WRITTEN QUESTION E-1459/98

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(13 May 1998)

Subject: Health protection at work for municipal police forces

Various surveys and research projects point to the serious health risks run by officers of the municipal police forces in various Italian cities owing to their exposure to high levels of air and noise pollution.

For example, the National Institute of Toxicology has pointed out that between 3 and 50 out of 1 000 cases of leukaemia in Italy are attributable to high levels of benzene.

As regards noise, according to a survey carried out by environmental associations in Rome, over 70 % of the measurements taken were in excess of the maximum limits laid down by the legislation in force.The same alarming data have been recorded not only in Rome but in many other Italian cities, such as Arezzo, Bologna and Florence, and in all these cases the rates of pollution turned out to be very high.

I understand from announcements which appeared in the local press that the Commission is allegedly proposing new limits for certain poisonous substances contained in exhaust gases.

In the light of this information and of Directive 90/394/EEC(1), can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Are the announcements which appeared in the Italian press true and, if so, what guidelines does it intend to lay down?

2. Do specific directives exist relating to health protection at work, and in particular to the case mentioned above?

3. Have official studies been carried out on the health risks run by officers of the European municipal police forces?

4. What is its general viewpoint on this issue?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 1998)

The Commission has no information on the announcements to which the Honourable Member refers. At Community level, work is continuing on toxicity aspects of exhaust pollutants and on environmental noise throughout the urban environment. In particular, framework Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and management(2) provides a Community-wide framework for national, regional and local measures to improve the quality of ambient air where it needs improving and to maintain it where it is still good. Individual directives will set limit values and alert thresholds for several pollutants. A first directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in the ambient air is being discussed in the Council.

Council Directive 97/42/EC of 27 June 1997 amending for the first time Directive 90/394/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work (Sixth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)(3) lays down an occupational exposure limit value for benzene. According to Article 2 of this Directive Member States have to implement it not later than 27 June 2000.

As far as occupational exposure to noise is concerned, Council Directive 86/188/EEC of 12 May 1986 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to noise at work(4) applies to all categories of workers, with the exception of workers engaged in sea and air transport. The scope of this Directive would be extended by the adoption of the proposed directive on physical agents currently before the Council since this would extend coverage to all categories of workers covered by Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work(5). However, there has been no recent discussion of this proposal in Council. Furthermore, Directive 89/391/EEC is not applicable where characteristics peculiar to certain specific activities in the civil protection services inevitably conflict with Article 2(2).

No official study has been drawn to the attention or carried out by the Commission related to the health risks run by police officers. A study in the framework of the "Europe against cancer" programme dealing with occupational exposure to carcinogens ("Estimation of the burden of occupational cancer in Europe") provided interesting data on occupational exposure to benzene but there is no reference to specific categories of workers.

(1) OJ L 196, 26.7.1990, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996.

(3) OJ L 179, 8.7.1997.

(4) OJ L 137, 24.5.1986.

(5) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.