Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Press Releases
HSE press release E222:03 - 4 November 2003
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published a report on the role of Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) in the health and safety systems in the European Union.
The report, written by Professor David Walters, shows that the problems of setting, understanding and using OELs across the EU to be similar to those in the UK.
John Thompson, Head of the HSE's Chemical & Flammables Policy Division and Secretary to the Health & Safety Commission's Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances, said: "Professor Walters' report provides a valuable insight into the role of Occupational Exposure Limits in Europe and supports the proposals made in the HSC consultative document published on 1 October."
The study was requested by the OEL subgroup of HSC's Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances as part of its review into how the OEL system in Great Britain could be improved. HSC's proposal to introduce a new OEL framework, published in a Consultative Document on 1 October (see press notice C049:03), has a closing date of 31 December for comments and can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd189.htm
The full text of 'The role of occupational exposure levels in the health and safety systems of EU member states', RR172, can be viewed or downloaded on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/index.htm and copies can also be obtained priced £25.00, ISBN: 0 7176 2776 4, from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA (tel: 01787 881165 fax: 01787 313995).
1. Professor Walters wrote this report when he was at South Bank University. In January 2003, he took up the first ever-TUC sponsored university post as Chair of the Working Environment at Cardiff University. He can be contacted about the findings on 029 2087 0013.
2. This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health & Safety Executive on behalf of the HSC. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSC or HSE policy.
: Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 0845 345 0055, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact, or write to: HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.
Liz Justice 020 7717 6197. For press review copies telephone 020 7717 6904.