Key changes and developments
[ch 7: page 131]• In April 2021, the ETUC European trade union confederation welcomed “significant amendments” to the European carcinogens and mutagens directive as an important step in fighting work-related cancer deaths. The TUC says the UK is at “real risk” of falling behind its European counterparts on workers’ rights and challenged the government to keep pace;
• On 1 July 2020, the Netherlands decided to adopt a five-times lower occupational exposure limit for diesel fumes — 0.01 mg/m3 compared to the 0.05mg/m3 specified by the EU. This is the highest level of worker protection in Europe;
• There is a new domestic chemicals registration, evaluation and authorisation regime known as UK REACH that operates independently from the EU REACH regulation;
• A new union report on asbestos in schools shows pupils and staff in some types of school are no safer today than they were in the 1960s to 1980s; and
• Unions and safety groups have submitted evidence to a HSE post implementation review of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.