The EU Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs adopted, on Monday 12 June, their mandate on the revised directive on occupational exposure to lead and diisocyanates.
The position of the EU Council maintains the exposure limits defined in the Commission’s proposal (a revised biological limit value equal to 15 µg Pb/100 ml blood, accompanied by a revised occupational exposure limit value equal to 0.03 mg/m³), while introducing a transition period (until 31 December 2028) to ensure that Member States have sufficient time to effectively implement risk management measures and adapt their production processes to comply with the new biological limit value for lead, says a press release.
In practice, a transitional value of 35 µg Pb/100 ml blood would apply until 31 December 2028.
The EU Council has also introduced specific provisions for workers who already have high levels of lead in their blood due to historical exposure, and for women of childbearing age.
The Commission will also have to publish guidelines on health surveillance, which should include advice on how to implement the provisions on blood lead levels.
Link to the mandate: https://aeur.eu/f/7f9 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)