Binding occupational exposure limit

Binding occupational exposure limit values reflect feasibility factors related to social acceptability. When the results of environmental monitoring have to be compared with OELs, factors that influence exposure and that entail preventive policies are considered. For these values member states shall establish a corresponding national binding occupational exposure limit value based on but not exceeding the community limit value. That is, a binding limit means a minimum requirement. 

Binding Occupational Exposure Limit Values (BOELVs)... 

Note With the release of the chemical agents directive 98/24/EC in 1998, the essential parts and requirements of this lead directive have been implemented in the new directive. Therefore, when it came into force in May 2001 at the latest, the lead directive 82/605/EEC was repealed. The above-mentioned occupational exposure limits for lead in air (0.15 mg m ) and in blood (0.07 mg/100 mL blood) have been accepted without change and have been set as binding occupational exposure limits. They are listed in annexes I and II to the new chemical agents directive , which is still in force (see Section 6.3). 

A key factor is the potential risk that a worker may suffer a professional disease which is clearly related to exposure to a specific chemical and that the disease is linked to the particular conditions of the work. Health surveillance is especially necessary for those chemicals which have a binding occupational exposure limit. 

The term binding occupational exposure limit value (BOELV) was introduced in article 3,4 of the chemical agents directive 98/24/EC. This type of Hmit is established in accordance to J 118 a of the European Treaty and is Hsted in the annex of this directive. According to the procedure for incorporation of limit values into national laws, the EU member states are required to adopt a national occupational exposure limit, which may be equal to or below the Hmit, but not higher than the BOELV. The procedure for establishing BOELV is quite complicated. Besides the toxicological properties, feasibility plays an important role. This includes technical aspects as well as considerations of the excess risk at estimated exposure levels. The acceptable-risk approach for genotoxic substances requires intense discussions on socio-economic factors between aU interested parties. 

Limit Values at the Workplace 199 Table 6.9 Overview of existing binding occupational exposure limit values. 

For carcinogenic and mutagenic substances of categories I and II, the carcinogens and mutagens directive 2004/37/EC is intended to establish binding occupational exposure limits which represent minimum requirements. So far a limit value has been determined for 3 substances only. The substances are benzene, vinyl chloride monomer, and hardwood dusts (see Tkble 6.9). 

Legal status of Occupational Exposure Limits. In most countries there are a number of OELs that are legally binding limits. Sometimes they are restricted to those that are in force as a result of compliance with EU Directives but in many cases the list is larger. In the guidance that accompanies OELs in all countries in which it was available, it is made clear that they are not regmri as safe limits and they are fi uently accompanied by recommendations to reduce exposures to as low as is possible below the limit. 

In addition, within the European Union, a system has been developed by Directorate-General V (DGV) for the establishment of Binding Limit Values (BLV) and Indicative Limit Values (ILV) [18]. The former are directly binding on Member States, while the latter must be taken into account by Member States when setting national occupational exposure limits. 

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is a legally binding airborne exposure limit issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)... 

The European Commission is advised about OELs by the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) [83]. As a result legally binding as well as indicative OELs (as an indication of what should be achieved) are laid down in European Directives. Each Member State in the European Union establishes then-own national OELs, based on the European Directives. The corresponding national lists usually include more substances than the Directive. National OELs can again be legally binding or indicative limits. 

Occupational exposure to chromium(III) or chromium(O) does not appear to be associated with renal effects. No renal impairment based on urinary albumin, retinol binding protein, and renal tubular antigens was found in 236 workers employed in the ferrochromium production industry where ferrochromite is reduced with coke, bauxite, and quartzite. The mean airborne concentration of chromium in various sample locations was 0.075 mg chromium(III)/m3 chromium(VI) was below the detection limit of 0.001 mg chromium(VI)/m3 at all locations (Foa et al. 1988). Workers employed in an alloy steel plant with a mean exposure of 7 years to metallic chromium at 0.61 mg chromium(0)/m3 and to other metals had normal urinary levels of total protein and p2-microglobulin, enzyme activities of alanine-aminopeptidase, N-acetyl-P-D-glucosaminidase, gammaglutamyl-transpeptidase, and P-galactosi-dase (Triebig et al. 1987). In boilermakers exposed to chromium(O), no increase in urinary levels of... 

The first European framework directive 80/1107/EEC on occupational safety (now repealed and replaced by directives 89/391/EEC and 98/24/EC) foresaw in article 8 the estabhshment of indicative as well as binding limit values for certain chemical substances. The aim of this mandate given to the European Council was to establish procedures and rules for deriving limit values and, of course, to set exposure limits based on these. In order to achieve this, the further harmonization and raising of occupational safety standards in relation to chemicals should be striven for as a practical step toward the realization of the social dimension of the common market in Europe. 

The biological limit values, according to directive 98/24/EC, are intended as binding limit values similar to the binding occupational limits for air exposure (BOELV) discussed in the previous Section. They have to be brought into force by the member states. National values must not exceed the community values. 

Establishment of Binding and Indicative Limit Values for occupational exposure. 

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