
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2000/39/EC of 8 June 2000 establishing a first list of indicative occupational exposure limit values in implementation of Council Directive 98/24/EC on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (Text with EEA relevance) 

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work, and in particular Article 3(2) thereof,
Having regard to the opinion of the Advisory Committee on safety, hygiene and health protection at work,
Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Directive 98/24/EC, the Commission is to propose European objectives in the form of indicative occupational exposure limit values for the protection of workers from chemical risks, to be set at Community level.

(2) The Commission, in carrying out this task, is assisted by the Scientific Committee for occupational exposure limits to chemical agents (SCOEL), instituted by Commission Decision 95/320/EC.

(3) For any chemical agent for which indicative occupational exposure limit values are established at Community level, Member States are required to establish a national occupational exposure limit value, taking into account the Community limit value, determining its nature in accordance with national legislation and practice.

(4) Indicative occupational exposure limit values should be regarded as an important part of the overall approach to ensuring the protection of the health of workers at the workplace, against the risks arising from hazardous chemicals.

(5) A first and a second list of indicative occupational exposure limit values were established by Commission Directives 91/322/EEC and 96/94/EC in the framework of 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.

(6) Directive 80/1107/EEC has been repealed with effect from 5 May 2001 by Directive 98/24/EC.

(7) It is appropriate to reenact, in the framework of Directive 98/24/EC, the indicative occupational exposure limit values which had been established by Directives 91/322/EEC and 96/94/EC in the framework of Directive 80/1107/EEC.

(8) The list set out in the Annex contains the substances set out in the Annex to Directive 96/94/EC and incorporates a number of other agents for which indicative occupational exposure limit values have been recommended by SCOEL, following the evaluation of the latest available scientific data on occupational health effects and taking into account the availability of measuring techniques. In view of the foregoing and in the interests of clarity Directive 96/94/EC should be recast.

(9) It is necessary to establish short-term exposure limit values for certain substances to take account of effects arising from short-term exposure.

(10) For some agents, it is necessary to have regard also to the possibility of penetration through the skin, in order to ensure the best possible level of protection.

(11) This Directive constitutes a practical step towards the achievement of the social dimension of the internal market.

(12) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee instituted by Article 17 of Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1 
Community indicative occupational exposure limit values are hereby established for the chemical agents set out in the Annex.
Article 2 
Member States shall establish national occupational exposure limit values for the chemical agents listed in the Annex, taking into account the Community values.
Article 3 

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 31 December 2001 at the latest. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.When Member States adopt these provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference at the time of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 4 
Directive 96/94/EC is repealed with effect from the date referred to in Article 3(1).
Article 5 
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 6 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
ANNEX

INDICATIVE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMIT VALUESEinecs CAS Name of agent Limit values Notation
Eight hours Short-term
mg/m3 ppm mg/m3 ppm
200-467-2 60-29-7 Diethylether 308 100 616 200 —
200-662-2 67-64-1 Acetone 1 210 500 — — —
200-663-8 67-66-3 Chloroform 10 2 — — Skin
200-756-3 71-55-6 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 555 100 1 110 200 —
200-834-7 75-04-7 Ethylamine 9,4 5 — — —
200-863-5 75-34-3 1,1-Dichloroethane 412 100 — — Skin
200-870-3 75-44-5 Phosgene 0,08 0,02 0,4 0,1 —
200-871-9 75-45-6 Chlorodifluoromethane 3 600 1 000 — — —
201-159-0 78-93-3 Butanone 600 200 900 300 —
201-176-3 79-09-4 Propionic acid 31 10 62 20 —
202-422-2 95-47-6 o-Xylene 221 50 442 100 Skin
202-425-9 95-50-1 1,2-Dichlorobenzene 122 20 306 50 Skin
202-436-9 95-63-6 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 100 20 — — —
202-704-5 98-82-8 Cumene 100 20 250 50 Skin
202-705-0 98-83-9 2-Phenylpropene 246 50 492 100 —
202-849-4 100-41-4 Ethylbenzene 442 100 884 200 Skin
203-313-2 105-60-2 e-Caprolactam, (dust and vapour) 10 — 40 — —
203-388-1 106-35-4 Heptan-3-one 95 20 — — —
203-396-5 106-42-3 p-Xylene 221 50 442 100 Skin

203-470-7 107-18-6 Allyl alcohol 4,8 2 12,1 5 Skin
203-473-3 107-21-1 Ethylene glycol 52 20 104 40 Skin
203-539-1 107-98-2 1-Methoxypropanol-2 375 100 568 150 Skin
203-550-1 108-10-1 4-Methylpentan-2-one 83 20 208 50 —
203-576-3 108-38-3 m-Xylene 221 50 442 100 Skin
203-603-9 108-65-6 2-Methoxy-1-methylethylacetate 275 50 550 100 Skin
203-604-4 108-67-8 Mesitylene (Trimethylbenzenes) 100 20 — — —

203-631-1 108-94-1 Cyclohexanone 40,8 10 81,6 20 Skin

203-726-8 109-99-9 Tetrahydrofuran 150 50 300 100 Skin
203-737-8 110-12-3 5-Methylhexan-2-one 95 20 — — —
203-767-1 110-43-0 Heptan-2-one 238 50 475 100 Skin
203-808-3 110-85-0 Piperazine 0,1 — 0,3 — —
203-905-0 111-76-2 2-Butoxyethanol 98 20 246 50 Skin
203-933-3 112-07-2 2-Butoxyethyl acetate 133 20 333 50 Skin
204-065-8 115-10-6 Dimethylether 1 920 1 000 — — —
204-428-0 120-82-1 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 15,1 2 37,8 5 Skin
204-469-4 121-44-8 Triethylamine 8,4 2 12,6 3 Skin
204-662-3 123-92-2 Isopentylacetate 270 50 540 100 —
204-697-4 124-40-3 Dimethylamine 3,8 2 9,4 5 —
204-826-4 127-19-5 N,N-Dimethylacetamide 36 10 72 20 Skin
205-480-7 141-32-2 n-Butylacrylate 11 2 53 10 —
205-563-8 142-82-5 n-Heptane 2 085 500 — — —
208-394-8 526-73-8 1,2,3-Trimethylbenzene 100 20 — — —
208-793-7 541-85-5 5-Methylheptan-3-one 53 10 107 20 —
210-946-8 626-38-0 1-Methylbutylacetate 270 50 540 100 —
211-047-3 628-63-7 Pentylacetate 270 50 540 100 —
620-11-1 3-Pentylacetate 270 50 540 100 —
625-16-1 Amylacetate, tert 270 50 540 100 —
215-535-7 1330-20-7 Xylene, mixed isomers, pure 221 50 442 100 Skin
222-995-2 3689-24-5 Sulphotep 0,1 — — — Skin
231-634-8 7664-39-3 Hydrogen fluoride 1,5 1,8 2,5 3 —
231-131-3 7440-22-4 Silver, metallic 0,1 — — — —
231-595-7 7647-01-0 Hydrogen chloride 8 5 15 10 —
231-633-2 7664-38-2 Orthophosphoric acid 1 — 2 — —
231-635-3 7664-41-7 Ammonia, anhydrous 14 20 36 50 —
231-954-8 7782-41-4 Fluorine 1,58 1 3,16 2 —
231-978-9 7783-07-5 Dihydrogen selenide 0,07 0,02 0,17 0,05 —
233-113-0 10035-10-6 Hydrogen bromide — — 6,7 2 —
247-852-1 26628-22-8 Sodium azide 0,1 — 0,3 — Skin
252-104-2 34590-94-8 (2-Methoxymethylethoxy)-propanol 308 50 — — Skin
Fluorides, inorganic 2,5 — — — —






