Frequently Asked Questions

The risk of a chemical substance is the probability that an effect will indeed occur. This risk depends on the hazard (without hazard no risk) and on the dose of substance that is ingested, inhaled, or contacted through the skin. The risk a dangerous substance poses increases with increasing exposure.

The danger, often called the "hazard", of a chemical substance is the inherent potential of the substance to cause a certain effect, independent of the amount of substance needed to cause that effect.

EINECS, the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances, lists all substances that were reported to be on the market in Europe on or before 18 September 1981. The substances placed on the market for the first time after this target date are "new".

European directives are good sources for lists of substances. There was a remarkable development in the European legislation concerning chemical safety. You can find an up-to-date compilation of relevant directives at Legislation under the title Exposure to chemical agents and chemical safety.

Most States also publish lists of dangerous substances with occupational exposure limits. Information on Occupational Exposure Lists for Dangerous Substances, including links to lists in Member States can be found on this web site at Dangerous Substances.

Substitution is the active replacement of chemical substances, preparations, other materials or technical solutions in a process by other chemical substances, preparations, materials or technical solutions in order to reduce the exposure to hazardous substances by human beings and the environment.

The exposure, or dose, is the amount of substance that is ingested, inhaled, or contacted through the skin.

For many types of effects there is a minimum exposure needed before an effect will occur. This is the threshold level. Exposure to a dangerous chemical substance at levels below the threshold level is not a risk, because no effect will occur. For other types of effects, such as many cancers, no threshold level is known: all exposures are associated with some risk.

Before good practice is implemented in the workplace, a suitable and sufficient assessment of the hazards and risks in the workplace must be carried out. It is important to know the risks and to ensure that there is a real reduction in the exposure of workers and you are not only replacing one risk with another. Before working with chemicals you must inform yourself about the hazards related to them. A useful source of information made for this purpose is the Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that should be provided with the product.

The risks posed by chemical substances can be minimised in several ways. European Union legislation describes a hierarchy of options in Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work.

The hierarchy of control measures is as follows:

• Elimination or substitute the dangerous substance by one non or less hazardous.
• Enclose the process to minimise the emission of chemical substances to the working environment.
• Ventilation (including local exhaust, or LEV) prevents or minimises transfer of chemical substances through the working environment.
• Collective measures to create barriers (physical or in time) between source and worker reduces the duration of exposure and the number of workers exposed.
• Finally, personal protective equipment can be used to minimise the actual contact with the chemical substance.

• Record all the dangerous substances you are using and eliminate what is not needed.
• Apply general prevention rules/principles when using dangerous substances:
  • Avoid skin contact.
• Avoid releasing substances into the air.
  
• Use as little as possible of a substance.
• Expose as few as possible workers.
• Listen to your workers. They know the problems in the workplace.

And maybe a fourth:

• Ask your supplier about the substances with which he is supplying you and ask about safer substitutes.

• Ask for more information about the substances you are using, and ensure you get proper training.
• Report problems and doubts, especially regarding health problems that you think may be due to dangerous substances in your workplace, to your representatives, management, and preventive service (if available). Don’t assume everything is OK.
• Apply the prevention measures (like mandatory work processes, ventilation, personal protective equipment, etc.), take care of your equipment, protect your skin and keep yourself and your workplaces clean, according to instruction and training provided by your employer.

The Agency’s Factsheet 35 on the Communication of information about dangerous substances contains checklists for workers and employers.

There are about 100,000 different substances registered in the EU market. Approximately 10,000 chemicals are marketed in volumes of more than 10 tonnes, with a further 20,000 are marketed at 1-10 tonnes. The global production of chemicals has increased from 1 million tonnes in 1930 to 400 million in 2001.

Certain chemicals have caused serious damage to human health resulting in suffering and premature death. For example, exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, and exposure to benzene can cause leukaemia. These substances are now banned or subject to strict control, but only after the damage was done. This was because knowledge about the adverse health effects caused by these chemicals was not available before they were used in large quantities.

The incidence of some diseases, such as testicular cancer in young men and some allergies, has increased significantly over the last decades. While the underlying reasons for this have not yet been identified, there is justified concern that certain chemicals play causative role for allergies. According to the Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment of the Commission (CSTEE), links have been reported between reproductive and developmental effects and endocrine disrupting substances in wildlife populations. The lack of knowledge about the impact of many chemicals on human health and the environment is a cause for concern and is reflected in the European Union's White Paper on the Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy.

The European Risk Observatory of EU-OSHA is aimed to identify and draw attention to new and emerging risks, including dangerous substances, in order to facilitate appropiate prevention.

Risks cannot be easily compared as many risks have a synergetic, sometimes multiplying effect. For example, damage of the hearing system through noise can be greatly enhanced by organic solvents, and musculoskeletal diseases can be aggravated when unfavourable ergonomic conditions occur combined with stress. However, the prevention approach is the same. Investigate the risks, and prevent, starting by tackling the risk at source.

There are about 30000 chemicals commonly in use, in different sectors, so making a prediction is virtually impossible. Furthermore, the number of chemicals produced is still increasing and the effects of multiple chemical exposures are still unknown.

Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), which is in force since 2007, is aiming to get thourough knowledge on chemicals marketed, thus preventing a situation that happended with asbestos.

Normally, it can only be said that a substance is less dangerous with respect to a certain risk. The substitution of a chemical is always dependent on the way it is used. If it is not possible to replace a substance with a non-dangerous one, then it is necessary to weigh one risk against another. It is vital to consider all risks before making a substitution. Do not forget to consider issues such as flammability as well as toxicity. Best way to carry out a complete risk assessment.

The Agency's Factsheet 34 on the Substitution of Dangerous substances gives more information.

To quote Paracelsus, the dose makes up the poison. In many cases, workers are exposed to much higher amounts for a much longer time of a hazardous substance than occurs in their everyday lives.

Examples of this may include a spray painter exposed to chemicals in paints, a sewage worker exposed to a biological agent that causes diarrhoea, a carpenter exposed to wood dust, a cleaner exposed to cleaning agents, a nurse exposed to infectious micro organisms. In addition, they will often be subjected to multiple exposures (e.g. the cleaner may be exposed to biological agents and dust as well as the cleaning fluids), because in most cases they are also exposed to other substances.

However there are certain criteria to link health problems with workplace exposures:

• The exposure to the dangerous substance must be proven, and it has to be of sufficient dose.
• The health problem must fit to the characteristics of the substance.
• Temporal circumstances (onset of symptoms, latency period) must be adequate.
• Differential diagnosis must be considered because problems can originiate from other sources.

Decision making needs thorough investigation and special expertise, like of an occupational physician.

Sectors using a variety of chemicals and high amounts of chemicals are more obviously at risk. Nevertheless, other workplaces can be at high risk due to exposure to dangerous substances. The trend to outsource work can put maintenance, temporary, or home workers at a risk often unknown to them. Ignoring prevention in work areas assumed low risk can mean hazards being overlooked.

Cases of “sick-building syndrome” or multiple chemical sensitivity shows that even office workers can also be at risk.

The large number of variables that would have to be considered to make comparisons between Member States makes answering this question impossible.

What can be seen are the efforts in all Member States to address problems relating to dangerous substances. Some of these solutions are highlighted on the Agency's web site and in Agency publication.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is an information body committed to providing relevant occupational safety and health information to all European stakeholders. The Agency provides information for policy makers, researchers, and those in the workplace. Using the website to provide access to real life, good practice solutions is an important part of the Agency's strategy.

Primary location of these information is the Dangerous Subtances section in the Topics entry point, but other entry points also consist lots of valuable information. You are invited to make a search in Practical Solutions among the case studies, risk assessment tools, links or the Publications to find the specific information that you need.

You will find three types of information, which are often not strictly separated:

• Practical knowledge. This is often presented in the form of case studies from sources such as enterprises, occupational safety and health consultants and intermediaries, or research institutions. Many of the cases are prepared for and put on the Internet by national or regional authorities. Experiences and data from professionals are presented to help companies in their preventive activities.
• Information on hazardous materials. This is mainly chemical, toxicological, or medical information relating to specific dangerous substances.
• Help with hazard identification and risk assessment. Most national occupational safety and health legislation relating to dangerous substances require a risk assessment and corresponding control measures. The information provided through this site presents methods to comply with regulations in an easy way and is often enriched by practical experiences. Linkage is also made to tables of occupational exposure limits, a key aspect of the management of dangerous substances.

Direct application of the substitution process to the user's situation can only occur if the user's situation is identical to the described case and after careful examination of the true applicability of the case study. The cases usually contain substance information, process details, and benefits or drawbacks of the substitution in that specific situation. Case studies can be used in several ways. Their applicability depends on; the level of information given in the case description, the specific industry and process, the laws and regulations in different countries, and the specific needs of the user of that information. The case studies can provide encouragement for substitution by giving good examples of successful substitution.

It is always recommended to carry out a risk assessment of the actual workplace modelling the substition situation beforehand.

The good practice information provided here is intended to be relevant and applicable to those engaged in occupational health and safety at workplace level. The target group is not only occupational health and safety professionals but also people who have a designated occupational safety and health role at enterprise level or are involved in practical work, for example, in removing or substituting asbestos during rebuilding work. Intermediaries may also find much of this information useful.

As safety and health at work is common goal for workers and employers, everybody is invited to get an idea to promote better solutions.

Good practice information is information regarding good practice solutions. This information helps persons with occupational safety and health duties to reduce the health and safety risks at workplace.

Good practice is a process, technique or innovative use of equipment or resources that reduces the health and safety risks to workers. The good practice solution should outperform the standard or old solution. In the best case, it should provide improvements in safety and health, in environmental aspects, in time and cost efficiency, in product quality and in other measurable factors. For more information on the principles of the good practice information, please see the background information on this website.

You can find good practice information at the Practical Solutions pages in the form of case studies, risk assessment tools, useful links and providers.

Many solutions and technical information, especially case studies, from other countries or international sources can be very useful for giving hints on how to solve your own occupational safety and health problems. But be aware that there may be legislative differences, and you should check with your local enforcing authority.

There are four main areas of data sources:

• company practice,
• experience and data from professionals such as Labour Inspectors,
• scientific sources such as research or technological institutes, and
• information related to the practical consequences of regulations from authorities, and other bodies.

There are some case studies and links on these pages from US sources. Just like the European ones, they should help you to find innovative and practical solutions. However, please be aware that American and European legislation may differ significantly. In addition, because the United States and European Union assess the risk from some substances differently, there can be different exposure limits, regulations, and required control measures. You should always check your national legislation.

The common language of the website of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is English, but the Agency tries to make information available in as wide a range of languages as possible. Many Agency documents and webpages are translated into other European Member State languages.

Information outside of the Agency website, like country specific material is usually available only in that country's common language(s). However, some of the information provided is available in more than one EU Member State language. Data from the US is generally available in English and increasingly in Spanish; Canadian sites often contain information in English and French; Swiss pages can have French, German and Italian versions.

Legislative EU information is available in all Member State languages at the website of the European Union.

Yes, some case studies contain Cost-Benefit-Analyses. It should be noted that costs and benefits will vary over time, and the numbers can only be used as indicative.

The Agency disseminates good practice information to help you deciding about risk reduction measures and substitution. As set on its founding regulation, the Agency cannot give advice regarding individual work place situations. In every country, there are competent national authorities, such as labour inspectorates, or national occupational safety and health institutions, and organisations of social partners. You can find them on the pages of National Focal Points, and among the Providers of Practical Solutions.

A solvent in a chemical sense is a substance that dissolves another substance or substances to form a solution (a homogeneous mixture). The solvent is the component in the solution that is present in the largest amount or is the one that determines the state of matter (i.e. solid, liquid, gas) of the solution. Solvents are usually, but not always, liquids. They can also be gases or solids. Liquid solutions that do not have water as a solvent are called non-aqueous solutions.

The most commonly used group of non-aqueous liquid solvents is the organic solvents. They are usually in the chemical substance groups aliphates, aromates, alcohols, glycols, ketones, and esters. Organic solvents are hydrocarbons and related substances. The majority of industrially used organic solvents are volatile. According to the definition in Council Directive 1999/13/EC (on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations) a compound is volatile if the vapour pressure is higher than 0,1 mbar at 20° C. At this vapour pressure indoor air concentrations of VOC in the range of some mg/m3 are to be expected.

Solvents have various effects on human health, whether the exposure is by vapour, mist, or liquid form. They can enter the body by inhalation (breathing in), by swallowing, and through the skin. The way that solvents may enter the body depends on the volatility and fat-solubility of the solvent, and the resulting ill health effects are specific to each solvent. These can include:

• A narcotic effect, causing fatigue and dizziness. High doses may lead to unconsciousness and death. Exposure to large doses of solvents may slow reaction time and affect rational judgement. This may increase the risk of accidents both at work and outside, such as in the traffic on the way back home.
• Irritation of the eyes and the respiratory tract.
• Dermatitis and other skin disorders. Solvents clean and de-fat, not only the product in the process, but also the skin.
• Damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, bone marrow and the nervous system (e.g. Chronic Toxic Encephalopathy). Solvents can penetrate the skin and enter the blood circulation.

Direct effects after a single exposure generally require a high level of exposure, while prolonged or repeated low levels of exposure may lead to effects after a long period. Effects also depend on the health state of the individual (existing diseases, vulnerability).

The health risk of exposure to solvents depends on the specific solvent and on the level of exposure to the solvent. Solvents differ in their potency to harm health. For example

• Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), often consumed in beverages, is an example of an organic solvent that is only moderately toxic, and hence, can be drunk in relatively large portions (when diluted) without acute intoxication. In addition, swallowing is by far the only relevant exposure route as the air concentration must be uncommonly high to cause any observable effects in human.
• Methanol (CH3OH) has a rather similar chemical structure as ethanol, but the intake rate, potency to cause adverse health effects and the type of health effects differ significantly.

These differences have to be taken into account when setting occupational exposure limits (OELs). The OEL (8-hour exposure) for Ethanol can be over seven times that of Methanol.

Solvents also can pose a safety risk. Most of the solvents are volatile and flammable and they should always be handled with care. Some solvents produce vapours, which are heavier than air. These vapours may flow to floor, or in worst cases to spaces where ignition by a spark from welding or static electricity may light them. The vapours may also flash from smoking. Vapours of solvents can also accumulate in confined places and stay there for a long time, presenting risks for health and property.

For European Union policy see Council Directive1999/13/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations.

More information on solvents may be found at Legislation and at Practical Solutions on this site. Further information is available at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and at the International Labour Organisation (ILO).