CELEX: 51991PC0383
Language: en
Date: 1991-10-09
Title: AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE CONCERNING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROVISION OF SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SIGNS AT WORK - 9th individual Directive within the meaning of Directive 89/391/EEC

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                        C0M(91) 383 final - SYN 322
                                        Brussels, 9  October 1991
               AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
             CONCERNING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
           PROVISION OF SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SIGNS AT WORK
                  9th individual Directive within the
                    meaning of Directive 89/391/EEC
       (Presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149(3)
                          of the EEC Treaty)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Following the opinion of the Parliament on a first reading on 10.7.1991, the
Commission is forwarding to the Council an amended proposal for a Directive
pursuant to Article 149(3) of the EEC Treaty. The amendments mainly relate to
four types of provisions:
     one group of amendments is intended to bring certain provisions into line
     with similar provisions in other Directives. This is the case for the use
     of signs in relation to other techniques for collective protection or
     organizational measures, as described in Directive 89/656/EEC, possible
     exemptions, as described in Directive 89/391/EEC and the date of entry into
     force, which is brought into line with that given in a number of other
      individual Directives;
     there is a series of amendments to ensure that the wording used expresses a
     compulsory requirement, which was not the case in a number of the language
     versions;
     certain useful additions have been made to a number of provisions, and a
     small number of signboards relating to high-risk situations have been
     added ;
     finally, some of the requirements have been defined in greater detail,
     though not in excessively technical terms, so that they still remain
     minimum requirements.
The amended Commission proposal thus has broadly the same structure and aims as
the original proposal, but develops certain provisions in greater detail.
 ---pagebreak--- SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SIGNS                             15/7/91
      Original Commission proposal    Amended proposal (where no new
                                      wording is given, the original
                                      proposal remains unchanged
                ARTICLE 3
             General rules
  1. The safety and/or health signs  1. The safety and/or health signs
  laid down in this Directive shall  laid down in this Directive shall be
  be provided where there are risks  provided where there are risks which
  or dangers which have not been     cannot be prevented or sufficiently
  eliminated by techniques for       limited by techniques for collective
  collective protection or by the    protection or by the measures,
  measures, methods or procedures    methods or procedures used in the
  used in the organization of work.  organization of work.
                ARTICLE 7
               Exemption?
  1. Taking account of the types of  1. Taking account of the types of
  activity and size of the           activity and size of the undertakings
  undertakings concerned, Member     concerned, Member States may specify
  States may specify sectors of      categories of undertakings allowed a
  activity, categories of            total, partial or temporary exemption
  undertakings or types of           from the obligation to use luminous
  workstation allowed a total,       and/or acoustic signs as provided for
  partial or temporary exemption     in this Directive, provided that
  from the obligation to use         alternative measures are taken which
   luminous and/or acoustic signs as afford the same level of protection.
  provided for in this Directive,
  provided that alternative
  measures are taken which afford
  the same level of protection.
               ARTICLE 12
            Final provisions
  1. Member States shall bring into  1. Member States shall bring into
  force the laws, regulations and    force the laws, regulations and
  administrative provisions          administrative provisions required to
  required to comply with this       comply with this Directive with
  Directive with effect from 1       effect from 1 January 1993. They
  January 1994. They shall           shall immediately inform the
   immediately inform the Commission Commission thereof.
  thereof.
                 ANNEX I
  Paragraph 2, points 2.1 - 2.6      The wording in all languages must
                                     make it clear that these are
                                     compulsory requirements.
  Paragraph 4                        At the bottom of the table add in the
                                     appropriate three columns;
                                     yellow/black or red/white
                                      identify perimeter of a hazard or
                                     hazardous area
                                     hazard or hazardous area
  7. The number of signs or          7. The number and positioning of the
  signalling devices to be           signs or signalling devices to be
   installed will depend on the       installed will depend on the extent
  extent of the risks or dangers or  of the risks or dangers or on the
  on the zone to be covered and/or   zone to be covered and/or the number
  the number of persons concerned.   of persons concerned.
                                                            - Page 1 -
 ---pagebreak--- SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SiGNS                             15/7/91
      Original Commission proposal    Amended proposal (where no new
                                      wording Is riven, the original
                                      proposal remains unchanged
  8. Signs requiring some form of    8. Signs requiring some form of power
  power must be provided with a      must be provided with a guaranteed
  guaranteed supply.                 emergency power supply in the event
                                     of power failure.
  9. The triggering of a luminous
   and sound sign indicates when the
   required action should start; the
   sign must be activated for as
   long as it takes to complete the
   act ion.
                                     Luminous and acoustic signs should
                                     automat ica!!y reset.
   11. If the hearing or the sight    11. If the hearing or the sight of
   of the workers concerned is        the workers concerned is impaired,
    impaired, including Impairment    including impairment caused by the
   caused by the wearing of personal  wearing of personal protective
   protective equipment, measures     equipment, suitable and sufficient
   must be taken to supplement or     measures must be taken to supplement
   replace the signs concerned.       or replace the signs concerned.
                 ANNEX II
    1.3 The pictograms used may be    1.3 The pictograms used may be
    slightly different from or more   slightly different from or more
    detailed than those shown in      detailed than those shown in
    paragraph 3, provided that they   paragraph 3, provided that they
    convey the same meaning.          convey the same meaning and that any
                                      differences or adaptations do not
                                      obscure the meaning.
    2.1 Signboards are to be           2.1 In principle signboards are to be
     installed at a suitable height,   installed at a suitable height and
    taking account of any obstacles,   position in relation to the line of
    either at the access point to an   sight, taking account of any
    area in the case of a general      obstacles, either at the access point
    risk, or in the immediate          to an area in the case of a general
    vicinity of a specific risk or     risk, or In the immediate vicinity of
    object and in a well-lit and       a specific risk or object and in a
    easily accessible location.        well-lit and easily accessible
                                       locat ion.
    3. Signboards to be used.          3. Definition of signboards to be
                                       used.
    3.2                                3.2 Add
                                                       noise
                                                             - Page 2 -
 ---pagebreak--- SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SIGNS                           15/7/91
     Original Commission proposal  Amended proposal (^here no new
                                   wording Is given, the original
                                   proposal remains unchanged
                                                     Add
                                                fragile roof
  3.3                             3.3 Add
                                             general obi igat ion
                                      (with supplementary signboard)
  3.4                             3.4 Add
                                          emergency and first aid
                                                            Page 3 -
 ---pagebreak--- SAFETY AND/OR HEALTH SIGNS                            15/7/91
      Original Commission proposal    Amended proposal (where no new
                                      wording Is given, the original
                                      proposal remains unchanged
  3.5                               3.5 Add
                                                      f ire
                 ANNEX V
  1.1 Places where there Is a risk   1.1 Places to which workers have
  of colliding with obstacles, of   access during their work and where
  falling or of objects falling     there is a risk of colliding with
  should be marked with alternating obstacles, of falling or of objects
  yellow and black stripes In       falling should be marked with
  built-up zones in the undertaking alternating yellow and black stripes
  to which workers have access      or red and white stripes.
  dur ing their work.
I 1.3 The yellow and black stripes  1.3 The yeilow and black stripes or
I must be at an angle of            red and white stripes must b© at an
j approximately 45 and of more or   angle of approximately 45" and of
   less equal size.                 more or less equal size.
                ANNEX VI
  1.1 The light emitted by a sign   1.1 The light emitted by a sign must
  must produce a luminous contrast  produce a luminous contrast which is
  which is appropriate to Its       appropriate to its environment, in
  environment, in accordance with   accordance with the intended
  the intended conditions of use of conditions of use of the sign, but
  the sign, but without producing   without producing giare because of
  glare.                            excessive luminance or being poorly
                                    visible because the luminance is
                                    inadequate.
                                    2.3 (new)
                                    Luminous signs indicating serious
                                    hazards must undergo special checks
                                    or incorporate a stand-by lamp.
               ANNEX VII
  1.1 have a sound level which is   1.1 have a sound level which is
  considerably higher than the      considerably higher than the level of
  level of ambient noise, so that   ambient noise, so that it is audible
  it is audible without being       without being excessive or painful.
  excessive.
                                                           - Page 4
 ---pagebreak--- cA^FTY MID/OK HEALTH SIGNS                         15/7/91
     Original Commission proposa  Amended proposal               \m
                                  wording Is given , the or l<5 in
                                  proposai remains unchanged
                                 1.3 (new)
                                 if a device can emit both continuous
                                 and Intermittent acoustic signs, the
                                 intermittent sign should be used to
                                 Indicate a higher level of danger or
                                 a more urgent need for the
                                 requested/imposed intervention or
                                 action than indicated by the
                                 cont inuous sign.
                                 Add at the bottom of the table In the
                                 appropriate columns:
                                 VERTICAL DISTANCE
                                 The hands Indicate the distance.
                                 Add at the bottom of the table in the
                                 appropriate columns
                                 HORIZONTAL DISTANCE
                                 The hands indicate the distance.
                                                       - Page 5
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                      ISSN 0254-1475
                                                              COM(91) 383 final
                                                      DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                              04
                                Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-409-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-77-75879-1
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