8. Physical hazards at work

Changes and developments since last year

• the European Commission is now expected to bring forward a European Recommendation on Musculoskeletal Disorders rather than a new Directive. This would have no binding effect on Member States, although there would be an expectation that they will take action to apply its principles and content. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said that it does not expect any proposals on this potential Recommendation until late 2014 or early 2015;

• a new European directive on workers’ exposure to electromagnetic fields has been published and member states have until 1 July 2016 to introduce legislation to transpose the new provisions;

• in February 2014, HSE carried out a consultation on plans to simplify and update legislation on the storage of petroleum;

• the HSE has agreed transitional periods to allow employers to continue to use equipment and work processes first used before 6 July 2007, that expose their workers to exposure limit values above those set out in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2006. For whole body vibration, employers in agriculture and forestry had until July 2014 to comply.