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Not only refinery, mine and paint shop workers come into contact with carcinogenic substances at work. Also office and corporate employees. So many carcinogenic factors are circulating around us, they get out of the furniture, carpets, air conditioning that the European Commission is alarming, because it will completely change the rules of health and safety. Each year, about 160 die of occupational diseases. Europeans. Half of them are cancer. How is it in Polish offices? We ask Piotr Strąek, health and safety specialist.
The fight against cancer is a priority of the European Commission in the field of OSH. It is not accidents anymore, but cancer we contracted at work that kills the most people in the EU.
On May 13, 2016, the Commission set out to combat the exposure of workers to 13 carcinogenic chemicals. Amends the directive on carcinogens and mutagens (2004/37 / EC). The Commission is also submitting a second proposal to reduce exposure to the next seven hazardous chemicals. The Commission will keep investigating other carcinogens to ensure continued protection of workers and improve the business environment across the EU.
The list of dangerous compounds has been supplemented with, inter alia, o waste engine oil or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are generated, for example, by the production of coke or aluminum. More effective protection of workers is expected to bring savings of up to 1,6 billion euros over the next 10 years. In the opinion of the Commission, small enterprises have the most problems with maintaining basic safety rules.
The problem is that cancer is no longer a threat to only workers in incinerators, refineries, and mines, but is starting to break into open office open spaces.
Health and safety in Polish. Protection too little
– In Poland, in a plant where carcinogenic and potentially carcinogenic substances are used, the employer is obliged to keep a special register, which is kept for at least 40 years, stating the names of substances, concentrations, exposure time and employee data – says Piotr Strąk in an interview with Medonet, health and safety specialist. Unfortunately, this is not enough to protect the employee from illness.
What causes the most problems? – You save on ventilation, because for many entrepreneurs the prices are prohibitive. Smaller employers usually give up on air-conditioning service and cleaning. What is worse, these are those whose employees have contact with the so-called heavy chemicals. And if they commission an assessment of the concentration of hazardous compounds, they do it when only 1/3 of the production is working. And such practices can have very serious consequences – says Piotr Strąk, a health and safety specialist in an interview with Medonet.
Cancer in the office
Interestingly, office workers are also exposed to harmful compounds. – Unfortunately, in office buildings, no one tests the air for harmful compounds. Only once a year the air conditioning is cleaned of dust or fungi. If the building is several years old and the arrangement of work rooms changes, ventilation often no longer fulfills its function. And in poorly cleaned ventilation, microbes and fungi develop much more often. There are cases when someone who is allergic suddenly gets a severe allergic reaction. The mushrooms that “sit” in poorly cleaned air conditioning are most often to blame – he adds.
The document prepared by the Commission includes, inter alia, advice on how to deal with rapidly increasing OSH risks, such as an aging population, psychosocial risks or workplace ergonomics.
The Commission also wants to introduce other changes to EU health and safety legislation in the next two years, in cooperation with the Member States and social partners. The update is to simplify regulations and reduce administrative burdens.
Key activities of the European Commission in the field of occupational health and safety:
1. Establish exposure limit values for seven consecutive carcinogenic chemicals or other measures. This proposal will not only benefit workers’ health, but also clearly target employers and law enforcement to avoid exposure.
2. Help enterprises, especially small and micro enterprises, in their efforts to comply with health and safety rules. Evidence shows that 1 in 3 micro-enterprises do not analyze workplace hazards. Therefore, the Commission is today publishing a guidance document for employers, including practical tips to help them assess risk and use it more effectively. The document includes, among others advice on how to deal with rapidly increasing OSH risks, such as an aging population, psychosocial or ergonomic risks. The Commission is also committed to increasing the availability of free online tools to help small and micro enterprises with risk assessments.
3. The Commission will work with the Member States and social partners to remove or update obsolete legislation over the next two years. This is to simplify and reduce the administrative burden while ensuring worker protection. Such an update should also foster better enforcement on the ground.
The revision of EU OSH legislation and the revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive are part of the Commission’s ongoing work on the European Pillar of Social Rights, which aims to adapt EU legislation to changing work patterns and society. Consultations and debates on the Pillar reaffirmed the importance of occupational safety and health as one of the core elements of the EU acquis, with an emphasis on prevention and law enforcement. Today’s Communication also follows the wide-ranging evaluation of the existing acquis under the Regulatory Fitness and Performance Program (REFIT) to simplify EU legislation and make it more relevant and effective. The proposal and the changes have been developed in close consultation with stakeholders at all levels, especially the social partners.
Frequently asked questions from the European Commission on carcinogenic substances (English version)