Binding occupational exposure limit values (OELs) of the European Commission

The Bundesarbeitsblatt [Federal Labour Gazette] (2006) No. 4, p. 46, refers to binding European OELs. These are the air limit values for the five substances given in the table 1. The binding European OELs have to be adopted as minimum standards by the member states. The binding European OELs are not occupational exposure limit values under the terms of Art. 3, Sec. 6 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV), compliance with which generally excludes acute or chronically harmful effects on health, which is why they are not listed in TRGS 900.
Until the end of 2004, certain substances with a binding EC OEL in the then TRGS 900 were given lower limit values which could be usually achieved in accordance with the state of the art (see table 1).

Table 1: Substances with a binding EU OEL

During the definition of measures including safety measures, consideration must however be given not only to the occupational exposure limit values, but to other regulations, such as the provisions and requirements of the substance-specific Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS). In response to a proposal by the AGS Committee for Hazardous Substances, the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) issued concentrations for certain substances for which binding European occupational exposure limit values exist. These concentrations describe the state of the art, or their violation necessitates further measures (Table 2).

Table 2: Concentrations issued by the BMAS

No values of this kind have been published as yet for benzene and vinyl chloride. Since the exposure level achieved in Germany is already lower in many areas, the institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention (BGs) recommend - even where the binding EU OELs are already complied with - that up-to-date good practice be followed to reduce the risk and exposure as far as possible (Art. 10, Sec. 1, GefStoffV), and that the former limit values valid in 2004 be observed. Possible substitutes for the substance must also be considered.