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COM (84) 460 
 
 
 
Vol. 1984/0 187 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), t his file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februa r 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 v om 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(84)
Brussels, 1984
SAFETY IN THE USE OF ASBESTOS
Answer to questionnaire in preparation for  
71st session International Labour Conference 1985
(Communication from the Commission to the Council)
COM(84) 460 final

The use of asbestos at the workplace has been a matter  
of concern for the last few years both at Community level  
and at ILO.
The ILO conference discussions in 1974 and the degree  
of implementation of Convention No.139 and Recommendation  
No.147 clearly show that asbestos was and remains a priority  
problem. Meetings of experts on safety in the use of asbestos  
took place at ILO in 1981 and 1983. A code of practice was  
elaborated at the 1983 meeting and approved by the Governing  
Body at its 224th Session (November 1983).
At the same session the-Governing Body decided to  
include the subject of safety in the use of asbestos in the  
agenda of the 71st Session of the International Labour1  
Conference in 1985.
In accordance with the standing orders of the Conference, the Office  
has prepared a report containing a questionnaire which must be answered  
before September 30, 1984. On the bas-i-s of these replies, the Office  
will draw up a second report indicating the main questions for the Con­
férence to consider. '
At the European Community level, the Council resolution  
of 29 June 1978 on an action programme of the European  
Communities on safety and health at work (O.J. C.165 -  
11/7/1978, p.l) stressed the need to give priority to car­
cinogenic substances and asbestos in particular. The Council  
Directive of 27 November 1980 on the protection of workers  
from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and  
biological agents at work (O.J. L.327 - 3/12/1980, p.8) and  
the Council Directive of 19 September 1983 on the protection  
of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at  
work (second individual directive within the meaning of  
Article 8 of Directive 80/1107/EEC) (O.J. L.263 - 24/9/1983,
p. 25) laid down specific requirements for the protection of  
workers exposed to asbestos. The Council Directive of 19  
September 1983 amending for the fifth time (asbestos) direc­
tive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations  
and administrative provisions of the Member States relating  
to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous  
substances and preparations (O.J. L.263 - 24/9/1983, p.33)  
prohibits certain uses of asbestos and requires the labelling  
of all asbestos containing products.
The handling of asbestos containing waste is covered by  
both the above mentioned Council Directive: on the protection
of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at  
work and by Council Directive 78/319/EEC of 20 March
1978 on toxic and dangerous waste (O.J. L.84 -31/3/1978,
P.  4 3) .

-2-
The actions ,  of the European Communities were taken into  
account in the preparation of the ILO Code of Practice in  
1983, and specific reference is made to the activities of  
the European Communities in the first report prepared by the  
Office for the 71st Session of the International Labour  
Conference.
In the light of the detailed contents of the ILO Code  
of Practice, of the ILO questionnaire and the above mentioned  
Community instruments, it is clear that the subject matter to 
be discussed at the 71st Session of the Conference as defined  
by the Governing Body is covered by Community instruments and  
Community competence.
As a first step in the preparation of the 71st ILO Conference, the  
Community must draw up an answer. A draft of such a Community answer to  
the questionnaire, drawn up by the Commission on the basis of the existing  
Community instruments, is attached.

A N N E X
D raft Community answ er based on e x is tin g  Community in stru m en ts to  the 
q u e stio n n a ire  c o n tain ed  in  Report VI (1) "S a fety  in  th e  use o f a sb e sto s" 
p repared by th e  I n te rn a tio n a l Labour O ffice fo r th e 7 1 st S essio n  (19^5) 
o f th e  I n te r n a tio n a l Labour Conference
1) The fo llo w in g  q u e stio n s a re  to  be answered YES:
I t 3 ( a ) , 3(b), 4(1), 6(1),6(2), 7, 8(1) , l l ( 2) ( a ) , 1 2, 1 3 (1 ), 13(2),
14, 15, 1 7 (1 ), 1 8, 19, 2 0, 2 1(1) , 2 1(2) , 2 2(1) , 2 2(2) , 2 4 (1 ), 2 4 (2 ), 
2 4 (3 ), 2 4 (4 ), 28 , 29, 32 , 33 , 3 4 (1 ), (3 4 (2 ).
Qmmunity l e g is la t io n  a lre a d y  makes p ro v isio n  fo r th e se  m a tte rs.
2) The fo llo w in g  q u e stio n s a re  a t p re se n t to  be answered NO:
M 3 ), 5 , 10, 23, 31, 35, 38.
3) A  q u a lif ie d  answer i s  n ece ssary  fo r th e fo llo w in g  q u e stio n s:
-  2 _  -  A  convention i s  s u f f ic ie n t sin c e  th e re  i s  a lre a d y  a v a ila b le  a
re c e n tly  e la b o ra te d  ILO Code of P ra c tic e  on s a fe ty  in  the use 
o f a s b e s to s ;
-  4(2) -  Yes. A  Community in stru m en t d e t a i l s  th e le v e ls  o f exposure
below which c e r ta in  p ro v isio n s do not apply;
-  6(3) -  d ero g a tio n s can only be j u s t i f i e d  in  r e la tio n  to  th e
a c t i v i t i e s  covered by q u estio n  4 (2 ):
« 8(2) -  Yes. A  community in stru m en t does t h i s  by re q u irin g  th a t 
a l l  w orkers must be covered i f  t h e i r  exposure exceeds th e  
le v e ls  la id  down in  4 (2 );
-  J9  -  Yes. A  Community in stru m en t la y s  down g e n e ra l hygiene
m easures r e l a ti n g  to  work p ro c e sse s, and i t  a ls o  c o n ta in s a 
s p e c ific  requirem ent fo r w orkers to  wear p ro te c tiv e  equipm ent;
-  1 1(1) -  See 9 above;
-  1 1 (2 )(b) -  Yes. A  Community in stru m en t p r o h ib its  th e  a p p lic a tio n
o f a s b e s to s  by means o f th e sp ray in g  p ro c e ss;
-  l l ( 2 ) ( e )  -  No. However,a Community in stru m en t p ro v id e s fo r a
n o ti f ic a tio n  scheme;
- l6( 1) ( - Yes. Lim it v a lu e s and th e  re fe re n c e  p erio d  a re  la id  
16(2) ( down in  a Community in stru m e n t;
_ 17(2) -  No. The d e s c rip tio n  o f th e te c h n ic a l p re v e n tiv e  m easures
should be given in  th e ILO Code o f P r a c tic e , as such measures 
may change ra p id ly  w ith te c h n ic a l p ro g re ss;

-  2 -
j  25 -  A  Community instrum ent re q u ire s  th a t an assessm ent of
th e w o rk er's s ta te  o f h e a lth  must be a v a ila b le  b efo re a s s ig -
ment to an a c t iv i ty  in v o lv in g  exposure to a sb e sto s d u st, and 
th e r e a f te r  a t a p p ro p ria te  in te r v a ls  fo r as long as exposure con­
tin u e s ;
-  26 —  No, but a Community in stru m en t re q u ire s  th a t in fo rm atio n  and
advice must be given to  w orkers reg ard in g  any assessm ent of 
th e i r  h e a lth  which they may undergo fo llo w in g  th e end o f exposure;
-  27 -  No, but a Community in stru m en t c o n ta in s p r a c tic a l recommendations
fo r th e c l i n i c a l  assessm ent o f w orkers. F urtherm ore, t h i s  in s tr u -  
ment allo w s a d d itio n a l m easures to  be taken in  in d iv id u a l ca se s;
- 50 -  No, but a Community . in stru m en t c o n ta in s p ro v is io n s  fo r the pro­
te c tio n  o f a l l  w orkers, in c lu d in g  th o se under l 8 y e a rs o f age;
-  3 6 (1) £  -  No, provided th a t th e re  i s  no c o n f lic t w ith th e e x is tin g  
56(2) ( Community in stru m e n ts;
-  37 -  The Community in stru m e n ts in  q u estio n  a re  ad d ressed  to  a l l  M em ­
b er S ta te s , and a re  in c o rp o ra te d  o r s h o rtly  to  be in c o rp o ra te d  
in  t h e ir  n a tio n a l law .
F o o tn o te t These answ ers a re  based ons
-  C ouncil D ire c tiv e  80/1107/EEC on th e p r o te c tio n  o f w orkers from th e 
r is k s  r e la te d  to  exposure to  chem ical, p h y s ic a l and b io lo g ic a l ag en ts 
a t w ork.Adopted by C ouncil on 27 November 1980, and to  be inco rp o rate- 
in  n a tio n a l law w ith in  fo u r y e a rs o f i t s  n o ti f ic a tio n  to  Member S ta t
- C ouncil D ire c tiv e  83A77/EEC on th e p r o te c tio n  o f workers from th e 
r is k s  r e la te d  to  exposure to  a s b e s to s  a t work (seC° “ ^
tiv e  w ith in  th e  meaning o f A rtic le  8 o f D ire c tiv e  80/1107 /EEC). Adop­
te d  by C ouncil on 19 Septem ber 1983 and to  be in c o rp o ra te d  xn th e  law 
o f Member S ta te s  b efo re 1 January 1987, and by 1 January 1990 in  t e 
case o f asb e sto s-m in in g  a c t i v i t i e s .
- C ouncil D ire c tiv e  83A78/EEC amending fo r th e  f i f t h  tim e (a sb e sto s) 
D ire c tiv e  76/769/EEC on th e  approxim ation o f th e law s, re g u la tio n s  ar 
a d m in is tra tiv e  p ro v isio n s of th e Member S ta te s  r e l a ti n g  to  r e s t r i c ­
tio n s  on the m arketing and use of c e r ta in  dangerous su b sta n c e s and
preparations. Adopted by Council on 19 Septem ber 1963, and to be in­
corporated into national laws within 30 months of its notification <  
Member States.
- Council Directive 7S/319/EEC on toxic and dangerous waste, adopted o .  
Council on 20 March 1978 and incorporated into national law within 
2<+ months of its notification to Member States.