research purposes. For workers there is a danger that radiation can enter the body through a cut in the skin, inhalation or ingestion.

Paul Brejza, senior manager at OHSA, said that in Malta there were only a few cases where light exposure could result in burns or death. Most cases were low exposure but these increased risk of future cancers. All users must now notify OHSA of their activity as a result of Legal Notice 44 of 2003.

Chromium in cement

Water-soluble chromium VI, which is classified as carcinogenic and sensitising, can induce painful, disabling, allergic eczema in people exposed to wet cement preparations, which are widely used in the construction industry.

A study of 5,000 builders working on the Channel Tunnel found that half had skin problems and half of these individuals were sensitive to chromium VI.

Reducing chromium VI by adding 0.35 per cent ferrous sulphate to the cement is possible and has been shown to reduce the adverse health effects.

In member states where this technique has been introduced, the number of eczema cases resulting from exposure to cement has been dramatically reduced.

The European Commission is at the moment considering restricting the use of cement with high contents of chromium VI. These cement products have had to be labelled as sensitising since 2002.

A four-step approach to risk assessment

1. Make an inventory of the substances used in the processes in the workplace and those generated by the process, such as welding fumes or wood dust.

2. Collect information about these substances, i.e. the harm they can do and how this can happen. Safety data sheets, which must be provided by the supplier of a chemical, are an important source of information.

3. Assess exposure to the identified dangerous substances, looking at the type, intensity, length, frequency and occurrence of exposure to workers, including combined effects of dangerous substances used together and the related risk.

4. Rank the severity of the established risks. This list can then be used to draw up an action plan to protect workers.