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

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  (80/1107/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), drafted following consultation with the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at work,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas the Council resolution of 29 June 1978 on an action programme of the European Communities on safety and health at work (4), provides for the harmonization of provisions and measures regarding the protection of workers with respect to chemical, physical and biological agents ; whereas efforts must therefore be made towards approximation, while the improvement is being maintained, of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States in accordance with Article 117 of the Treaty;
Whereas certain differences are revealed by an examination of the measures taken by Member States to protect workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work ; whereas, therefore, in the interests of balanced development, these measures, which directly affect the functioning of the common market, should be approximated and improved ; whereas this approximation and improvement should be based on common principles;
Whereas the said protection should as far as possible be ensured by measures to prevent exposure or keep it at as low a level as is reasonably practicable;
Whereas to this end it is appropriate that the Member States should, when they adopt provisions in this field, comply with a set of requirements, including in particular the laying down of limit values ; whereas an initial list of agents may be adopted in this Directive for the application of further more specific requirements ; whereas the Member States will determine whether and to what extent each of these requirements is applicable to the agent concerned;
Whereas provision should be made, within the time limits set by this Directive, for the implementation, in respect of a limited number of agents, of provisions to ensure, for the workers concerned, appropriate surveillance of their state of health during exposure and the provision of appropriate information;
Whereas the Council will lay down the limit values and other specific requirements for certain agents in individual Directives;
Whereas certain technical aspects concerning the specific requirements established in the individual directives can be reviewed in the light of experience and progress made in the technical and scientific fields;  (1)OJ No C 89, 5.4.1979, p. 6. (2)OJ No C 59, 10.3.1980, p. 73. (3)OJ No C 297, 28.11.1979, p. 5. (4)OJ No C 165, 11.7.1978, p. 1.
Whereas representatives of employers and workers have a role to play in the protection of workers;
Whereas, since the Hellenic Republic is to become a member of the European Economic Community on the 1 January 1981 in accordance with the 1979 Act of Accession, it should be granted a longer period in which to implement this Directive so as to enable it to set up the necessary legislative, social and technical structures, in particular those concerning consultation of both sides of industry, the setting up of a system for monitoring the health of workers as well as the supervision of such implementation,