Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances Working group on European Exposure Limits (WEELS) Agenda - 23 October 2003

Agenda

Meeting of WEELS held on Thursday 23 October 2003 in the Fortune Room, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS

1. Welcome and introductions

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2003 (previously circulated)

[There were no comments on the minutes. The following actions emerged under discussion of matters arising:

• HSE to circulate details of David Walters’ report on limit setting in other EU Member States.
• HSE to provide members with details of how to access the Health and Safety Laboratory’s report on IOELV measurement methods.
• HSE to find out more about an EU Solvent Workshop held in July, dealing with solvent-related Chronic Toxic Encephalopathy (CTE), and to report back to members.
• CBI member to provide a short note on discussions with the International Institute of Isocyanates regarding their opinion on whether a single limit or several limits for isocyanates would be preferable from industry’s point of view. ]

3. Additional agenda item on Reasonable Practicability and Technical Feasibility

[HSE agreed to place TUC’s contribution on the reasonable practicability/ technical feasibility question on the agenda for a fuller discussion at the next meeting.]

4. Scene-setting and the role of WEELS. (WEELS/08/2003)

Influencing the EU limit-setting process. (WEELS/09/2003)

Communicating with members and the wider stakeholder base. (WEELS/10/2003)

[These three papers were considered together. The discussion clarified the information objectives of members and the occasions where individual and tripartite contributions to the limit-setting process were appropriate. HSE confirmed WEELS as the main forum for UK inputs to the EU limit-setting process. The following actions were agreed:

• HSE to circulate the three papers to HSE secondee to European Commission prior to his secondment.
• HSE to amend the bullets in paragraph 3 of WEELS/08/2003 to incorporate WEELs’ participation in the preparation of HSC’s Consultative Document on implementation of the 2nd IOELV Directive.
• HSE to modify the tables in WEELS/09/2003 to take account of as fast-track approach when HSE sent a full package direct to DG Emp, and to include an initial discussion stage prior to DG Emp publishing a draft IOELV Directive.
• as part of HSE’s commitment to providing the right information at the right time, HSE agreed the following:
  • to let members have details of future SCOEL meetings and a rough idea of what was due to be discussed;
  • to press for earlier circulation of SCOEL minutes to allow WEELS members to have an earlier indication of likely future SCOEL/SUMs. (Supported by UK SCOEL member);
  • to provide a written report to members about deliberations at the National Experts Working Group (NEWG) and at the Ad Hoc Group on Chemical Policies in the Workplace;
  • to develop a dedicated website for WEELS members;
  • to summarise the respective roles of the various EU Committees .]

5. 2nd European Commission Directive on Indicative Occupational Exposure Limit Values. (WEELS/07/2003)

[Members were updated as to the present position of the 2nd IOELV Directive and HSE’s plans for implementation. The following actions were agreed in discussion:

• members to let HSE know of any suspected reasonable practicability difficulties with the limits proposed, other than for nitrogen monoxide and chlorine;
• members to help in the dissemination of questionnaires to appropriate industries and trade associations on usage of substances and compliance difficulties;
• HSE to inform members when the Directive was adopted together with confirmation of the implementation date;
• HSE to remind members of the criteria agreed for deviating from the IOELV in national limits;
• HSL to send documentation relating to the use of nitrogen monoxide by the health sector to HSE CSD.
• HSE to circulate a European Commission document which set out all the proposed changes to the structure of the Luxembourg Advisory Committee and its Ad Hoc Groups as a result of the inclusion of the accession countries. ]

6. Date of next meeting

[The next WEELS meeting to be held in April or May 2004, so that a report can be fed back to ACTS at its meeting in July 2004. The Secretariat agreed to circulate possible dates.

HSE to circulate a list of members and contact details.]