Commission Directive 2006/15/EC of  7 February 2006  establishing a second list of indicative occupational exposure limit values in implementation of Council Directive 98/24/EC and amending Directives 91/322/EEC and 2000/39/EC   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2006-02-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: chemical product, dangerous substance, health risk, occupational safety

L 38/36

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.2.2006

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2006/15/EC

of 7 February 2006

establishing a second list of indicative occupational exposure limit values in implementation of
Council Directive 98/24/EC and amending Directives 91/322/EEC and 2000/39/EC

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Community limit value, but may determine its nature in
accordance with national legislation and practice.

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to 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 (1), and in particular
Article 3(2) thereof,

Having regard to the opinion of the Advisory Committee on
Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work,

Whereas:

(5)

(6)

(7)

Pursuant to Directive 98/24/EC, the Commission is to
propose European objectives in the form of indicative
occupational exposure limit values
the
protection of workers from chemical risks, to be set at
Community level.

(IOELVs)

for

Indicative occupational exposure limit values should be
regarded as an important part of the overall approach to
ensuring the protection of the health of workers at the
workplace against
the risks arising from hazardous
chemicals.

Results of the risk assessments and risk reduction stra-
tegies developed in the framework of Council Regulation
(EEC) No 793/93 (3) on the evaluation and control of the
risks of existing substances provide for the establishment
or revision of OELs for a number of substances.

91/322/EEC (4)

A first and a second list of
indicative occupational
exposure limit values were established by Commission
Directives
under
Council Directive 80/1107/EEC of 27 November 1980
on the protection of workers from the risks related to
exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at
work (6).

96/94/EC (5)

and

In carrying out this task, the Commission is assisted by
the Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure
Limits
set up by
Commission Decision 95/320/EC (2).

to Chemical Agents

(SCOEL)

(8)

Directive 80/1107/EEC was repealed with effect from 5
May 2001 by Directive 98/24/EC.

Indicative occupational exposure limit values are health-
based, non-binding values, derived from the most recent
scientific data available and taking into account the avail-
ability of measurement techniques. They set threshold
levels of exposure below which no detrimental effects
are
are
necessary for the determination and assessment of risks
by the employer in accordance with Article 4 of Directive
98/24/EC.

given substance. They

expected for

any

(4)

For any chemical agent for which indicative occupational
exposure limit values are established at Community level,
Member States are required to establish a national occu-
pational exposure limit value taking into account the

(1) OJ L 131, 5.5.1998, p. 11.
(2) OJ L 188, 9.8.1995, p. 14.

(9)

Directive
91/322/EEC and 96/94/EEC were to remain in force.

established

98/24/EC

that

Directives

(10) Directive 96/94/EC was repealed with effect from 31
December 2001 by Commission Directive 2000/39/EC
of 8 June 2000 establishing a first list of indicative occu-
pational exposure limit values in implementation of
the
Council Directive 98/24/EC on the protection of
health and safety of workers from the risks related to
chemical agents at work (7).

(3) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC)
No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ
L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).
(4) OJ L 177, 5.7.1991, p. 22.
(5) OJ L 338, 28.12.1996, p. 86.
(6) OJ L 327, 3.12.1980, p. 8.
(7) OJ L 142, 16.6.2000, p. 47.

(1)

(2)

(3)

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L 38/37

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

the evaluation of

the latest available
In the light of
scientific data, it is appropriate to review the indicative
occupational
established by
limit
Directive 91/322/EEC.

exposure

values

In accordance with Article 3 of Directive 98/24/EC,
SCOEL has assessed a total of 33 substances, which are
listed in the Annex to the present Directive. Of these 33
substances, 17 were already listed in the Annex to
the
Directive 91/322/EEC. For 4 of
SCOEL recommends the establishment of new indicative
limit values and, for 13 substances, the maintenance of
the previous limit values. Therefore those 17 substances
now listed in the Annex to the present Directive should
be deleted from the Annex to Directive 91/322/EEC,
whereas the other 10 substances will remain in the
Annex to Directive 91/322/EEC.

these substances,

yet

recommended

Ten substances should remain in the Annex to Directive
91/322/EEC. As to 9 of these substances the SCOEL has
not
an indicative occupational
exposure limit value, while for one remaining substance
scientific data will
it
available
it will be
submitted to SCOEL for consideration.

is anticipated that additional

in the near

and that

future

(17)

For some substances, it is necessary to take into account
the possibility of penetration through the skin in order to
ensure the best possible level of protection.

(18)

This Directive should constitute a practical step towards
the achievement of the social dimension of the internal
market.

(19)

The measures provided for
in this Directive are in
accordance with the opinion of the Committee instituted
by Article 17 of Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12
June 1989 on the
to
encourage improvements in the safety and health of
workers at work (1).

introduction of measures

(20) Directive 91/322/EEC should therefore be amended

accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

In implementation of Directive 98/24/EC, a second list of
Community indicative occupational exposure limit values is
hereby established for the chemical agents listed in the Annex.

The list in the Annex to this Directive also incorporates
16 other substances for which indicative occupational
limit values have been recommended by
exposure
the latest available
SCOEL,
scientific data on occupational health effects and taking
into account the availability of measurement techniques
in accordance with Article 3 of Directive 98/24/EC.

following evaluation of

Article 2

Member States shall establish national occupational exposure
limit values for
the chemical agents listed in the Annex,
taking into account the Community values.

(15) One of those 16 substances, monochlorobenzene, was
included in the Annex of Directive 2000/39/EC. SCOEL
has reviewed the IOELV in the light of
the recent
scientific data and recommended the establishment of a
new IOELV. Therefore, this substance, now listed in the
Annex of the present Directive, should be deleted from
the Annex to Directive 2000/39/EC.

In the Annex to Directive 91/322/EEC the references to the
substances nicotine, formic acid, methanol, acetonitrile, nitro-
benzene, resorcinol, diethylamine, carbon dioxide, oxalic acid,
cyanamide, diphosphorus pentaoxide, diphosphorus penta-
sulphide, bromine, phosphorus pentachloride, pyrethrum,
barium (soluble compounds as Ba), silver (soluble compounds
as Ag) and their indicative limit values are deleted.

Article 3

(16)

It is also necessary to establish short-term exposure limit
values for certain substances to take account of effects
arising from short-term exposure.

In the Annex to Directive 2000/39/EC, the reference to the
substance chlorobenzene is deleted.

(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989, p. 1.

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Article 4

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this
Directive by 18 months after the entry into force at the latest.

2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the
text of the provisions of national law which they adopt in the
field covered by this Directive.

Article 5

This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day
following that of its publication in the Official
Journal of the
European Union.

They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text
of
those provisions and a correlation table between those
provisions and this Directive.

Article 6

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain
a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a
reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member
States shall determine how such reference is to be made.

For the Commission
Vladimír ŠPIDLA
Member of the Commission

Done at Brussels, 7 February 2006.

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ANNEX

INDICATIVE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMIT VALUES

Limit values

EINECS (1)

CAS (2)

Name of agent

8 hours (4)

Short term (5)

Notation (3)

mg/m3 (6)

ppm (7)

mg/m3 (6)

ppm (7)

200-193-3

200-579-1

200-659-6

200-830-5

200-835-2

201-142-8

202-716-0

54-11-5

64-18-6

67-56-1

75-00-3

75-05-8

78-78-4

98-95-3

Nicotine

Formic acid

Methanol

Chloroethane

Acetonitrile

Isopentane

Nitrobenzene

203-585-2

108-46-3

Resorcinol

203-625-9

108-88-3

Toluene

203-628-5

108-90-7

Monochlorobenzene

203-692-4

109-66-0

Pentane

203-716-3

109-89-7

Diethylamine

203-777-6

110-54-3

n-Hexane

203-806-2

110-82-7

Cyclohexane

203-815-1

110-91-8

Morpholine

203-906-6

111-77-3

2-(2-Methoxyethoxy)ethanol

203-961-6

112-34-5

2-(2-Butoxyethoxy)ethanol

204-696-9

124-38-9

Carbon dioxide

205-483-3

141-43-5

2-Aminoethanol

205-634-3

144-62-7

Oxalic acid

206-992-3

420-04-2

Cyanamide

207-343-7

463-82-1

Neopentane

215-236-1

1314-56-3

Diphosphorus pentaoxide

215-242-4

1314-80-3

Diphosphorus pentasulphide

231-131-3

Silver (soluble compounds as Ag)

Barium (soluble compounds as Ba)

Chromium Metal, Inorganic Chromium (II)
Compounds and Inorganic Chromium (III)
Compounds (insoluble)

231-714-2

7697-37-2

Nitric acid

231-778-1

7726-95-6

Bromine

231-959-5

7782-50-5

Chlorine

232-260-8

7803-51-2

Phosphine

8003-34-7

Pyrethrum (purified of sensitising lactones)

233-060-3

10026-13-8

Phosphorus pentachloride

0,5

9

260

268

70

—

5

200

100

40

3 000

1 000

1

45

192

23

0,2

10

50

5

3 000

1 000

15

72

700

36

50,1

67,5

9 000

2,5

1

1

3 000

1

1

0,01

0,5

2

—

0,7
—

0,14

1

1

5

20

200

10

10

10

5 000

1
—

0,58

1 000
—

—

—

—

—

—

0,1
—

0,1
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

384

100

70
—

30
—

—

72
—

101,2
—

7,6
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2,6
—

1,5

0,28
—

—

15
—

10
—

—

20
—

15
—

3
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1
—

0,5

0,2
—

—

skin
—

skin
—

skin
—

skin

skin

skin
—

—

—

—

—

—

skin
—

—

skin
—

skin
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(1) EINECS: European Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances.
(2) CAS: Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number.
(3) A skin notation assigned to the occupational exposure limit value indicates the possibility of significant uptake through the skin.
(4) Measured or calculated in relation to a reference period of eight hours as a time-weighted average.
(5) A limit value above which exposure should not occur and which is related to a 15-minute period unless otherwise specified.
(6) mg/m3: milligrams per cubic metre of air at 20 °C and 101,3 kPa.
(7) ppm: parts per million by volume in air (ml/m3).